The relentless media assault on the war in Iraq is blinding the US to very serious threats from our old adversaries.
Vladimir Putin is a dangerous character. Former KGB Maj. Gen. Oleg Kalugin, who fled Russia to escape trumped-up charges by his former employee in the spy agency, told us so at the 2003 Raleigh Spy Conference. Nothing since has disproved his assessment. Putin is, as a wag depicted Lord Byron, “mad, bad and dangerous to know.” As the post-Soviet Russia fades from influence on the international grid, the potential for Putin to make a play for attention magnifies.
Signals that Russia is up to something usually pass underneath the media radar screen now that news people are obsessed with the Iraq war, climate change, the 2008 presidential election and local grisly crime stories now catapulted to the top of the national news agenda. Consequently, the recent appearance of gigantic Tupolev bombers over British waters went nearly unmentioned — as did Putin’s move to forge an alliance with the People’s Republic of China. And according to a recent intelligence report, Russian foreign spy operations against the US have reached Cold War levels, rivaling China in the number of agents here stealing military and high-tech secrets.
There is another sinister trend under Putin, the acceptance of murder as political warfare. At last count, 14 Russian journalists have been killed since 2003. The poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko by radioactive polonium in London — the former KGB officer who exposed the brutality of the Putin regime in London — has Russian fingerprints all over it. And it is common knowledge that Putin is a pedophile. Early this summer, a photo of the Russian president kissing the bare stomach of a small boy made the rounds. More recently, Putin invited the press to take photographs and TV footage as he walked along a river with his shirt off. Putin fits into the profile of mentally quirky leaders with a penchant for provocative and dangerous moves when cornered.
The Russians are great chess players, and Putin has the potential for checkmate against the West, the so-called C-Bomb, comprising cobalt, the successor to the atomic and hydrogen bombs. Information reaching Western sources maintains the Soviets actually possess a C-Bomb Doomsday system buried deep underground with the capability to end life on earth. It is supposed by pundits that the development by the US of the bunker-buster bomb — introduced in the first Iraq War — was developed to destroy the Russian ultimate weapon.
And then there is China. Maybe it’s the politically correct discipline drilled into the news types that prevented them from putting two and two together to make a big story out of the series of faulty and dangerous products now imported into the US from the People’s Republic. Whether fear of offending Asians, or just typical of the moronic state of media, the appalling truth is that, in some cases, we are importing lethal goods and food products to please our friends in China. The upside of this dangerous scenario is that our trade deficit goes down and China’s self-esteem as a capitalist exporter goes up — and US exporters can tap the fabled Chinese market.
It should then be no surprise that a small news item appeared stating that China is considering a “trade war” against the US due to our complaints about their exports. Trade wars can get ugly and lead to other wars, regional and global. North Carolina has staked out a big share of the China trade and doesn’t want to upset our new trading partners. Yet, in Raleigh a few months ago, the ambassador to the US from China actually issued a threat to a luncheon crowd, stating that the US must change its diplomatic relations with Taiwan (the Republic of China), China’s enemy, or trade will be suspended with the US.
Now that we are complaining about dangerous imports from China, albeit timidly for fear of insulting the Chinese and endangering the regime’s move away from communism to capitalism, the Dragon is breathing fire. If pushed too hard on the export issue, accompanied as it is with a backhanded criticism that China is still very backward, would they invade Taiwan to cover up their inadequacies as an alleged major player in the world’s economy?
The relentless media assault on the war in Iraq is blinding the US to very serious threats from our old adversaries. Iraq is a detail; Russia and China are the problem.
reevesmedia@ncrrbiz.com
http://www.metronc.com
Read more articles by Bernie Reeves
The list of problems with the media goes on and on. It's as if they are controled by a handful of people. On second thought they are. I do hope that the internet will save us but the fairness doctrine if passed will kill the internet. Talk radio too but the big one is the internet. Talk radio only responds to the info from the net.
Comment by fbaginski | September 26, 2007
Mr Reeves,
Congratulations on a fine post. This is a refreshing change from the usual fare on "Intellectual" Conservative.
China is a particular concern to me. I'm sure China is delighted watching us spend ourselves into oblivion in our "war on terrorism". China should be respected and feared. You won't see China engage in and endless war on adjectives, nor will China have a Prime Minister like George W. Bush. China has a ling history. History has taught them to be shrewed, patient and consistently act in their national interest.
My only disagreement with your post is this. We don't have a media problem. We have a government problem. To paraphrase you, the media is the detail, the politicians (of both parties) are the problem. We get the government we deserve.
