Obama's Secret Letter To Medvedev Offered Deal On Missiles

New York Times:

President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia's president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.

The letter to President Dmitri A. Medvedev was hand-delivered in Moscow by top administration officials three weeks ago. It said the United States would not need to proceed with the interceptor system, which has been vehemently opposed by Russia since it was proposed by the Bush administration, if Iran halted any efforts to build nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[abby4ever]

RuKidDiNgMeE See Profile I'm a Fan of RuKidDiNgMeE I'm a fan of this user permalink

I don't know why you youngsters don't listen, this story has nothing to do with its content . . .

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TIMING AND THE SOURCE

Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:00 AM on 03/03/2009
_______________________________________________________

And the original source is NOT the NYT, but the Russian daily "Kommersant" , as I just posted a few minutes ago. The post was dedicated to the absymally misinformed YOU.

READ:

http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Offers_To_Abandon_Missile_Defense_Plans/1503189.html

[HumeSkeptic]

In a previous post, RuKidDiNgMeE had declared that this never happened (it is all a l!e). And, in a latter post, he was complaining about Soviet subs somewhere. The 0ld man must not realize that there is no Soviet Union anymore.

[HarryIsNotHappy]

Putin:

"You can foo/ some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time...

...that id iot Barry is definitely in the former category"

[amistad]

That is President Obama to you.
And he is President.
Sour grapes/sore looser/looser....

[HumeSkeptic]

Making up quotes now?

Why are ALL Republicans such l!ars?

[corujoj]

So much for that secret... heh?

[RuKidDiNgMeE]

Ha! AIPAC/NYtimes

at least you didn't get too much air time with this bogus, unsourced story.

Hey, friends, I don't have to prove it's not true . . . the NY Times has to prove it is true otherwise it's hearsay and gossip.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Miller_(journalist)

[HumeSkeptic]

Except that it has now been confirmed by several sources. But keep going. Your fingers need the exercise.

[helonias]

The missile shield is not one.

Easily defeated by cruise missile, small private jet or EMP attack.

[kiwi1]

Latest news shows the ignorance of Obama with the Russians...
The "community organizer" attitude will not cut it.... They must be laughing right now.

[wanttruth]

That's harsh! LOL President Obama is trying to do new things to see if we can stop the militarization of our foreign policy. He wants to promote diplomatic approaches.

[kassandrasduplex]

You must be joking, right? He's expanding war. That's plainly reported in the news...

[amistad]

Funny, it has worked WONDERS so far.
Got anything else to b*tch about?

[Midnightrain]

Minnesota Public Radio/NPR has reported that Russia accepted the offer. When I find the link to the broadcast, I'll post it.

[HumeSkeptic]

Thanks.

But now what happens to all the w00w00s on this thread who said that the NYT story is false?

[Mogamboguru]

I would recommend not to hold your breath on the NPR-"news", until it's approved by some other sources, Hume.

[Mogamboguru]

I don't see that on Pravda.ru.

http://english.pravda.ru/

If you want the latest news from Russia, you should perhaps go to RUSSIAN websites - and not neccessarily listen to NPR Minnesota.

[fanoftruthiness]

Yes. I will trust the reliability of Russian news sources....

[HumeSkeptic]

Pravda is now a rag.

[Midnightrain]

Haha. I guess you think you're telling me off. That's okay, we don't agree this morning. I heard the report while driving, just so you know.

[kassandrasduplex]

It appears that Western control of Iranian oil is enough t o overcome old animosities. It also seems evident the continued persecution of Palestinians has a deeper impetus in gaining access to Iranian oil. (Iran supports the Pals. Abuse of Palestinians provokes the Iranians into any action sufficinet to allow an Israeli-American response. Just a thought, nothing prove-able.) News from another source this morning says only $300m of the pledged US aid is going to Gaza, the other $600m is going to the installed puppet Abbas.
Also, Israel has announced plans to double the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Whether it acts on those plans remains unclear.
Of course all this info was not reported on NPR.

[Mogamboguru]

GalenL See Profile I'm a Fan of GalenL I'm a fan of this user permalink

a. Therefor they will loose face and credibility with Europe for their lack of cooperation on something that they have made into a big deal by their own missile deployments.

b. Therefor the US will gain more backing in the EU for both the Missile Defense Systems and our Mid-East policy.

c. Therefor if the Russians continue to withhold support and block our troop movements in the area we will find more help forthcoming from other quarters.

d. Unless of course they say that it's not productive to link the two issues, then everything is back up in the air.
________________________________

AHAHAHAHA - what a joke.

a. The Russians don't mind a S.H.I.T, what the Europeans think of them. I know. I AM a European - I am german. The Russians have the oil and the natural G.a.s - and the Europeans have the money to buy it, disregarding - or they can buy them some donkeys. In the current economicsituation, the Russians are Europe's masters. Period.

b. The respect for the american Missile Policy and the american Middle-East-policy in Europe is NIL. ZERO. ZILCH. You just cannot imagine, how much europeans despise the american games of chicken over the past eight years. It will take Obama and his successor a DECADE, to make good for that - if at all The Russians have 100 percent MORE credibility in Europeans than America.

