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Biden says Putin cannot remain in power

68 Comments
By CHRIS MEGERIAN, VANESSA GERA and AAMER MADHANI

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68 Comments

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Basically, he said what everyone else is thinking. The elephant in the room. Then his PR team immediately walked it back. It's long past due for Putin to go.

15 ( +29 / -14 )

Russian leaders tend to get ousted and exiled pretty quickly during times of crisis, history shows. Let's hope this happens with Putin.

13 ( +24 / -11 )

t's long past due for Putin to go.

I agree, But it's the Russian people's decision, and from what I've read they still like their little man who controls their media and information and limits any opposition. How many Russian journalists have been killed under Putin's reign?Putin is one of the best arguments for having open and fair elections, and for having a system built on checks and balances so one individual cannot have too much power.

11 ( +21 / -10 )

Biden's calling for a regime change.

8 ( +18 / -10 )

Heartfelt, sincere.

However, ill judged, politically incendiary.

Putin will twist this into a biased propaganda, told you so, interpretation.

A White House official asserted that Biden was “not discussing Putin’s power in Russia or regime change.” The official, who was not authorized to comment by name and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden’s point was that “Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.”

President Biden suggested, expressed exactly that, regime change.

Now I am sure many would agree that Putin is a murdering thug.

Politically President Putin commands, and I still believe has the respect and support of a majority of Russian people. It would be wise for Joe Biden to pay attention to that.

7 ( +15 / -8 )

“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power," Biden said at the very end of a speech in Poland's capital that served as the capstone on a four-day trip to Europe.

Regime change and a new world order? Biden was channeling his inner neo-con greatest hits parade.

I don't think any former presidents ever made similar remarks about Soviet-era leaders.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

Brave words, but the Imperium roar has turned into a whine.

It threw everything it had available at trying to overthrow Syria, even invading and occupying part of it, and failed.

How does Biden imagine he's going to achieve his goal?

5 ( +13 / -8 )

Pres. Biden is correct in his assessment about Putin. Putin's a butcher and he has to go. As long as Putin is in power, Russia will just continue to go deeper into a hole it has dug for herself. Putin is obviously losing in Ukraine and you know he's furious about it. That's why he's committing more and more war crimes against the Ukrainians. He's gone from being a self-proclaimed liberator to a butcher of not just Ukrainians but his own soldiers. Has Putin even visited the Russian soldiers fighting at the front? I don't think so. President Biden has gotten closer to the front than Putin has, and Biden lives half a world away. Go figure!

4 ( +14 / -10 )

Say what you want about Biden, the man never sticks to a script. Whatever the White House says, that’s Biden’s honest opinion. And he’s right. Putin needs to go. And the Russian people didn’t elect him. Unlike America, the votes in Russia were actually rigged and he jails or kills any opposition leaders.

3 ( +13 / -10 )

At least Biden isn't praising him or choosing Russian intelligence over American

No, Biden did worse, he just informed our biggest nuclear rival that’s his days are numbered and thinks the former KGB intel officer is just going to take that comment lightly and that comment will come back to haunt us in one way or another.

3 ( +11 / -8 )

Hitler hoped the same with Stalin.

Ha, sweet dreams.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Who is really not fit to remain in power..? Be honest..

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I think Biden should have stood by his comments and I think he was being honest.

So much nicer than hearing praise for Putin for the invasion like the last guy.

2 ( +12 / -10 )

Blinken announces additional $100 million in security assistance to Ukraine

The funding comes as the US has learned more about Russian missile strikes in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/blinken-announces-additional-100-million-202035392.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Because two states in Germany outlawed displays of the ‘Z’ symbol?

Quite the conclusion you drew there.

If displays of support for Russia didn't exist, why would German states need to outlaw such displays?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Explosions rang out in Lviv, the closest major Ukrainian city to Poland and a destination for the internally replaced that has been largely spared from major attacks.

Shelled city in north Ukraine fears becoming 'next Mariupol'

https://connecticut.news12.com/shelled-city-in-north-ukraine-fears-becoming-next-mariupol

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I doubt a little bit that always demanding elections but then condemning and abolishing of their outcome is a very helpful and democratic attempt.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Why isn't Biden forcing a direct meeting with Putin? Standing on the sides and effectively calling Putin names won't change anything. It just means the conflict will drag on. The US can negotiate from a much stronger position than Macron or the Ukranians themselves.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

 from what I've read they still like their little man who controls their media and information and limits any opposition. 

