HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (CNN) – John McCain is turning up the heat on Moscow, and accusing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of wanting to “restore the old Russian empire.”
McCain’s comments came in an interview with Harrisburg public radio WITF, in which he hammered Putin for continuing to wield power since leaving the presidency behind earlier this year and installing his hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev.
Watch: McCain says 'we are all Georgians'
“I don’t think there’s any doubt who is still by far the most powerful and influential person in Russia,” McCain said, arguing that Putin’s “personal control” of the military “indicates his position of power.”
“Of course we have to deal with Russia and we deal with Putin,” McCain said. “But it has to be on a very realistic basis. And not one that there’s any illusions about his ambitions.”
Watch: McCain condemns Russia
He then accused Putin of wanting to restore Russia to the days of czardom, when a monarchy exerted broad control over parts of Asia and eastern Europe.
“I think it’s very clear that Russian ambitions are to restore the old Russian Empire,” he said. “Not the Soviet Union, but the Russian Empire.”
From CNN Politics
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Tell McOld just say he wants a war.... this is the war they said they needed to win...
we put up with this crap – I quess if one politican is serving your need you could give a dam about others
War-Monger McCain is at it again!
Obama 08'
I find it telling that McCain is using this opportunity to warn of the dangers of Russian imperialism while Obama vacations in Hawaii.
Obama is the poster child of a "Not Ready for Prime Time" leader.
Geez, McWarmonger. What the he– are you trying to do? Start world war three?
You have no diplomacy, no sense !!!!!!
Shut up !!!!!!! You are NOT the president. You are an elitist presumptuous old demented fool. Get off the stage.
HERE IS RUSSIA’s RESPONSE TO McCAIN :
So McCain, let’s get this straight (talk), we shouldn’t have voted for and entered into an unwarranted war but it was ok that you and Bush did?
Lord have mercy! THE OLD RUSSIAN EMPIRE??????? THE CZARS?
Or Lenin???????? RIDICULOUS!
This shows how McCain is our past, and Sen. Obama our future. Let's move on, America!
Really, the Bush/Cheney/McCain people, DO NOT have a leg to stand on! They have lost all power to influence and lost the MORAL HIGH-GROUND WHEN .........WE.......INVADED.........A SOVEREIGN NATION......... IRAQ!
How does Mccain know Putin ambitions to restore the old Russian Empire, I tell you this guy is a warmonger God forbid he is elected president he will wadge a war with any country he does not like. I hope any pray that will never happen. My advice to my fellow Americans is vote democrat vote for Obama time for change.
McCain Is absolutly right.. We need to beware of Russia. I agree with
McCain they are not to be trusted.
gotta call them out early and call them out hard.
Sounds like John McWar is looking for opportunities!
How many wars will this man start? What will satisfy his bloodlust? He wants 100 years in Iraq, can't wait to invade Iran and now wants Russia as well.
As someone with roots from this region of the world, who escaped this tyranny, I applaud Mr. McCain for his analysis and approach.
The West has remained quiet and turned its head the other way time after time, despite seeing Mr. Putin lead this country to its old anarchical ways.
Lets not forget the Russians are diametrically opposed to everything we stand for, and have no qualms of supporting our enemies materially including conducting operations in our own soil.
We support the people of Russia, but not its government nor Mr. Putin.
Next Obama will be saying that Putin wants to restore the old Russia Empire. Let's get our own oil and bring back our empire. Oh I forgot, Nancy won't let us vote while she is enjoying her 5 week vacation. Talk about out of touch......
The cold war never ended...the Russians just put a different 'face' on it.
America is slowly being destroyed from within. Obama will surely speed this up!!!
Johnny Mac wants to play Bolshevik to Putins Mongol hoard. Go for it Mac, and don't come back.
"the old Russian empire"...and mccain's thinking, 'finally, an event from MY generation that i can actually remember, those czars were real bad guys...'
mccain is just slobbering with excitement over the possibility of more war, and doing whatever he can to keep it fueled. dont buy their "john mccain is good on foreign policy" line of BS, folks, this guy would get us into serious trouble all over the world.
and voting him in shows the world something, not just that we are a TOTALLY STUPID country, but that we want this war-mongering creep to represent us in worldwide matters-a guy who doesnt even know the BORDERS of the countries in the middle east, i mean come on, people, THAT IS INEXCUSABLE!!!
John McCain is delusional! He needs to be put in a home.
I bet you McCain can't wait for another War! He wants to put his finger on the button soooo bad!
Forget healthcare! Forget the economy! Forget America – the real John McCain!
Well, Bush is trying to install his hand-picked successor, McCain.
Liars at work again: McLiar and company.
While the administration yesterday recalled the days of Soviet empire, the Russians suggested that invaders and occupiers of Iraq lacked the moral authority to offer criticism. In remarks broadcast on state television, Putin, now Russia's premier, decried Western "cynicism" for defending what he said was Georgian aggression against separatist enclaves in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "They, of course, had to hang Saddam Hussein for destroying several Shiite villages," he said of the United States.
Judgement you can believe in.
Wow thats not looking for a war...I hope his voters are willing to volunteer.
I agree after this Georgian invasion it seems Putin is pulling the strings again behind the scenes.
All you silly america should be quite bcuz you nation nolonger has the moral justification to tell other nation what to do in time like this.You destroyed Iraq,devided Sebia and recognise a part of it as independent nation.What do you expect of other nations?
this guys makes his conclusions way too fast... "pressing the red button" 2 mins later, oh wait I was wrong
Yay – more fear and war!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here come the Obamabots yelling "McWar", etc. instead of asking themselves if he might just be right. Will they bother to think about what Putin did in the last election in Russia? No, they will just make hateful remarks about McCains age and his military record.