McCain: Putin an Old KGB Apparatchik With Dreams of Restored Russian Empire

The Edward Snowden case should reveal who Russian President Vladimir Putin really is, says Sen. John McCain. "He's an old colonel KGB apparatchik and he dreams of the restoration of the Russian empire."

McCain, R-Ariz., appearing on Fox News Sunday, said Putin's refusal to hand over Snowden, who admitted to leaking national security secrets to the press, is "a direct slap in the face to the United States of America."

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Putin's government also is funneling arms and assistance to the Syrian government while the United States is trying to help the rebels fighting them, McCain noted.

"They thumb their nose at us no matter what the issue is," he said.

While McCain doesn't want to see a return to the Cold War, he does think the United States should deal more realistically with Russia considering its recent actions.

"I think we've pushed the resent down to about 1955," McCain said.