Just what do both sides want? Bush wants his way and Putin wants to be left alone and a Lazy Lobster!

At the Lobster Summit Questions were raised of course as to what either side wanted from the other. To me the question is where is the problem. Relations are rocky between President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but they began their overnight visit at the Bush family's seaside summer home on Sunday with warm handshakes, lobster dinner and a hair-raising spin through the Atlantic's choppy waters. Of course to pave the way Daddy Bush did the initial greeting to pave the way and Gee, lazy lobsters, a spirited boat ride on some pristine Maine coastline, fishing, Why would Putin want that?
An antiterrorism bond forged after the Sept. 11 attacks has been chipped at repeatedly. Disputes developed over the Iraq war, missile defense plans, the fate of democracy in Russia, NATO expansion to Russia's doorstep and sniping over what each side views as meddling in former Soviet republics. look at the list! I am sure we can go on and on and on but every single one of those problems is caused by little George.
At a summit last month of world economic powers, Putin surprised Bush by proposing that the system instead use an old Soviet-era radar facility in Azerbaijan instead of the Czech and Polish sites. It is an idea that US officials do not want to reject outright. But they have concluded it would not work as a substitute, only perhaps as an early warning supplemental component.
Today Putin dropped a couple more surprises on Bush. He said flat out that he did not want the systems in Poland and Czechoslovakia but wanted them somewhere that was friendlier to Russia. That makes sense! He suggested that the missile defense systems be housed on Russian soil. Wow, that is provocative but that sounds vaguely familiar to me? Anyway Putin proposed transforming U.S. plans for an Eastern European missile shield into a broader system that would incorporate a radar system in southern Russia and bring more European nations into the decision-making process.
I think that is a great idea and once again puts Bush on the spot. My thought is that all along Putin has out played Bush in this Political gamesmanship. As Putin points out that, that would put the relationship between our two countries on an entirely new level. Personally I like that idea it is possible. I have to ask why is Bush so insistent that the Czech Republic and Poland need to be an integral part of the system.
http://www.cnn.com/...
They also discussed Iran in depth supposedly about Iran's nuclear ambitions and the possibility of increased sanctions. In light of today's announcement that Iran is using the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah as a "proxy" to arm Shiite militants in Iraq and Tehran's elite Quds force helped militants carry out a January attack in Karbala in which five Americans were killed, a U.S. general said Monday.
A senior Lebanese Hezbollah operative, Ali Mussa Dakdouk, was captured March 20 in southern Iraq, U.S. military spokesman Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner said. Dakdouk served for 24 years in Hezbollah and was "working in Iraq as a surrogate for the Iranian Quds Force," Bergner said.
The general also said that Dakdouk was a liaison between the Iranians and a breakaway Shiite group led by Qais al-Kazaali, a former spokesman for cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Bergner said al-Kazaali's group carried out the January attack against a provincial government building in Karbala and that the Iranians assisted in preparations. Al-Khazaali and his brother Ali al-Khazaali were captured with Dakdouk.
I have to wonder if that was discussed and what else if anything about Bush's real plans for Iran. http://www.foxnews.com/...
We remember that Bush famously said in 2001 that he trusted Putin because he had gotten "a sense of his soul." This time he said Putin was forthcoming and transparent. I don't know about that but I hate to say it, when I watched Bush and Putin in their interview Bush instantly came across as untrustworthy, arrogant, and smug and Putin came across as self assured and the one in control.
It reminded me that a couple days ago when Political analysts were talking about Bush and Putin's relationship Putin was described as respecting Bush. In light of what Bush has said and done around the world I would say it is impossible for anyone to respect him. If there is any respect it is for the power Bush wields or more specifically throws around without thinking. What do you say?

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com