To call ol' Vlad, Byzantine would be an understatement.
Perhaps you kids remember this:
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russian intelligence services warned Washington several times that Saddam Hussein's regime planned terrorist attacks against the United States, President Vladimir Putin has said.
The warnings were provided after September 11, 2001 and before the start of the Iraqi war, Putin said Friday.
The planned attacks were targeted both inside and outside the United States, said Putin, who made the remarks during a visit to Kazakhstan.
However, Putin said there was no evidence that Saddam's regime was involved in any terrorist attacks.
"I can confirm that after the events of September 11, 2001, and up to the military operation in Iraq, Russian special services and Russian intelligence several times received ... information that official organs of Saddam's regime were preparing terrorist acts on the territory of the United States and beyond its borders, at U.S. military and civilian locations," Putin said.
He said the information was given to U.S. intelligence officers and that U.S. President George W. Bush expressed his gratitude to a top Russian intelligence official.
"This information was indeed passed on through our partner channels to our American colleagues and, moreover, President Bush had an opportunity and used this opportunity to personally thank the leader of one of the Russian special services for this information, which he considered to be very important," Putin said.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/06/18/russia.warning/index.htmlWas this a genuine effort on Putin's part to warn the US of a genuine threat?
Considering Russia's flagrant violations of Oil-for-Food perhaps was he afraid his Frankenstein's monster that was Saddam might do somethign rash that would implicate Russia?
Did Putin wanted to lead us into our version of Afghanistan to leave us pre-occupied, exhausted and politically divided?
All the above?
Something else?
What thinkest thou?