Greg in NY
Comment by GreginNY | September 27, 2007
Let's not forget that a prominent Chinese General has threatened to nuke Los Angeles if the US and China were to fight over Taiwan.
If I were a Mexican, I would be FURIOUS!(http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45278).
The government of China is not our friend. They poison our animals, sell us toys painted with lead based paint (well, duh!), hack our government computer systems, steal our military and trade secrets and block our moves in the United Nations to sanction who are the worst of the worst.
Oh, and regarding the Russians coming into sovereign airspace (Finnish, Georgian, UK, NATO, US, etc…), SHOOT THEM DOWN!
Thankfully, we have the Russian's own example to serve as a guide.
Don't forget, in 1983 the Russians shot down a passenger plane carrying (among 268 others) an US Congressman. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Flight_007
Somebody with a backbone, please stand up!
Comment by drsanto | September 28, 2007
Yes, please forget about 1983. That was the USSR, which no longer exists. Putin may not be the perfect choice, but what country can claim to have a perfect leader. I have been to Russia and I can tell you that it has the potential to be a good ally. In many ways I preferred their ways to those in America today.
Comment by Ivan Ivanovich | September 29, 2007
Ivan~ there's no way I'll forget about 1983 and the "cold war" is heating up again. We absolutely SHOULD shoot them out of the sky to show our sincerity.
Regarding potential~ I agree. In fact, post Soviet Union, the United States gave tens, if not hundreds of millions and perhaps even Billions of $ to Russia to help them recover and this is how they repay us?
Countries whose people love life should be friends. We SHOULD be friends, but let's be honest~ Russia is supplying Syria with Iskander and Strella missiles and Iran with the Pantsyr-1 as well as Nuclear technology when the US is warning the world that this arguement w/ Iran will lead to war if Iran doesn't stop enriching Uranium.
It isn't just business for Russia, it a subversive strategy to undermine our efforts to prevent Iran from aquiring the dangerous parts of Nuclear technology and know-how.
Just recently, Iran threatened that if the US attacked them, they would lob 600+ missiles at Israel and other US friendlies, mine the Straight of Hormuz and fire missiles at ships trying to go through it…
What do you think the threat would be like if they had nuclear weapons?
With Russia and North Korea (which is to say, China) supplying advanced missile and warhead designs, what kinds of threats do you think Iran would say when they have this more advanced weaponary.
Anyone from Europe reading this?
If the world does not push Iran to stop, there will be war.
I suspect that this is what Russia and China want though, in order to entangle the US so they can each pursue their own goals (China w/ Taiwan and Russia w/ex-Soviet territories).
However, if the war spreads~ and undoubtedly, it will… THERE WILL BE GLOBAL THERMO NUCLEAR WAR. The Chinese know this and are building underground bunker cities. The Russians have had them for years…
To the leadership in the US~ 2nd and 3rd strike capability isn't enough. The US must have survivability (and not just politicians and rich men, either!).
The Chinese are building vast numbers of subs for the purpose of countering our 2nd and 3rd strike capabilites. We must take them seriously.
To the Non-Aligned…
Help the world to avoid war, which would undoubtedly engulf your countries, too.
The U.S. will not back down from it's demand Iran stop working on advanced Nuclear technology. At least, not until it is certain that this technology wouldn't either be diverted or used for Military purposes.
Pressure Iran to come COMPLETELY CLEAN and stop building it's nuclear technology. The deal the Europeans offered them several years ago was very good and would prevent war.
I suspect though, that war is exactly what Amadnejad wants in order to bring about Armageddon. He may get his wish.
DRS
Comment by drsanto | October 3, 2007
Almost forgot…
In response to your comment regarding your preference to your Russia's ways vs. American ways…
I, too, preferred Russia's handling of radical and insurgent Muslims to the US. Putin's handling of both the Theatre and Beslan school, were brutal, but effective.
We in the US give them passports to allow them to travel our country, speak at our Universities and in some cases, even attend our Universities (such as with the Taliban's information minister).
(?)Gone(?) are the days when, under the Presidency of Roosevelt, Major General Tasker Bliss showed how to stop a Muslim insurgency.
A suicide attacker (juramentado), once dead was placed in the market with a slaughtered pig above them. Afterwards, the bodies were wrapped in pig's skin and their mouths stuffed with Pork before being buried along with pig's blood and entrails.
