The Conservative Card

At the opening of his official state visit to the Netherlands today, Vladimir Putin seemed to be talking to American conservatives rather than to his European hosts. RFE/RL notes that

In remarks to journalists before his arrival, Putin accused Europeans of being soft on terrorism, with what he called a traditional tendency to appease.

RFE/RL correspondent Breffni O'Rourke wonders:

Do Putin’s comments have merit, or could he be seeking to deflect criticism of Russia's human rights record in Chechnya?

Update: Jeremy Putley has presented some excerpts from Putin's October 31 interview for the Dutch media, and has added some comments of his own, here.