Obama and Medvedev caught in unguarded missile remarks
28 replies, posted
[quote]
27 March 2012 Last updated at 02:11 GMT Help
TV cameras have recorded US President Barack Obama making unguarded comments with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Mr Obama said he would have more "flexibility" on difficult issues such as the US missile defence plans after November's presidential election.
Mr Medvedev said he would relay the message to "Vladimir", a reference to his successor, the newly elected and second-time President Vladimir Putin.
[/quote]
Source with video: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17519868[/url]
Better source:
[quote]
A private conversation made public by a hot microphone appears to show the US President, Barack Obama, as prepared to delay diplomatic talks with Russian leaders about a controversial missile-defence system until after the November presidential election.
The conversation was caught by television footage of a casual chat between Mr Obama and the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev. On the tape, Mr Obama leans towards Mr Medvedev and can be heard giving him a message for the once-and-future Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
"On all these issues, but particularly missile defence, this can be solved," Mr Obama said. "But it's important for him to give me space.
"This is my last election," Mr Obama went on. "After my election I have more flexibility."
"I understand," Mr Medvedev responded. "I will transmit this information to Vladimir."
The slip-up was quickly jumped upon by Mr Obama's Republican rivals.
Newt Gingrich said on on CNN's The Situation Room that the president was being "cynical" and planned to "sell out" the nation's missile defence program.
Republicans said the US President's remarks that he has more flexibility to deal with the nation after the presidential election suggested he had troubling plans that he was keeping from the American people.
"Russia is not a friendly character on the world stage. And for this president to be looking for greater flexibility, where he doesn't have to answer to the American people in his relations with Russia, is very, very troubling, very alarming," Republican front-runner Mitt Romney said.
"I'm very, very concerned. I think the American people are going to feel the same way. This is a president who is telling us one thing and doing something else and is planning on doing something even more frightening."
The exchange during the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, its air of secrecy enhanced by the muffled audio, raised alarm among Mr Obama's critics about his long-term commitment to the missile-defence system. The US has promoted it as a shield to protect Europe from missile attacks by Iran. The Russians fear it's aimed at them and opposition to the missile shield was a major theme of Mr Putin's successful presidential campaign.
House Speaker John Boehner, said "we look forward" to hearing what the president meant by "more flexibility" when he returns from South Korea.
By Monday afternoon, the Republican National Committee had cut a video ad with the subtitle, "What Obama tells world leaders when he thinks you aren't listening."
White House aides said the president is still "deeply invested" in the missile-defence system.
The US deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, said after the tape recording became public that the two leaders had been talking about Russia's objections to the missile defence system and agreed to talk later because of political concerns on both sides.
The two sides have been trying in vain for years to reach a breakthrough on missile defence, and no one was expecting a dramatic change at this week's nuclear summit.
What Obama meant by "flexibility", was unclear. Some analysts speculate the US might try to win over the Russians by showing them classified data to prove that the system could take down Iranian launches, but not Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. Few experts think that would persuade the Russians.
Public broadcast of the private exchange provided a rare glimpse at the candour world leaders sometimes exhibit at such high-level meetings. Last year, journalists overheard Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy talking about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sarkozy said he "can't stand" Mr Netanyahu.
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Source: [url]http://www.theage.com.au/world/obamas-private-chat-to-medvedev-made-public-by-hot-microphone-20120327-1vvi5.html#ixzz1qKwHRnuV[/url]
Sounds like much ado about nothing, really. Sadly, there will be a few who think Obama's plannning to blow up the USA using Russian nukes or some crap like that.
This is my least favourite part of indirect democracy.
In a system like this, votes are more important than progress.
Like people like Newt wouldn't say the same thing in Obama's position.
Obviously, everything that politicians say outside of the media blanket must be very sneaky and underhanded.
[quote]"I understand," Mr Medvedev responded. "I will transmit this information to Vladimir."[/quote]
This is what Medvedev says about everything he does right?
Well yeah he's Vladimir's pet president.
"Your appointment to FEMA should be finalized within the week. I've already
discussed the matter with the Senator."
Obama is acting against national principles by negotiating with communists!!1
[QUOTE=Mabus;35318094]"Your appointment to FEMA should be finalized within the week. I've already
discussed the matter with the Senator."[/QUOTE]
I take it he was agreeable?
you guys are missing the main part
[QUOTE] after November's presidential election.[/QUOTE]
he already knows he's won lol
Makes sense, right now he's focusing on getting re-elected.
I believe that's what he means with flexibility anyway.
Are there people out there who would be surprised? It's not like Obama is the only American politician who could be caught talking about something like this.
Of course the Republicans know what he meant, but they're going to use it to try and convince uneducated people that Barack Obama is secretly working to destroy America from inside.
you guys wouldn't be as sympathetic if a republican said this
[QUOTE=Mon;35321470]you guys wouldn't be as sympathetic if a republican said this[/QUOTE]
A Republican wouldn't have said it.
The point of this is that it's common for the second term of a president to be able to get things done with less hassle. The first term is when you get what you want done, because you have the support. The second term is when you actually get down to business, because you don't have another election to lose. This is exactly the time when you get the diplomacy and such done, because you don't need to deal with the repercussions.
[QUOTE=Mon;35321470]you guys wouldn't be as sympathetic if a republican said this[/QUOTE]How likely are the current stock of Republicans to be even considering negotiating with the Russians about reducing nuclear weapons and placing missile interception radars somewhere other than right on their borders?
[QUOTE=Falchion;35318112]I take it he was agreeable?[/QUOTE]
OH YES
[editline]27th March 2012[/editline]
I found this article, apparently Obama made a speech and joked about this incident and explained stuff
[url]http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/obama-responds-to-open-mic-incident-jokes-are-the-mics-on/[/url]
[QUOTE=Sgt Doom;35321697]How likely are the current stock of Republicans to be even considering negotiating with the Russians about reducing nuclear weapons and placing missile interception radars somewhere other than right on their borders?[/QUOTE]
you get what i mean
[img]http://www.ncsx.com/2012/031912/Hungeree/pb-120326-obama-medvedev-ps2.photoblog900.JPG[/img]
Both of them had a bit of fun at the summit.
*~swag~*
America and Russians should become best of friends and create comaplistism the best form of goverment.
[QUOTE=CubeManv2;35325135]America and Russians should become best of friends and create [b]compatibilism[/b] the best form of goverment.[/QUOTE]
That's what I read it as...
Personally, I thought that Medvedev and Obama got along pretty well with each other. Plus they always tend to make amusing faces in their photos, which leads to this:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/iZo24.jpg[/IMG]
I know it doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things, but the idea that they might be at least on friendly terms makes me think we might be able to get a lot done.
It doesn't really matter how well two heads of state get on as in the end they're not their entire governments. Both have administrations that determine foreign policy and junk like that. It's not like an absolute monarchy where you can just go "I like you, NO WAR FOR YOU TODAY."
[img]http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-foxnews.gif[/img][b]OBAMA PLANNING TO TAKE AMERICAN THRONE WITH RUSSIAN NUKES MORE AT 11[/b][img]http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-foxnews.gif[/img]
I want to see them making love
[QUOTE=shian;35330026]I want to see them making love[/QUOTE]
Medvedev had reach, but Obama had flexibility.
[img]http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/multimedia/dynamic/00611/Jeremy_Clarkson_611802t.jpg[/img]
Medvedev and Jeremy have the same face
"Have you seen the American Republican race for the Presidential nominee?"
[img]http://i.imgur.com/iZo24.jpg[/img]
perfect "insert joke" picture, yes or no?
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