In some cases, insurgents who survived were lined up, the bullets dipped in pigs blood and fat, then shot one by one in front of each other. A few were left who went and told others what happened.
Understandably, this created a period of calm in the area.
Of course, so-called Human Rights activists will scream bloody murder if we did this again, all the while supporting "freedom fighters" "defending" themselves by strapping a nail-filled bomb on their bodies and going to a restaurant to blow themselves up.
Hmm… (besides Putin, I mean), are there a Teddy Roosevelts out there? Do we dare hope there is at least one among our leadership in the US?
DRS
Comment by drsanto | October 3, 2007
DRS
I'm happy you remembered the Beslan and Dubrovka attacks. It seems like the Russians have the same enemy that we do, as in 1941. I was in Moscow on May 9th (VE Day). Most Americans have forgotten, but the Russians have not. There were no protesters to be seen in Red Square. Only those celebrating the victory over the Nazis were present. The banners simply read "1941-1945. It took me back to my childhood when Memorial Day had meaning and that meaning is that we can kick ass if pushed.
We now have a chance to ally ourselves with Russia and defeat the Islamo-fascists. I would just like to temper all this anti-Putin talk. It looks like he’s doing a good job to me.
Comment by Ivan Ivanovich | October 3, 2007
Sir, you sound very reasonable and I wish it were that easy.
I truly wish we (Russia and US) could be friends as there would be much to gain, however, Russia (via Putin) is aligning with the Islamo-fascists in Iran and revolutionaries elsewhere in order to hedgemon energy supply to the rest of the world. I am by no means anti-russia, but the "friend of my enemy…"
And, don't get me wrong~ there are SOME leadership qualities I admire in Putin and wish his strengths were in some of our leaders. However, I don't trust him at all. Sergey Ivanov, even less.
***Miscommunication and mixed messages are the causes of much conflict so we should be very clear here.***
Once again, I emplore US and NATO leadership to warn any country that if they intentionally violate our airspace (or even flirt with it) without our permission (particularily in a military plane), we will shoot them down~ and, when they test our resolve, we actually SHOOT THEM DOWN.
Mr. Ivanovich~ I wish you well and our countries good friendship.
DRS
Comment by drsanto | October 3, 2007
DRS
Huum? I'm not sure what you mean by "Our countries"? FYI, I was born in Detroit as were
my mother and father. My maternal grandparents did come from Lithuania and my only
connection to Russia is by marriage.
I agree with your trust statement, but if I were picking a team, Putin would come before most of the US Congress and the likes of Dan Rather.
Thank you for the exchange.
Comment by Ivan Ivanovich | October 3, 2007
The article is comple BS especially that the author leaves us with the impression that Putin killed all those journalists.More journalists have been killed under Bush and the yankz in Iraq.
Comment by chornyvolk | October 11, 2007
drsanto You need to get informed on Islamofascists. They are allies of the US in Saudi Arabia None of the bombers came from Iran nor were they trained there . Now guess who this is with Bin Laden?
http://www.geocities.com/RepresentativePress/binLadenphoto.html
Comment by chornyvolk | October 11, 2007
drsanto You claim the US gave Russia billions .Do you know how many nillions they stole ? If I may suggest you read up on it.
http://search.go123.com/go/d.htmlharvard+boys+do+Russia?325413103
Comment by chornyvolk | October 11, 2007
Your implications are false.
First, that I am not "read up" on it and second, that the US stole from the Russians.
Let's be clear~ the U.S. gave BILLIONS to help Russia; you talk about millions. There is a HUGE difference between millions and billions.
We acted in good faith to show ourselves friendly and perhaps make a friend.
Next~ That the OLIGARCHS ended up with many, many millions is not unusual whether in Russia or any other country undergoing major changes. This is natural, and even expected.
Please, do not represent the difficulty Russia (and any other transitional country) experience/s as if the US is to blame. The "blame the US" rhetoric is getting old.
DRS
Comment by drsanto | October 12, 2007
Responding to chornyvolk (#11).
A. I am very informed regarding Islamofacism…
It is well known that (primarily) Saudi Arabia finances wahabbi Islam by planting mosques all over the world.
Iran supports outright Islamic Revolution by using and training proxy organizations to spread their revolution to other countries. Primarily, this is in support of Shiite Muslims but there is clear and convincing links to Sunni revolutionary and terroristic forces, too.
