Putin puts in a good word for rape

"Say hi to your president. He turned out to be quite a powerful guy. Raped 10 women. We're all surprised. We all envy him."

Thus spoke Russian president Vladimir Putin, commenting on Israeli president Moshe Katsav's alleged sex offenses. Katsav may be charged with the rape and sexual harassment of several women.

It was the usual thing. After a meeting with Ehud Olmert, and the press had been ushered out, Putin thought the microphones had been turned off and made the offhand remark to the Israeli prime minister.

What a week: the Russian president expresses his admiration for a rapist while our very own minister of foreign affairs, Peter Mackay, refers to Brenda Stronach as a dog. You've got a long way to go yet, baby.