"Russia is not our enemy," Bush emphasized as relations between Washington and Moscow fell deeper into an icy chill with Putin's threat to retarget rockets at Europe.
What's an autocrat pining for glory to do? Putin has embarked on a project to crush democracy and dissent in Russia. President Bush publicly noted this fact. Besides our mild complaints about the increasing loss of freedom in Russia, Putin couldn't get a decent Cold War moment of glory in this meeting even by threatening with nukes! I'll bet President Bush didn't even jump on the hotline to consult the generals in the Pentagon war room!
Not exactly a shoe-pounding moment, Vladimir. Game over, dude. Go home.
Twenty years ago we cared about Soviet Russian bluster. Now? not so much. The Russians need us more than we need them. And the Russians need to worry about alienating us and not scaring us.
UPDATE: Man, an aspiring dictator can't get any respect even by threatening nukes:
Bush, in an interview with The Associated Press and other reporters, said no U.S. military response was required after Putin warned that Russia would take steps in response to a U.S. missile shield that would be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic.
"Russia is not an enemy," Bush said, seeking not to inflame a heated exchange of rhetoric between Washington and Moscow. "There needs to be no military response because we're not at war with Russia. ... Russia is not a threat. Nor is the missile defense we're proposing a threat to Russia."
And the President flat out said "Russia's not going to attack Europe." Man, what's Putin gotta do to draw a little reaction?
