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Putin
Politely Expresses His Amazement At Western
Stupidity
By Paul Craig
Roberts
September
14, 2016 "Information
Clearing House"
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In an
interview
with
John Micklethwait of
Bloomberg
Businessweek,
Putin was asked about Russia’s desire to expand its
influence geographically.
Putin
answered as follows:
“I think
all sober-minded people who really are involved in
politics understand that the idea of a Russian
threat to, for example, the Baltics is complete
madness. Are we really about to fight NATO? How many
people live in NATO? About 600 million, correct?
There are 146 million in Russia. Yes, we’re the
biggest nuclear power. But do you really think that
we’re about to conquer the Baltics using nuclear
weapons? What is this madness? That’s the first
point, but by no means the main point.
“The main
point is something completely different. We have a
very rich political experience, which consists of
our being deeply convinced that you cannot do
anything against the will of the people. Nothing
against the will of the people can be done. And some
of our partners don’t appear to understand this.
When they remember Crimea, they try not to notice
that the will of the people living in Crimea—where
70 percent of them are ethnic Russians and the rest
speak Russian as if it’s their native language—was
to join Russia. Those in the West simply try not to
see this.
“In one
place, Kosovo, the West invoked the will of the
people, but not in Crimea. This is all a political
game. So, to give reassurances, I can say that
Russia has pursued and plans to pursue an absolutely
peaceful foreign policy directed toward cooperation.
“As far as
expanding our zone of influence is concerned, it
took me nine hours to fly to Vladivostok from
Moscow. This is about the same from Moscow to New
York, through all of Eastern and Western Europe and
the Atlantic Ocean. Do you think we need to expand
something?”
Dr.
Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate
editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist
for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and
Creators Syndicate. He has had many university
appointments. His internet columns have attracted a
worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are
The Failure
of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution
of the West,
How America
Was Lost,
and
The
Neoconservative Threat to World Order.
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