You don't want to end up like Bush, do you?

[Vympel]

Link

Nicolas Sarkozy saved the President of Georgia from being hanged “by the balls” — a threat made last summer by Vladimir Putin, according to an account that emerged yesterday from the Élysée Palace.

The Russian Prime Minister had revealed his plans for disposing of Mr Saakashvili when Mr Sarkozy was in Moscow in August to broker a ceasefire in Georgia.

Jean-David Levitte, Mr Sarkozy’s chief diplomatic adviser, reported the exchange in a news magazine before an EU-Russia summit today. The meeting will be chaired by the French leader and President Medvedev.

With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared.

Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”

Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”

Mr Saakashvili, who was in Paris to meet Mr Sarkozy yesterday, laughed nervously when a French radio station read him the exchange. “I knew about this scene, but not all the details. It’s funny, all the same,” he said.

Mr Putin’s remarks confirmed that he was calling the shots in Moscow and not Mr Medvedev, who was Mr Sarkozy’s official host at the Kremlin meeting. The language was in keeping with Mr Putin’s fondness for coarse imagery: in 1999 he vowed to chase down Chechen separatists wherever they were — “we will rub them out in their s***houses,” he said.

In Brussels in 2002 he threatened a French journalist with circumcision — remarks that the news conference interpreter failed to translate. “I will recommend that they carry out the operation in such a way that nothing grows back,” he added.

Mr Sarkozy’s team leaked their exchange to bolster their claim that the French President’s intervention saved Georgia — or at least its leader — from further torment. They want to counter charges that he ceded too much in Europe’s name by accepting the Russian annexation of the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Mr Saakashvili denounced Mr Sarkozy for that, saying Europe’s acquiescence over Georgia was identical to its appeasement of Adolf Hitler in Munich in 1938 after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. “I never imagined that I would be saying such things but unfortunately those are the facts,” he said.

Mr Sarkozy, who is under fire for his cosy relations with the two Russian leaders, hit back with sarcasm and an attack on Mr Bush for his supposed impotence towards Russia. Mr Bush had telephoned him and urged him repeatedly not to fly to Moscow to negotiate a ceasefire, he said. “When someone had to leave for Moscow or Tbilisi, who defended human rights?” Mr Sarkozy asked.

“Was it the President of the United States who said, ‘this is unacceptable’? Or was it France which kept up the dialogue [with Russia]? . . . We were in Moscow and, as if by chance, the ceasefire was announced.” He was speaking after receiving an annual Political Courage Prize from a French review.

George Bush's contribution the cause of international diplomacy, ladies and gentlemen. Comedy gold. Even Putin doesn't want to be Bush.

[K. A. Pital]

The comedy writes itself indeed. Points for Pu and Sarko, their dialogues bring us the wit from the world of politics. Wit that actually has meaning, opposed to Bush's blabbering.

We were in Moscow and, as if by chance, the ceasefire was announced.

Damn sure, buddy. But then, we already kicked the Georgians' ass ten ways down the Old Arbat for killing our troops, and going after the tie-chewing guy was more of a problem than a solution.

[irishmick79]

Awesome.

It's a great feeling to know that the failure in my country's leadership can be successfully cited to dissuade Putin, of all people.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Great pairing there. Though I think Berlusconi needs to be there too, what with him saying Obama was "tanned" the other week.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I... find myself having an odd respect for Sarkozy now. Not that I didnt before, but damn.

[Surlethe]

Sarkozy is so naive. You just can't negotiate with these people without conditions - if you do, you're legitimizing their acts of terror.

[Kane Starkiller]

Even Putin doesn't want to be Bush.

Of course not. Bush is about to step down from presidency and power in a few months. Putin, on the other hand, seems to plan to remain in power at least until 2024 what with the recent extension of the presidential term from 4 to 6 years.

[RedImperator]

StargateNerd's post deleted. Last I checked, a Flash joke wasn't a substantive addition to a discussion about international diplomacy.

[Feil]

Even Putin doesn't want to be Bush.

