PUTIN WARNS U.S. AGAINST ATTACKING IRAN

Vladimir Putin might be a dictator and an authoritarian, but he is right in saying that countries like the United States should not use military force against Iran. George Bush and Dick Cheney are itching to lob some missiles at Iran before they leave office. The result of such militaristic foolishness would destroy world peace and order for at least the next 500 years. At least Putin has some common sense.



Nazila Fathi and C.J. Chivers report in today's The New York Times on Putin's speech in Teheran:



"President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia told a summit meeting of five Caspian Sea nations in Iran today that any use of military force in the region was unacceptable and in a declaration the countries agreed that none of them would allow their territories to be used as a base for launching military strikes against any of the others.


"“We should not even think of making use of force in this region,” Mr. Putin said.


"Mr. Putin’s comments and the declaration come at a time when France and the United States have refused to rule out military action to halt Iran’s nuclear energy program, which they believe masks a desire to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its program is solely for peaceful purposes."