Yes, he controls the media and information and limits any opposition, meaning it’s very dangerous to admit to being opposed to him. People who value their lives and the lives of their families tend not to stick their necks out. That doesn’t mean they like him, just that they’re afraid to express dislike or displeasure.

How many Russian journalists have been killed under Putin's reign?

Literally dozens.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

I agree with the sentiment, but hmmmm, for a leader of a democratic nation to call for bypassing of democratic process of another country? Sounds like elite liberal values exported to me.

IMHO, if Biden has a sense of moral and duty (and as leader of the freeworld, he must) to protect the innocents, he should act on it using all resources available to him.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I was hoping the Biden administration wouldn't be Obama MKII, the reality is much worse, it's actually Obama x2. I can't see the world getting peaceful anything soon. ICBMs from NK, nuclear bombers from China, warships from Russia, Iran about have to sanctions relaxed (Houthis will be even better funded) so expect petrol prices to be even more volatile.

It's not all either. We now have two powerful authoritarian nations cementing a strategic partnership with no limits. We have Japan, SK, Phillipines, Taiwan all calling for nuclear sharing. SK is likely to be asking for more THAAD. Turkey's commitments to NATO is waining (most concerning given its geopolitical position and implications for the entire world).

ALL in the first 15 months of the Biden administration.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

@Fizzbit

Thank god we had Trump for 4 years. 

My same comment as above :

We all now that you rather have Trump as the President and hate Biden to the core. That is the same Trump sat quietly beside Putin when Putin bashed America and the American agencies and Trump agreed with every word that came out of Putins mouth! Even 90% of GOP members said at that time that Trump was wrong to do so! That’s the coward Trump being a puppet of a war criminal Putin! Putin has always had leverage over Trump. Trump never put America first and just put himself first! To date, Trump hasn’t criticized Putin once, even after the Ukraine invasion and death of thousands of innocent!

TRUMP WOULD HAVE JOINED RUSSIA IN THIS INVASION AND CALLED IT A JOINT RUSSIAN/ AMERICAN MILITARY PROJECT AND PATTED HIMSELF FOR ACHIEVING THAT!!!

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Readers, please stay on topic. Trump is not relevant to this discussion.

Two German states on Saturday said they have outlawed public displays of the "Z" symbol used by the Russian army in their invasion of Ukraine.

Anyone who brandishes the symbol at demonstrations or paints it on cars or buildings in a show of support for Vladimir Putin's war could risk up to three years in jail or a fine in Lower Saxony or Bavaria.

https://www.barrons.com/news/german-states-outlaw-display-of-russia-s-z-war-symbol-01648307108

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Sorry I may not like Putin but every time the USA and it's allies start talking regime change we usually end up with a bigger mess,

Examples, Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, Iran, Libya, Iran ( placing the Shah in power) Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chile and the list goes on.

OK so the USA hasn't exactly invaded these places but it might as well in most cases cause more damage over longer periods by creating instability or placing tirant Dictators in power like Pinochet, The Shah of Iran, etc...

So please USA keep your nose out this time!

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Think about all the places USA meddling has caused great suffering and problems.

Chile, Iran (the Shah), Yemen, Syria, Iraq Libya.

Often creating power vacuums settings of civil war or instability.

Now ask yourself, would you rather have Putin or the Libya, iraq, Yemen instability in a place with thousands of nuclear weapons!

Be very careful what you wish for!

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Well this is weird. The below quote from the story says the official is “not authorized”

The official, who was not authorized to comment by name and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden’s point was that “Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.”

But it’s clear it was Jennifer Epstein

Jennifer Epstein

@jeneps

Replying to @jeneps

White House official: “The President’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”

0 ( +8 / -8 )

The irony is that Biden will be gone long before Putin.

0 ( +16 / -16 )

The standards for Biden are so ridiculously low. Every time he messes up the response is “well at least he didn’t (something else even worse)”

he has the lowest expectations of any president in my lifetime and the most apologists by far.

so who is this “White House” that keeps telling us daily that Biden really meant the opposite of what he said?!

