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Putin: Terrorist aiming to derail Bush bid
10/18/2004, 3:52 a.m. ET
The Associated Press
 

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday
that terrorists are aiming to derail President Bush's chances at
re-election through their attacks in Iraq.

Putin noted that his government continued to disagree with Bush on
Washington's invasion of Iraq, which Russia strongly opposed as a
permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

"I consider the activities of terrorists in Iraq are not as much aimed at
coalition forces but more personally against President Bush," Putin said
at a news conference after a regional summit in the Tajik capital,
Dushanbe.

"International terrorism has as its goal to prevent the election of
President Bush to a second term," he said. "If they achieve that goal,
then that will give international terrorism a new impulse and extra power."

Still, Putin didn't say which candidate he favored in the Nov. 2 election.
"We unconditionally respect any choice of the American people," he said.