Damning With Faint Praise… Or Something?
While not exactly new or directly probative it does offer some perspective.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused the United States Monday of living beyond its means “like a parasite” on the global economy and said dollar dominance was a threat to the financial markets.
I’ve read this bit several times today.
The kicker? The dance in DC pleases him:
The deal initially soothed anxieties and led Russian stocks to jump to three-month highs, but jitters remained over the possibility of a credit downgrade.
“Thank god,” Putin said, “that they had enough common sense and responsibility to make a balanced decision.”
Putin thanks God.
I feel much better now.
Category: Economy, Foreign Policy, Geezer Alert!
Why does the idea of what the politicians in Washington did “soothed anxieties and led Russian stocks to jump…” make me cringe?
It just can’t be a good thing that we made the Russians happy, can it?
Maybe it has something to do with the Overcharge button the State Dept gave the Russians a couple of years ago.
Maybe he’s hoping that he can play the US against China, so that Russia can continue to bully former client states.
Anythings possible with Putin, Doc.
ANYTHING that Vlad the Impaler is thanking God over cannot be anything good for the Republic.
Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer,
And without sneering, teach the rest to sneer;
Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike,
Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike.
– “Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot” by Alexander Pope – (1688–1744)
Right on the money, John
What a great phrase. I’ve never heard it used. I love search engines.
People like Vlad understand power and now he sees a chance to seize more. When Bush didn’t stand up to him when he invaded Georgia he gained more power. Ever since Obama took office he has slowly been cementing his hold. Once, we backed out of Eastern Europe and gave him Poland on a silver platter he doesnt feel threatened by us militarily. The longer the oil fields of Libya are tied up in conflict the more Russian oil runs to Europe. Hell he probably loves the idiocy that is going on in Washington, because our economic, enviornmental, defence policies are playing right into his hands.
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Putin lived through the crash of the USSR and the rise of the Russian oligarchs. He knows how deficit spending and unsustainable debt end.