Sarkozy Chides Putin On Russian Tough Talk: "You Want To End Up Like Bush?"

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 Elysee 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."

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Comments

[gap08]

Well, love him or hate him, the time is coming near to say goodbye to George W. Bush. I would like to extend an invitation to anyone who has something to say to this President to post an open letter to GW at http://goodbye.us . This is a project to essentially create a time capsule of feelings and thoughts about the outgoing administration. So please, check it out and share!

[Scipio]

Bush can't even speak English as well as Putin or Sarkozy. He used the word "substantive" in his speech and added a syllable between the "n" and second "t." I think Nick and Vlad have been kidding about his English. They thought they'd heard it all when the guy referred to "nucular" armaments.

[Hypomaniac]

Gotta give Sarkozy some credit for this and his other work-- he's come a long way since his racialized iron-fisted ghetto-cleaning advocacy days, although I would like to hear what he is doing on that side of things today.

[bubbuh]

Sang froid, fo' sho'

[873450]

Bush's infallible gut instincts informed him both these guys bonded and aligned with him. In his own dimwitted, myopic view of the world, he will register their insults as complements.

[MagisterLudi]

Sarko is becoming a major international player. Who could've thank it. Viola un homme!

[BushSmahers]

Bush to become worst former President in history!!!! What do you want to bet W will be known as a loser of an Ex Prez? Carter does good deeds, Clinton too. Bush has no interest in helping anyone. He'll prove that. Oh, he might lend his name to a charity or cause for the good PR but this guy is not going to throw himself into anything that will take any real time away from his goofing around Texas.

[carrieanna]

I would love to hear what Queen Elizabeth II would say about President Bush. When Obama is sworn in I wonder if we'll hear what Tony Blair actually thought of Bush.

[ftprairiedog]

Margaret Thather thought Ronald Reagan was "dump as a brick" I'm sure George will be some place very close to that. Better yet what did they thing of old slack jaw Cheney.

[DMcD]

Bush's "legacy" --- the butt of jokes and , the ultimate insult. There's your 'legacy' chump.

[bayside]

Did you know Putin just gave back to those churches ,millions of dollars of stained glass windows, that Hitler stole. Now that is class..Had to find that out in a europeon newspaper..

[msjimmied]

The "tu" part was really telling. but what do I know? they could be pals, and only pals would tell you not to get your b@!!s into a vise.

So, on the international stage, that's our image.

We deserve it. It is what it is.

[Hawka]

Well, the world, or at least most of it seems to love us now that we woke up and elected Obama. Should start to get better hopefully.

[rabiddog6708]

There's so much I would like to say about the POTUS and those who voted for him twice, but the High Sheriffs (as Joe Bob Briggs used to call them) won't approve my comments. Hint: toilet paper is utilized to remove this substance you all filled to your unseeing eyeballs with.

[toypiano]

Seriously? Did this exchange really take place? It's pretty awesome.

Sarkozy is growing on me. Putin ... not so much.

[ftprairiedog]

Better to have Putin in your corner, than any of those slime-bags in Washington.

[Am-Expat]

After observing Putin close up in-country for a number of years I must say the popularity of this leader is not without merit. He speaks quietly and hardly overplays his hand, he is smart, is a master at juggling the many tasks required to keep the country progressing and does what he says. I would trust him to promote peace and the best interests of his country well before Bush and the Neo-con infested Washington.
Almost every Russian citizen has benefited from his actions, the improvements in the life of a typical Russian is denied in the western press but it is real and dramatic. It still has a long ways to go to have the quality of life of Scandinavia or parts of Western Europe but it is vastly improved in the last 8 years. Compare Putin's administration with Bush's. Which has steady fast economic growth, which has an exploding middle class, which has maintained a peaceful foreign policy, which has limited corrupt corporation influence on the economy and government in ways that have benefited the people, which one has had a strong and appropriate reaction to the US led economic meltdown that has kept the Ruble strong and has resulted in job and income growth rather than contraction, which leader has shown to tell the truth and be respected by other world leaders, which country lives within its means, both government and people? Sure, there are problems but they are going in the right direction.

[Phideaux]

That's the best new 'one-liner' I've seen in a while.

It'll probably catch on as an warning of impending ignominy: "Eh, whazza-matta wit' you... you wanna' end up like Bush?"

[jdfast]

At least someone has a sense of humor and it was a backhanded comment to Putin.