0 ( +8 / -8 )

No worry, comrade Putin will stay on until he finds a worthy successor

I think he is going to end up like Nicholas II. Every time Russia has a military debacle there is a change of government within a few years. The defeat in the Russo-Japanese War and WWI losses did in Nicholas II. The losses suffered in Afghanistan did in the USSR. By some accounts Russian losses in one month of fighting in Ukraine are as high as Soviet losses in Afghanistan. Mr. Putin has suddenly changed the stated aims of his "special military operation" to focus on Donbass. I think he knows the Red Army is losing and is looking for a way to claim a win, even if it is limited. And obtw I don't think that is going to save him when 15,000 young Russians fail to come home from their military duty. That will catch up to them sooner or later. It is unavoidable.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Well...Biden isn't going to remain in power for much longer that's for certain.

Biden says Putin must be stopped but preparing for the long haul .

That alone should be insightful .

0 ( +8 / -8 )

So who is this “White House” that is always correcting the President? 

its getting to the point where we can’t believe anything Biden says and have to wait for “White house” to confirm if he meant it or was even allowed to say it. Total puppet. And a bad one at that he can’t end read correctly what he is told to say.

We all now that you rather have Trump as the President and hate Biden to the core. That is the same Trump sat quietly beside Putin when Putin bashed America and the American agencies and Trump agreed with every word that came out of Putins mouth! Even 90% of GOP members said at that time that Trump was wrong to do so! That’s the coward Trump being a puppet of a war criminal Putin! Putin has always had leverage over Trump. Trump never put America first and just put himself first! To date, Trump hasn’t criticized Putin once, even after the Ukraine invasion and death of thousands of innocent!

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Bass: Well, the WH is scrambling and clearly trying to erase and clarify his comments because they know this guy once again said something that he can and will never back up and they want to get way ahead of this before it hits them right in the face.

At least Biden isn't praising him or choosing Russian intelligence over American.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Biden's made life a lot more miserable for all of us than Putin, just saying...

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

You can criticize Mr. Biden if you wish but those words in both instances give me great comfort and confidence.

How so? The majority of the nation doesn’t feel the same.

I don't think for a moment he misspoke.

That would be a first.

I would have said the same were I in his position and I agree 100% with him on these matters.

And think of the ramifications of a statement like that would cause. An unstable man with 6000 nukes? Yeah, smart move. Smh…..

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/white-house-says-biden-is-not-calling-regime-change-russia-2022-03-26/

Looks like Whitehouse officials have finished their lunch and now back on the job

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Ah, so it's 'Regime Change in Russia' now, is it? Joe Biden has unilaterally declared war on the nation with the most nuclear weapons on the planet.

Now the USA deigns to itself the right to remove a nuclear power’s leader and denude its government?

What Putin has argued was the goal of The United States and NATO all along, starting with the lies put forward during the integration process of Germany, we have now confirmed as official US policy? To destroy Russia — erase it as a nation and replace its government with one fashioned after neo-liberal ideals. Funny, many in recent weeks have called this claim of Putin’s 'propaganda', and claimed that was not NATO's goal, nor that of the Western Nations.

President Biden just admitted that Putin was not only not publishing propaganda but now he was never wrong; the Russian premise, that NATO's actions from 2004 forward when it admitted former Soviet satellites to NATO, was indeed to destroy Russia’s government and Russian national identity.

“In this battle we need to be clear-eyed. This battle will not be won in days, or months, either,” Biden said.

So this is not really about Ukraine at all, is it?

No.

Ukraine is simply a foil, a convenient hotbed of corruption that was “useful” to the underlying goal. The official goal of the Biden Administration is the destruction of Russia.

For the last two decades, across Adminsitrations, it has been about destroying Russia.

And as long as Biden and those who enable him to continue to be President do so it will continue to be about exactly that, which means the real “western goal” is exactly what Putin said it was, and which western media stridently (and falsely) maintained it was not.

The West got away with this — a policy of “regime change” — in multiple other places. Bosnia, Libya, and Iraq to name just three of several.

Putin isn’t the real problem according to this statement.

The entire Russian Federal Assembly, along with the Russian people are the problem. Joe Biden just declared war on their political system, their representation such as it is, and their way of life, stating that the United States is now committed to their destruction however long it may take, recognizing and committing to the fact that it will not occur in days, weeks or months.

QUOS DEUS VULT PERDERE PRIUS DEMENTAT - Whom God would destroy, he first makes mad. It’s worth noting that Russia clearly pays very close attention to these sort of anti-Russian statements by national leaders and takes them at face value.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Since the formation of NATO in 1949, by the 12 founding countries, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States, more countries have joined, 18 other European countries have joined expanding it to 30 countries.

