Amazing Comments by Putin on the Mid East Situation

In Bush Blocks Russia WTO Bid in Icy Exchange (interestingly enough, the Detroit Free press runs this under the headline: Bush, Putin differ on cease-fire. Putin says something that simply boggles the mind, hypocritical doesn't even come close to describe it, perhaps chutzpah sums it up best:

"At the same time," the Russian leader said, "we work under the assumption that the use of force should be balanced." The European Union - and France, in particular - has condemned Israel's attacks as excessive, putting Bush at odds with key allies.

Speaking to reporters after the summit's opening dinner, Putin stressed that significant efforts were needed to restore peace in Lebanon.

"However complicated the questions are, maximum efforts must be applied to resolve the situation in a peaceful way and I think all efforts have not been exhausted," he said.

The "use of force should be balanced"? I have but one word for Putin: Chechnya.

When did the Russia under Putin use "balanced force" in dealing with the Chechen Islamist issue? Heck, when did Russia ever use balanced force - the Russian way of way is throw as much steel at your enemy as you can, and keep doing it until you win.

Especially given the disregard in which the Russians have used heavy artillery against Islamists causing lots of noncombatant deathsin Chechnya, Putin's sudden belief in proportional force beggars belief.

Yes, Putin wants to keep playing the great power game and suck up to the Soviet Union's old allies, the Arabs, by criticising Israel, but really.

Someone needs to remind Putin that he is fighting a war against islamists today, and toadying up to other islamists will not win him many favors in the long run.