Of course not. Bush is about to step down from presidency and power in a few months. Putin, on the other hand, seems to plan to remain in power at least until 2024 what with the recent extension of the presidential term from 4 to 6 years.

You know Putin stepped down from the presidency in 2007? He's the PM now.

[Kane Starkiller]

You know Putin stepped down from the presidency in 2007? He's the PM now.

Yes but it is clear that he is still calling the shots. After all Sarkozy talked to him rather than Medvedev not to mention sudden importance of the PM position. Couple that with Putin's probable running for presidency in 2012 and new 6 year term presidency (that doesn't apply to the current president) and you get the idea.

[Gil Hamilton]

An interesting pair, France and Russia are. Both have alot of what the other needs. I wonder in the future if we'll see French built nuclear reactions powering Russia and Russian resource wealth fueling France. A Franco-Russian alliance would actually be somewhat formidable.

More on topic, Sarkozy and Putin make a great political odd couple. Its interesting that Bush has become the gold standard of fumbling international politics that it causes even Putin to pause from being a badass.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

An interesting pair, France and Russia are. Both have alot of what the other needs. I wonder in the future if we'll see French built nuclear reactions powering Russia and Russian resource wealth fueling France. A Franco-Russian alliance would actually be somewhat formidable.

Russia has a fair bit of nuclear technology on its own, and I doubt they need to use French reactors (though French control systems perhaps).

[Patrick Degan]

According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared.

Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”

Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”

It's nice to know that America can still lead the world by example.

[Gil Hamilton]

Russia has a fair bit of nuclear technology on its own, and I doubt they need to use French reactors (though French control systems perhaps).

I always got the impression that French nuclear technology was generally superior to Russian nuclear technology.

[Ender]

Russia has a fair bit of nuclear technology on its own, and I doubt they need to use French reactors (though French control systems perhaps).

I always got the impression that French nuclear technology was generally superior to Russian nuclear technology.

France makes use of a lot of Gen II and Gen III style things. Russian (and most American plants for that matter) are largely Gen I.

[La Maupin]

I've often openly wondered why Putin doesn't just declare himself Tsar and get it over with.

[Juubi Karakuchi]

I've often openly wondered why Putin doesn't just declare himself Tsar and get it over with.

The funny thing is, he'd probably get away with it.

[K. A. Pital]

Putin can't declare himself Tsar. The support for Monarchism in Russia is very low (despite what some nutter descendants of the shot-up Tsar would want you believe), and such a move would very likely incite a popular uprising, while the current status quo with Putin being "tough against oligarchs" in words and more-less state capitalist in real actions, maintains some sort of pacifying effect on both political left and political right in Russia.

To Ender: Russian reactors also aren't all Gen I design, IIRC.

To Kane: Putin can successfully run for re-election, his popularity after Saakashvili's fools gambit in Georgia rose to all-time highs again - Georgia galvanized the Russian population once again, and anti-US and anti-NATO sentiments are also rising to new heights.

Medvedev remains a pawn as he was, but frankly, most people in Russia prefer it that way. Medvedev on his own is too suspicious and does not generate a lot of trust from Russians. Only with Putin as mentor and ruler, can he be earnestly considered a serious political figure.

[Zixinus]

Only six words: You can't make this shit up.

[Rogue 9]

Medvedev on his own is too suspicious and does not generate a lot of trust from Russians. Only with Putin as mentor and ruler, can he be earnestly considered a serious political figure.

Then why the fuck did they vote for Medvedev?

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Medvedev on his own is too suspicious and does not generate a lot of trust from Russians. Only with Putin as mentor and ruler, can he be earnestly considered a serious political figure.

Then why the fuck did they vote for Medvedev?

Because they knew they'd be getting Putin.

[Patrick Degan]

Putin can't declare himself Tsar. The support for Monarchism in Russia is very low (despite what some nutter descendants of the shot-up Tsar would want you believe), and such a move would very likely incite a popular uprising, while the current status quo with Putin being "tough against oligarchs" in words and more-less state capitalist in real actions, maintains some sort of pacifying effect on both political left and political right in Russia.

Besides, Comrade Putin realises that what Russia needs is a leader, not a village idiot.