No country has left.

OK if you don't count the fact France left in 1966 and stayed out until 2009.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

"For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power," he proclaimed.

According to a White House official, the line was not in Biden's pre-prepared speech.

Following Biden's statement, a different White House official said, "The President's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change."

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/324684

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

I think Biden should have stood by his comments and I think he was being honest.

Yeah? Well, the WH is scrambling and clearly trying to erase and clarify his comments because they know this guy once again said something that he can and will never back up and they want to get way ahead of this before it hits them right in the face.

So much nicer than hearing praise for Putin for the invasion like the last guy.

Hmmm, so Dems hate the carrot-stick approach? 4 years and no wars, but that’s now a bad thing? You get more with honey than with vinegar, remember that.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

Biden is such a dunce.

-2 ( +11 / -13 )

I wonder if the Russians are going to listen to him?

Of course the Russians are listening. Biden, like Obama before him is showing all the playing cards the US holds. To think he was VP and did nothing when Crimea was annexed and Nord 2 commenced says it all.

Closer to home GM is now essentially controlled by the Chinese, and the rot also started under Obama/Biden.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

What very few people want to acknowledge here is that Biden is utterly inept

Plenty of posters here are on the brink of meltdowns telling us how bad Biden is. I’m surprised you missed them.

They are very conspicuous.

Just goes to show, even a large part of the population of NATO countries hate NATO

Because two states in Germany outlawed displays of the ‘Z’ symbol?

Quite the conclusion you drew there.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

He didn’t mean it.

when is Biden removed from office? he is a a danger every time he speaks publicly.

Putin heard 'loud and clear' call for regime change after Biden said he 'cannot remain in power': expert

“The White House walked back Biden's comments”

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

If world leaders ever meet Putin again in the flesh, they will demand a table twice as long as that ridiculous Russian table to separate themselves from Putin, a pariah of humanity. That said, I won't let my anger towards the Moscow gang (Putin, a non-entity, is merely the figurehead or Kremlin kagemusha), allow me to forget that Western leaders themselves have hardly a moral leg to stand on as enablers of the cruel, inhumane war on the poor people of Yemen, just to name one example.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

I don't think any former presidents ever made similar remarks about Soviet-era leaders.

Soviet leaders were more circumspect and never made open threats to use nuclear weapons the way Mr. Putin and some of his senior policy makers such as Mr. Medvedev have. During the Cold War we all figured that even if the "bubble did go up" to use the term of that era and the Soviets attacked NATO it would remain a conventional war as the Russians pushed NATO forces back out of Germany into France while the US raced reinforcements to Europe to halt the Soviet advance. The Soviets we thought hoped to push NATO off the edge into the Atlantic and present the US and UK with a fait accompli at which point they would sue for peace. The open question was would the US and UK nuke the USSR at that point or not?

From the NATO view, a Soviet invasion would be halted in Germany while US forces flooded in via airlift and pushed the Soviet forces back behind the Iron Curtain. The big question in that scenario was, would the Soviets resort to nuclear weapons if they were losing? These were both theoretical scenarios.

In either scenario the US and NATO navies were going to find and sink their SSBNs. Every one of them was tracked constantly.

A third scenario that presented itself with the arrival of the F-117 and B-2 was the possibility of destroying Russia's ICBMs and IRBMs with conventional precision guided munitions. Airplanes like the B-2 can fly undetected and bomb their missile silos with precision guided bombs with hard target penetrator warheads, plinking out multiple ICBM silos per sortie while the F-117s sought out and destroyed their mobile IRBMs in East Germany, Poland etc. All of this while the US rapidly reinforced Europe and pushed Soviet forces back, leaving Soviet forces on the ground defeated while at the same time leaving the Soviets with so few nuclear weapons left they wouldn't dare initiate a nuclear exchange.

But the main point is that US and European leadership were of the opinion the Soviets would do everything possible to avoid escalating to nuclear warfare. With Vladimir Putin nobody is sure he really wants to avoid it.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power," Biden said at the very end of a speech in Poland's capital that served as the capstone on a four-day trip to Europe.

