@Starko:
Wretchard, as Konyok already pointed out, the BBC article you linked to was apparently from 2004 (easy overlooked)

However, if it was a public US diplomatic position, and it has not been publically countermanded, it therefore may still be current policy. We don’t have to blather about it, right? (i.e. “speak softly; carry a Big Stick”)

Perhaps President Bush simply reminded V. “Pottie” Putin of the policy’s continued existence during their little Olympic dating game in Beijing, thereby inducing V. Pottie’s widely reported “ashen face”.

US commitment on-site = quagmire.

You may guess as to which party will be stuck in said “quagmire” (hint: it ain’t US, baby!)… jus’ bein’ hopeful, that’s all…