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Hey - even Gorbachev knew the truth about Clinton and his supporters!


Mr. Clinton "is guilty for the fact that the United States has wasted those 10 years following the end of the Cold War," Mr. Gorbachev said.


Clinton did not waste those years!!!!!! Just think of how many times he used his influence and power to get laid.
 
I'm currently reading it


.. hmm.. he hardly mentiones bush, but we can link it, he states that he likes Putin and then somewhat compares Bush to Putin.
 
True Czar, it is more of an obscure reference than I remembered. This snippet is what I was referring to:

"........ Mr. Gorbachev also endorsed cooperation between President Bush and Mr. Putin.
"It would be good if no one paid attention to those who criticize Bush in the United States or those who tend to criticize Mr. Putin in Russia," he said, characterizing Mr. Putin's Russian critics as "some scholars and intellectuals who cater to the party interests of the ruling elites."........"
 


<< he is now telling all. Still think "Slick Willy" was one of the best Presidents we ever had? >>



I may not be the hugest fan of Bill Clinton, but i'll be damned if i'll let our former President be criticized by a foreigner, particularly Gorbachev (even if he deserves it). If anyone is going to criticize Mr. Clinton, he should at least be a U.S. citizen with the right to vote for or against him. Otherwise Mr. Gorbachev should show Mr. Clinton the respect he deserves as a former President, even if he disagrees with him or his policies. Especially being a former head of state, he should know better and show a bit more tact when discussing American political figures on the record.


 
Why the hell isn't he allowed to voice his opinion, glenn1. What's being a foreigner got to do with anything. That's about the most absurb thing one could say.

KK
 
The Entire Interview


I understand you met with former President Clinton recently?

Yes, I met President Clinton in Madrid. My relationship with President Clinton was quite strained, if not downright tense. Of course, it was not because of Monica Lewinsky. I was highly critical of his foreign policy. He is guilty for the fact that the U.S. has wasted those ten years following the end of the Cold War.

What should he have done? How did he waste those years? Do you mean against terrorism?

I think he missed out on opportunities to develop a new world order. I discussed this at length with the president of the United States, George W. Bush. I think [the United States and Russia] should have worked more on the NATO issues and the issues of European security. Following the end of the Cold War, little had been done. I think Mr. Clinton, as a freshman in foreign politics, was spending too much time on the little details, and as a result, none of us was ready for the challenges of globalization.

So [Mr. Clinton and I] were the two principal speakers at the Madrid conference, and Mr. Clinton delivered a very interesting address. Put bluntly, he was rather self-critical. I asked, "Why bother with self-criticism? You're interested in the poverty issue, and something must be done about it." He said, "It wasn't really me who caused the growth of poverty, but I didn't do very much to address it."

Are you encouraged by the strong relationship between President Bush and President Putin?

Very much so. It would be good if no one paid attention to those who criticize Bush in the United States or those who tend to criticize Mr. Putin in Russia. Mr. Putin has great support among the ordinary people, but some scholars and intellectuals who cater to the party interests of ruling elites try to criticize him. We shouldn't only talk about the need for new relations and cooperation, but we should also work to create the mechanism for these new relations.
 
I think we have to consider the source - obviously any U.S. president would loom large in the life of a Soviet/Russian leader, and it's easy for Gorbachev to second-guess the President without knowing the first thing about the challenges he faces. We may or may not like Clinton, but I can't see what difference it makes that Gorby doesn't.
 


<< may not be the hugest fan of Bill Clinton, but i'll be damned if i'll let our former President be criticized by a foreigner, particularly Gorbachev (even if he deserves it). >>

I don't know Glen, to me it would seem he'd have a more objective opinion than from someone like Trent Lott, Jesse Jackson or your typical ATOT Ultra Conservative.



<< he should know better and show a bit more tact when discussing American political figures on the record. >>

Good point. I wonder if his obvious disdain for Clinton has to do with the fact that that the Clinton Administration supported his political arch nemesis, Boris "I'll have a double" Yeltsin, and did everything in their power to make sure Yeltsin stayed in office. You have to believe that Gorby was extremely bitter over the fact that Yelstsin was hailed as the "Hero of the Second Revolution" and elelcted President, while Gorby's popularity at home dramatically declined even though it was him, not Yeltsin, who set in motion the events that would change the world as we knew it.

Of course one thing you can say about Mikhail Gorbachev, he always spoke his mind even when it wasn't a popular(or correct). If you recall, he publicly wondered aloud how someone like Reagan could be the Leader of the Free world after their first Summit on Iceland, a tune he was quicky to change as history will note.
 
Thanks for the link Vespasian, much better to read the entire interview


edt.. thats so much better, sounds much more like him.



<< Recently, I did an interview with a German newspaper in which I pointed out that there are many other nonmilitary options available. I was one of the first to suggest going the financial route. My proposal was to take ten banks that offer support to terrorist groups and revoke their licenses. You can be sure the next day 120 percent of the other banks would change their practices. When the newspaper ran the article, the headline said, "Gorbachev wants to revoke licenses of German banks." >>


thats exactly why you should always read the interviews themselves instead of someones personal opinion on them
 


<< I think he missed out on opportunities to develop a new world order. >>

Who the heck in the right mind would want that? :Q
 
Not to start a flamefest, but I don't see anything specific or tangible as to why he didn't like Clinton (relationship was strained? why?) or why he likes Bush.

And its also questionable whether support from the former prez of our arch enemy _supports_ our leader.

 
busmaster11,
the only thing I can think of is that Gorbachev just didnt like Clinton, probably personal reasons, he just does not like him. Also he doesnt say he likes or dislikes Bush. It would be inappropriate for him to say either way for him, expecialy since he is on a visit in the US and having public speeches.
 
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