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Is the US acting as a sole superpower by snubbing UN? Post your views

Moscow: Cautioning the United States against "imperial ambitions", Russian President Vladimir Putin today (Dec 18, 2003) said the US-led invasion of Iraq bypassing the UN Security Council was unjustified.

"Anything done without the sanction of the UN Security Council cannot be accepted as just and justified," Putin said in an annual live televised question-answer session, adding, "This is my very soft judgement."

Putin said, "In all the periods of the history of mankind the countries with imperial ambitions always suffered from a number of problems, which softly speaking, complicated their situation - these were their sense of invulnerability, sense of greatness and sense of infallibility."

"I earnestly hope, that this will not happen with our American partners."

Responding to a question from a soldier whether Iraq would become another Vietnam for the US, he said, "Russia is not interested in the USA's defeat in their combat against international terrorism."

"There were no international terrorists (in Iraq) under (Saddam) Hussein," he said.

However, Putin said he backed the US in its global combat against terrorism.

Putin's comments came before the arrival of US President George W Bush's special envoy James Baker tonight in Moscow to persuade Russia to write off $ 8 billion Iraq debt.

PTI

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