In August, Nicolas Sarkozy flew to Moscow and, according to his chief adviser, convinced Vladimir Putin to not overthrow Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. The Times of London reports their conversation, which, if true (and the dialogue seems like something out of the Marx Brothers), is one for the annals of diplomatic history. Putin: “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls.” Sarkozy: “Hang him?” Putin: “Why not? The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.” Sarkozy: “Yes, but do you want to end up like Bush?” Putin: “Ah, you have scored a point there.”
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