Charming Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the Israeli President Moshe Katsav on his sexual prowess following allegations of rape. The Russian daily Kommersant reported Putin saying to visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
"He turned out to be quite a powerful man, he raped 10 women. I never expected it from him. He surprised all of us. We all envy him."
prompting Israeli and Russian diplomats to fall about laughing, smashing lot.
This was another 'rogue microphone' incident - picking up the unspun chat of our world leaders - which seem to be plaguing politicians lately and providing us with an insight into their real personalities and relationships with each other. Unfortunately they never seem to come off well in these moments. Bush frat-boy like and Blair toady in the G8 summit Yo Blair! incident (which crafty KGB Putin may have instigated), Bush cleaning his glasses on the back of an oblivious woman's top during the Letterman show intermission, Bush (again! alright, easy target) continuing to read a story about a goat after news of 9/11, Cherie Blair calling Gordon Brown a liar, Reagan wanting to bomb Russia (ok that one made me laugh).
When the masks slip, we see some truly scary things underneath - doesn't it make you feel warm and fuzzy?