Earlier when asked at a town hall if the US would defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack Mr. Biden said "Yes, we have a commitment to do that"

You can criticize Mr. Biden if you wish but those words in both instances give me great comfort and confidence. I don't think for a moment he misspoke. I would have said the same were I in his position and I agree 100% with him on these matters. The diplomats might not like it and try to clean up the remarks but it is I think a good thing for both Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin to hear such words from this President.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

hmmmm, for a leader of a democratic nation to call for bypassing of democratic process of another country? 

Russia under Putin does not have a democratic process.

Just ask Navalny, or any of the thousands of Russian citizens detained by the police for expressing disagreement with Putin’s policies.

To destroy Russia - to erase it as a nation

No, just to stop the madman who apparently sees no alternative to reducing his neighbor to rubble and dust. In other words, to save Russia for the Russian people.

As long as Putin remains in power, Russia will remain an international pariah. The people of Russia deserve better.

And the people of Ukraine certainly do not deserve what they are being forced to endure today.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

It's long past due for Putin to go.

I agree, But it's the Russian people's decision

At this point, it's Europe's decision. If global warming wasn't enough, this ought to really seal the deal for independence from fossil fuels.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

I agree, But it's the Russian people's decision, and from what I've read they still like their little man who controls their media and information and limits any opposition.

Well, some do and many, many don’t like this man.

How many Russian journalists have been killed under Putin's reign?Putin is one of the best arguments for having open and fair elections, and for having a system built on checks and balances so one individual cannot have too much power.

Ok, so Biden called for regime change actually, we all know he should go, but how? Now Biden rambled that statement without thinking and the White House realized that Biden put his foot in his mouth once again and are now on aisle 7 trying to clean up and walk back that statement and now as a result Putin will be more paranoid than ever which will make him as well as China leery of their overall intentions and that might get them to act and take certain cautionary measures so that can never happen. The guy will be expecting an attempt in some fashion from the west on himself and a cornered Putin is a very dangerous one.

-4 ( +10 / -14 )

I don't think any former presidents ever made similar remarks about Soviet-era leaders.

And with valid reason, now Putin is even more paranoid probably after hearing this and that’s not a good thing because this guy is expecting Biden to do something now and knowing how Biden is, words do matter and he definitely didn’t think that one through.

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

Two German states on Saturday said they have outlawed public displays of the "Z" symbol used by the Russian army in their invasion of Ukraine.

Anyone who brandishes the symbol at demonstrations or paints it on cars or buildings in a show of support for Vladimir Putin's war could risk up to three years in jail or a fine in Lower Saxony or Bavaria.

Just goes to show, even a large part of the population of NATO countries hate NATO.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Sum Lux Mundi

well summed up.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

The US is in the process of giving Ukraine, mini tomohawk ,that can be launched from an Artillery cannon, thst use GPS coordinates, maybe this will speed up Russia demise in Ukraine, Russian are turning on their commanders in Ukraine, a lt Colonel was killed intentionally by been run over by a tank Google Switchblade 600 Google Russian Colonel Tank Death

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

His lack of diplomatic skill is due to tiredness and confusion.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

So who is this “White House” that is always correcting the President?

its getting to the point where we can’t believe anything Biden says and have to wait for “White house” to confirm if he meant it or was even allowed to say it. Total puppet. And a bad one at that he can’t end read correctly what he is told to say.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

The irony is that Biden will be gone long before Putin.

that’s the price of democracy & freedom, over dictatorship

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Yep, Putin should not remain in power and neither should you and your radical-left woke democratic party.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

What very few people want to acknowledge here is that Biden is utterly inept. Putin, a very nasty character, might have done what he has done no matter who was in the White House, but the thought of Biden, who has managed to bungle so much, must have tempted him all the more.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

I say what Biden said every day!!!

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

“NATO is a defensive alliance that has never sought the demise of Russia.”

Contrary to the messages Kremlin propagandists have long been pushing through their media, and through their 'useful I...s' on social media. The Kremlin has got lots of fellow right wing extremists around the globe to believe Russia is being victimized. Russia has been of immense value to the fossils running the global fossil economy, and I imagine they were content letting Russia be one of the world's gas stations. I find it hard to think the fossils would want to throw any matches at a gas station so many of the world's richest have invested in so heavily. The Kremlin have long blamed western nation's defense industries for starting wars, and are correct in having done so, but the Kremlin also knows Russia has profited from selling weapons and from its own wars. What precent of Russian defense industries does Putin personally get richer from?

-9 ( +7 / -16 )

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