****As such, Iran is the DEFINITION of a "State Sponsor of Terrorism"; either the world must "put up or shut up". ****
B. Regarding the picture of Zbnew and allegedly OBL~ you've got to be kidding me. You're joking, right?
C. How the heck does any of this have to do with the article?
May I suggest we keep our comments related to the article? This helps to ensure that serious intellectual debate occurs.
DRS
Comment by drsanto | October 12, 2007
DRS
It seems I've met an honest person in you. This silly suggestion, by chornyvolk, about the photo of OBL is a typical troublemaker position, worded in a denialble way. Must be a left wing troll
Comment by Ivan Ivanovich | October 12, 2007
You amerikans sponser the terrorism with this group of neocons.
american chechen peace committee .Now take a look at the membership list of whose who.
here is an email that they answered
AMERICAN CHECHEN PEACE COMMITTEE ANSWERS THE EMAIL
Dear Mr.. ******:
Please forgive the substantial delay in responding to you inquiry. I will attempt to answer each of your questions in turn. By and large, these are very informed questions. Some of the factual premises on which they are based, however, require some careful review.
1.) "Does the Committee not see the dander of Russia failing to quell insurgents of this region?"
The Russo-Chechen war is a conflict steeped in more than three centuries of colonialism and indigenous opposition. As such, the existential question at hand is not terrorism, but rather the longstanding battle between the Chechen desire for self determination and the Russian desire for territorial integrity.
The Chechen resistance a rag-tag group of Islamic fundamentalists or local mafia. To the contrary, it is led by a president and parliament that came to power in 1997 during free and fair democratic elections monitored by the OSCE and recognized by both the Russian Federation and the United States. Many of these Chechen leaders were former Soviet military officers or leading intellectuals.
For better or worse, those Chechens leading the Chechen resistance believe they are fighting a war of national liberation. And some 70 to 80 percent of the Chechens under arms in Chechnya today recognize their authority. Hence, the real danger for regional security stems not from the failure of the Russian government to quell the Chechen resistance, but rather from the failure of the parties to resolve their conflict through political negotiations.
This is not to say that there are not Islamic fundamentalists in Chechnya. There are some, though they are a very small minority. Generally speaking, however, it is more accurate to say that Chechen criminal groups who profit from the war have appropriated the rhetoric of radical Islam for their own ends. Some of those groups–including the leader of the October 2002 Moscow theater siege–have longstanding ties to Russian organized crime.
2.) "There is now ample evidence this became part of the global jihad the second go around."
While we recognize and abhor the activities of the marginal extremist elements within the Chechen population, the broad characterization of this conflict as part of the "global jihad" tends to illuminate the most virulent symptoms of the Russo-Chechen while obscuring its historical and political causes. Several factual points should be recognized before attempting to connect this conflict to the "Terrorist International"–which we believe does indeed pose a real and existential threat to Western civilization.
Since September 11th our organization has diligently researched the alleged linkages between Chechnya and International Terrorism. In the overwhelming majority of cases, however, the evidence simply does not add up. Consider the following facts:
First, the leadership of the Chechen resistance publicly supported the U.S.-led interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite reports to the contrary, the U.S. Department of Defense has privately confirmed that it encountered no Chechens during coalition operations in either country.
Second, of the eight Russian citizens currently detained by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, not one is an ethnic Chechen. Further, of the 22 individuals indicted this May by a Russian court for the 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow, not one is an ethnic Chechen.
Third, some 98 percent of Chechens are Sufi Muslims. Sufi theology is fundamentally different from (and diamatrectically opposed to) the fundamentalist Whabbi/Salafi sects that prevail in the Middle East and underscore the intolerance and hatred that fuels Al Qaeda and other like-minded syndicates. Chechens, like their Sufi cousins in Bosnia and Kosovo, are moderate, pluralistic and overwhelming pro-Western. Many drink alcohol, and women enjoy the same freedoms as men.
Fourth, the political leadership of the Chechen resistance has categorically denounced terrorism in all its forms no less that 140 times since 1999. Chechen envoys have assisted the U.S. government in identifying alleged terrorists, and have on three occasions called for an international war crimes tribunal to try such individuals.
Fifth, some of the most pernicious state sponsors of international terrorism–including Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya and Sudan–have fought every attempt within the United Nations and other international institutions to condemn Russian atrocities against Chechen civilians. Its also worth noting that these rogue states vehemently opposed Western interventions on behalf of Sufi Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Sixth, none of the senior Chechen officials currently leading the resistance has ever visited any Middle Eastern country. The only contact Chechen officials have had with the middle east since the war began in 1999 was a private meeting between Chechen Foreign Minister Ilyas Akhmadov and a representative of the Organization of the Islamic Conference at the United Nations in New York. Incidentally, that meeting resulted in no public or private support for Chechnya, despite the fact that approximate 40 percent of the Chechen population was displaced by the Russian offensive that fall.
