I’m not sure whether to blame this latest statement from Russian Czar Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on typical Russian paranoia or Bush Derangement Syndrome:
MOSCOW — Vladimir V. Putin, Russia’s prime minister, mused in a televised interview on Thursday that the United States might have helped provoke the war between Russia and Georgia to benefit one of the candidates in the American presidential election.
He did not specify which candidate. But officials here have increasingly bristled at the criticism of the Kremlin by Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who has repeatedly said he wants to kick Russia out of the Group of 8 industrialized nations and generally advocates a harder line with Russia.
In an interview with CNN in the Black Sea beach resort town of Sochi, Mr. Putin said he suspected that American citizens were in the conflict area supporting Georgia’s military action in South Ossetia, which Russia says prompted its offensive. The United States denies such support.
Mr. Putin went on to say he was contemplating another possibility.
“The suspicion would arise that someone in the United States created this conflict on purpose,” he told CNN.
He said the purpose was to “stir up the situation and to create an advantage for one of the candidates in the competitive race for the presidency in the United States.” He added, “They needed a small victorious war.
“I’m surprised that you are surprised by what I say,” he said in the portion of the interview rebroadcast in Russia.
And, Vladimir, we’re surprised that you’re a member of the tin-foil hat crowd.
