http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/09/08/preemtive.shtml WTF????? Bringing up nukes in this context is highly unsettling. If this was a not so subtle message to the West that Russia is a force to be reckoned with, he should have come up with something more reasonable.
It's just part of the grand plan, allowing Bush and allies to take the gloves off now too. Remember, it is all in our interest to fight terrorism and fight it hard.
Take a look at this guy: He is Speznaz, the Russian equivalent of the Green Berets. Look at his outfit and equipment. Look at the little girl he is holding. My step-father always told me, "Son work smart, not hard." This soldier, bless his heart doesn't have the tools to do anything but do, hard, hard work, even though is is the best and brightest his country has to offer. Russians have never known how to do anything but the iron fist. Subtelty, at least in the realm of force of arms and diplomacy, is an unknown art to them. Sadly, they have been taking their lead from us, and then doing what comes naturally. They are now reaping the whirlwind. Poor Russia does not nave two oceans and billions of dollars of so-so technology to hide behind. The terrorists are in their back yard.
Ben, would you rather they not mention it and let everyone with 2 braincells make the connection and begin to speculate about possible use?? What they did was pretty much say they will do everything in their power to stop terrorism bar a nuclear war. A good, strong message. If they didnt mention nukes, people would get more nervous, and begin to draw their own conclusions..
That's ridiculous. No rational person would think about nukes in this context, until the Russians brought the subject up.
okay, lets say you are correct (which I dont think you are.) The Russians brought it up. They said they wont use them. what's the problem?
If you got into a fight with someone and he said, "I'm going to kick your ass, but I won't rape and kill your wife" I doubt you would find that comforting. Why the hell bring up nukes?
this is what we're headed for: bush goes off the ranch and everyone else figures "hey, we can too... what are they gonna say?" - we have been ushered by bushco. into the era of the chest thump
Not Putin. He was riding in a pickup with Bush on the ranch when our President looked into his soul and saw freedom or god or dead terrorists or whatever it was that he saw.
Who says all people who heard it are rational? Russia has nukes, has the ability to deliver them accurately, makes sense to point out they won't be used. Ya rational people would assume that, non-rational people, the more specific the better.
It seems obvious to me that bringing it up was a signal that extreme measures are being contemplated.