3.) "If Russia fails in Chechnya, might this area not become a new training ground for Al Qaeda?"
There are 120,000 Russian troops in Chechnya, a region roughly the size of Connecticut. If all of those troops were to stand in a line and link arms, they would span the entire width of the region from East to West.
There are approximately 350,000 Russian troop blockading Chechnya from the North, East and West. The mountains that form Chechnya's southern border are between 16 to 18 thousand feet high. Travel through those passes is impossible five months out of the year.
What is more, U.S. Army Special Forces currently guard Chechnya's boarder with Georgia, thereby further reducing the possibility that anyone could get in, or get out. (It should be noted that the US troops are there not to protect Georgia from the Chechens, but rather to prevent the Russian military from using the war in Chechnya as a pretext for destabilizing Georgia).
Against this backdrop, the oft-repeated notion that there is an "Al Qaeda caravan" from Kabul and Karachi to Grozny is patently absurd. And if there is such a caravan, it is highly doubtful that it could enter Chechnya without the direct assistance or approval of the more that 470,000 Russian troops currently stationed in the region.
At the present time, the Russian Federal Security Service (the successor agency to the KGB) reports that there are only between 100 and 200 "foreign volunteers" fighting in Chechnya. Of that number at least 50 percent are believed to be from neighboring regions in the Russian Federation, including Ingushetia and Dagestan, as well as Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Moreover, it appears that the overwhelming majority of alleged "Arabs" in Chechnya are in fact ethnic Chechens from Turkey and Jordan, who have returned home to fight after three generations in Diaspora. (A large number of Chechens fled to the Ottoman Empire after the Murid Wars with Russia in the late 19th century).
Regarding the current threat from International Terrorist, the Vice Chair of the Russian Parliament's recently told members of our Committee that the total number of truly Arabs fighters in Chechnya is probably less than 20. Our private exchanges with U.S. officials also seem to bear that analysis out.
Finally, I should not that during the first war and the early stages of the second war there were a small but nonetheless significant number of foreign volunteers from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union fighting alongside the Chechen resistance. Poles, Ukrainians, Estonians, Lithuanians, Georgians and others took up arms on the Chechen side. It is somewhat difficult to describe these predominantly Catholic and Russian Orthodox volunteers as Muslim fundamentalists.
Having said all of the the foregoing, it important for me to note that our organization does not represent the Chechen resistance, the Russian government, or any other party to the conflict. Our purpose is two-fold: first, to provide you and other members of the public with accurate and balanced information; and second, to promote mechanisms that lead to the resolution of the conflict and the physical restoration of the Chechen Republic. We take no position whatsoever on the question of Chechen independence.
I hope this information of some use to you. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.
Sincerely yours,
Christopher Swift
Program Officer
American Committee for Peace in Chechnya
1319 18th St, NW
Washington, DC 2036
Tel: 202.296.5101
Fax: 202.296.5078
http://www.peaceinchechnya.org
Since I exposed them on the internet they have changed their website to this one .The letter also shows how out of touch with reality they are. http://www.peaceinthecaucasus.org/about.htm
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
That so called aid turned out to be outright theft.
http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol3/v3n25fsu.html
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
The Legacy of Boris Yeltsin
Corruption, crony capitalism, and Russia's near-demise
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=10867
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
Hunting the Russian Bear
Why they're after Putin
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=11115
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
quoting the article "What is more, U.S. Army Special Forces currently guard Chechnya’s boarder with Georgia, thereby further reducing the possibility that anyone could get in, or get out. (It should be noted that the US troops are there not to protect Georgia from the Chechens, but rather to prevent the Russian military from using the war in Chechnya as a pretext for destabilizing Georgia).
Against this backdrop, the oft-repeated notion that there is an “Al Qaeda caravan” from Kabul and Karachi to Grozny is patently absurd. And if there is such a caravan, it is highly doubtful that it could enter Chechnya without the direct assistance or approval of the more that 470,000 Russian troops currently stationed in the region."
Absolute nonsense.In fact the chechens were in the Kodori Gorge for years and that is an established fact.In fact they entered with direct approval of the US troops there.
