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Putin urges voters to back Bush.
Putin says terrorists want to inflict "Maximum Damage to Bush."
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says terrorist
attacks in Iraq are aimed at preventing the reelection of U.S. President
George W. Bush and that a Bush defeat "could lead to the spread of
terrorism to other parts of the world."
Putin, speaking Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in
Tajikistan Monday, made his most overt comments of support so far for
the re-election of Bush for a second term.
"Any unbiased observer understands that attacks of international
terrorist organizations in Iraq, especially nowadays, are targeted not
only and not so much against the international coalition as against
President Bush," Putin said.
"International terrorists have set as their goal inflicting the maximum
damage to Bush, to prevent his election to a second term.
"If they succeed in doing that, they will celebrate a victory over
America and over the entire anti-terror coalition," Putin said.
"In that case, this would give an additional impulse to international
terrorists and to their activities, and could lead to the spread of
terrorism to other parts of the world."
Putin noted that American voters will not decide the election just on
Iraq.
"Because of this we must take a realistic approach and be prepared for
any development of events," he said. "We respect any choice the American
people will make."
President Putin made it clear Russia remained opposed to the war in
Iraq.
"Today, our views on that differ from the views of President Bush," he
said.
Source: By CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty
Monday, October 18, 2004 Posted: 7:08 AM EDT (1108 GMT)
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