[Mogamboguru]

Part Two:

Again: You just have no idea, how much Bush's politics have shattered the US-european relations.

c. The Europeans would LOVE to call it a day and support EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY, which would end the Afghanistan-adventure ASAP - including the Russians. You think, the Europans will rallye in Support of the USA in Afghanistan, it Russia blocks the supply-routes? KEEP ON DREAMING, BUDDY!

d. Again: The Russian play ALWAYS the string they want to play - and ONLY that string. Russia / the Soviet Union has survived a.t.t.a.c.k.s. from the ouside for over 100 years now - a.t.t.a.c.k.s., which each one would have PULVERIZED the USA: WWI, revolutionary w.a.r, WWII, Cold W.a.r...

Russia is still there. And it will still be there, when the USA will long be a bowl of dust.

[ClearingtheAir2010]

American Revolution
Franco-American Naval War
Barbary Wars
War of 1812
War of Texas Independence
Mexican War
Civil War
Spanish American War
World War I
Pearl Harbor and WORLD WAR II--Remember that 1?
Korean War
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.
September 11

We've had our share of conflict as well. America will NEVER die..........

[EuroAllie]

As a fellow European you speak more like a Russian than a German. As for Europeans rallying to the support of America....let's be honest with ourselves, when was the last time that really happened? If you are German (which I doubt) your soldiers in Afghanistan won't even go out at night because it is "too dangerous". Our fellow EU members won't even meet their original pledges for support.

Once again America goes it alone (basically) and endures the barbs and scorn of Europeans. You better hope they don't abandon us.

[kassandrasduplex]

People forget that the Soviet Union never attacked the United States but that the US actually did invade Soviet Russia long ago. Americans' will be shocked when they discover how bad their credit of good will is with the rest of the world.

[kassandrasduplex]

Games of chicken. Try the Operation Chrome Dome crash of a nuclear loaded B-52 in Danish territory that ended up killing some Danes with radiation, was it 69? The Danes have disliked Americans for about 40 years. American popularity is way down with most Europeans.

[RuKidDiNgMeE]

LIR NEWS in London has a serious military escalation between the US and Iran . . ;

[HarryIsNotHappy]

This is hilarious...

...remember when Barry said this when DC cancelled school for a day so the little kids would not be exposed to the dangers of icy roads..

"When it comes to the weather, folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things,"

...well...Barry cancelled a press conference with Gordon Brown after he flew all the way from London..

...because of snow...I kid you not

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/toby_harnden/blog/2009/03/03/barack_obama_cancels_press_conference_with_gordon_brown_because_of_snow

..Barry is from Chicago...and he's tough

[williamg]

Lolllll. Is this really what Republicans have resorted to?

Poor things.

[HumeSkeptic]

You are always bringing such important and earth shattering information for discussion. Thank you.

[PIAPS]

Teleprompter was broken and cancelled the speech.
Barry Soetero isn't up to the challenge of giving a speech
without the teleprompter. Must admit he can read a pretty
good speech written by staff.

[HarryIsNotHappy]

...he's known as Teleprompter Jesus on some blogs..

...I don't care who you are...that's some funny stuff there

[tailgateshirts]

lol as opposed to Bush who couldnt talk without a late night joke coming out of it?

[Babele]

Your legacy...

http://www.slate.com/id/2098861/

Totally incompetent. Talk about Nero fiddling....

[amistad]

That is President Obama to you.
He tough. He is President and you are not.
Neither is your guy who lost the elections.
:(

[RuKidDiNgMeE]

A high level govermental just told LIR news that US and Soviet nuclear submarines are off the coast of Iran as we speak.

News coming in as we report . . .

[HumeSkeptic]

There is no Soviet Union. Just got out of a long coma?

[PIAPS]

0bama is going to have to play with the big boys now.
And they don't need a teleprompter to give a speech.

[TLV]

From everything I've heard Obama say, he ALREADY is one of the big boys.

[HumeSkeptic]

You are so clever. And so original.

[greatbear451]

Is that the best you can do?

[HumeSkeptic]

As I had suspected (and posted) earlier, there is nothing earth shattering in the letter, just some proposals for cooperation:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/03/kremlin-obama-letter-contained-trade-offer-iran-missile-defense/
.

[RuKidDiNgMeE]

I don't know why you youngsters don't listen, this story has nothing to do with its content . . .

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TIMING AND THE SOURCE

[HumeSkeptic]

But you, 0ld man, just said that this story is false. Read your earlier post. You seem very forgetful.

[abby4ever]

That's just one version, Hume. Others, which I posted links to on the other thread, say different.
We should know soon, when the presser happens in Spain.

[abby4ever]

Correction: I posted them on this thread about 20 minutes ago.

[WaynedKing]

If there is one thing that might turn the Russians on the issue of Iran it is the Missile Defense system. Whether we strike a deal to scrap it, or develop it in tandem with the Russians so that they have complete access to all the technology, we should play this card to get them to work with us on Iran. I would prefer to see us not waste the money to begin with, but it would be conceivable to have a fall back that made Russia a collaborator on development of a system.
This is a brilliant strategic move by Obama. There is some buzz out there that Senator Schumer had suggested it during the Bush administration but that Bush was more interested in generating heat than light. I'm sure that Obama doesn't have any pride of authorship. What matters is getting it done.
We have a very small window for dramatically changing our relationship with Iran. It may be that we enhance the prestige of Russia by giving them the opportunity to play the role of intermediary and peacemaker. There is no time to waste.

[TLV]

It's all about protecting your oil anyway, so Russia will naturally say "yes."

[ApolloniaCreed]

He's been basically saying this for months... this shouldn't a big surprise to anyone.