Putin Exposes US-UK Terror Strategy Behind School Atrocity;
Russian Press Blasts Anglo-Saxon Terrorist Controllers
September 14, 2004
Webster Griffin Tarpley
http://www.tarpley.net
http://search.go123.com/go/d.htmlPutin+exposes+US%2CUK+Terror+strategy+behind+school+atrocity+?422409104
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
“SCHOOL SEIZURE WAS PLANNED IN WASHINGTON AND LONDON”
[Quote]“SCHOOL SEIZURE WAS PLANNED IN WASHINGTON AND LONDON”
This was the headline of an even more explicit unsigned commentary by the Russian news agency KMNews.ru. This analysis blames the Beslan school massacre squarely on the U.S. and British intelligence agencies. The point of departure here is that Shamil Basayev, the brutal Chechen field commander, has been linked to the attack (something that Putin advisor Aslambek Aslakhanov yesterday said was known to the Russian FSB, successor of the KGB). The article highlights the recent rapprochement of London and Washington with key representatives of Aslan Maskhadov: Britain’s giving asylum to Akhmad Zakayev (December 2003) and the USA welcoming Ilyas Akhmadov (August 2004).
KMNews: CHECHEN TERROR BOSS ON US STATE DEPARTMENT PAYROLL
KMNews writes: “In early August, … ‘Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Chechen Republic-Ichkeria’ Ilyas Akhmadov received political asylum in the USA. And for his ‘outstanding services,’ Akhmadov received a Reagan-Fascell grant,” including a monthly stipend, medical insurance, and a well-equipped office with all necessary support services, including the possibility of meetings with political circles and leading U.S. media….“What about our partners in the ‘anti-terrorist coalition,’ who provided asylum, offices and money to Maskhadov’s representatives?” asks the Russian press agency. Citing the official expressions of sympathy and offers of help from President Bush, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, KMNews warns: “But let’s not shed tears of gratitude just yet. First we should ask: were ‘Special Representative of the President of CRI’ Zakayev or ‘Minister of Foreign Affairs of the CRI’ Akhmadov, located in Great Britain and the USA, aware of the terrorist acts that were in preparation? Beyond a doubt…. And let’s also find out, how Akhmadov is spending the money provided by the Reagan-Fascell Foundation. We note: this Foundation is financed by the U.S. Congress through the budget of the State Department! “Thus, the conclusion is obvious. Willingly or not, Downing Street and the White House provoked the guerrillas to these latest attacks. Willingly or not, Great Britain and the USA have nurtured the separatists with material, information and diplomatic resources. Willingly or not, the policy of London and Washington fostered the current terrorist acts.” “As the ancients said, cui bono? Perhaps we are too hasty with such sweeping accusations against our ‘friends’ and ‘partners’? Is there a motive for the Anglo-American ‘anti-terrorist coalition’ to fan the fires of terror in the North Caucasus?” “Alas, there is a motive. It is no secret, that the West is vitally interested in maintaining instability in the Caucasus. That makes it easier to pump out the fossil fuels, extracted in the Caspian region, and it makes it easier to control Georgia and Azerbaijan, and to exert influence on Armenia. Finally, it makes it easier to drive Russia out of the Caspian and the Caucasus. Divide et impera! - the leaders of the Roman Empire already introduced this simple formula for subjugation.” [quote?]
http://search.go123.com/go/d.htmlPutin+exposes+US%2CUK+Terror+strategy+behind+school+atrocity+?422409104
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
Bin Laden's Useful Idiots by Patrick J. Buchanan
http://www.antiwar.com/pat/?articleid=3618
Comment by chornyvolk | October 12, 2007
I see that the Black Wolf has been busy cluttering up the comments space with irrelevant junk.
Comment by Ivan Ivanovich | October 12, 2007
chornyvolk…
Are you aware that the writer's original article (arguing the dangers of Russia and China) is 2 MS Word pages long, but your inclusion of a letter about Chechnya is 5 pages long? Not only is it more than 2X longer than the writer's article, but it's also way off-topic.
I must admit however, I would have interest in commenting on the Russia/Chechnya fight, but to do so in the comments of this particular article would only further confuse things.
Mr. Reeves~ would you be willing to write an article on Chechnya?
Back on-topic~ I stand by my comments that the United States acted in the interests of earning a friend during the time of Glasnost and resulting Perestroika.
There were some who took advantage of the situation however, to imply that the U.S. was giving Billions of $ to steal millions of dollars is non-sensical.
DRS
Comment by drsanto | October 12, 2007