Putin & the "New" Russia

[Adam's Apple]

Russia vs. America- Again
By Paul Greenberg for Townhall
February 27, 2007

It was just like old times, specifically the Cold War. There was a Russian leader lambasting American imperialism. Addressing an international conference in Munich on security and cooperation, Valdimir Putin did his best to disturb both by reciting a long list of American sins, among them:

--Washington is starting a new nuclear arms race by developing a defense against ballistic missiles. Shades of Ronald Reagan and Star Wars! Remember how the Kremlin used to explain why defense is offense and black is white? Talk abut deja vu.

--Letting the Baltic states into the NATO alliance, rather than uniting Europe and shoring up its defenses, is an aggressive act. Just as deploying Pershing and cruise missiles in Europe during the Reagan Years was an act of provocation, not a deterrent to war. (History, the final judge, said otherwise: There was no war, and soon enough there was no Soviet Union, either.)

--By encouraging democracy in the former Soviet satellites of eastern Europe, and even dispatching international observers to assure free elections in former Soviet satellites, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has been turned "into a vulgar instrument of insuring the foreign policy interests of one country." (Gosh, what country could that be? Hint: Its capital is Washington.)

for full article:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/PaulGreenberg/2007/02/27/russia_vs_america-_again

 

[90K]

nothing like having oil to make a country feel strong again....

 

[Gurdari]

Russia vs. America- Again
Just as deploying Pershing and cruise missiles in Europe during the Reagan Years was an act of provocation, not a deterrent to war. (History, the final judge, said otherwise: There was no war, and soon enough there was no Soviet Union, either.)

The ends justify the means...? Positioning missiles and armed forces around another nation is an act of provocation. Wouldn't it becalled just that if Russia had missiles and troops all around the US?

If it wouldn't be considered provocative - my apologies.

 

[Adam's Apple]

Putin's Back to the Future
By Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., Townhall
March 5, 2007

The Kremlin’s apparent willingness brazenly now to strike at its foes wherever they may be is all too reminiscent of past, ruthless measures taken by Russian and Soviet rulers to crush internal and external dissent. Unfortunately, it is but one piece of the reprise Vladimir Putin seems to have in mind for his country.

For example, as he systematically consolidates absolute power in Russia, Putin is increasingly putting the squeeze on his country’s neighbors in what the Kremlin refers to as “the near abroad.” Also in his cross-hairs are nations as far away as Western Europe. Notably, he is using threats of disruptions in Russian energy supplies and, in some cases, actual cut-offs for strategic ends.

In addition, Putin is feverishly arming America’s actual or potential foes. Recent transactions have included: selling anti-aircraft weapons to Iran to defend its nuclear sites against U.S. or Israeli bombers; state-of-the-art missiles, planes, ships and other offensive hardware to China that are greatly enhancing its power-projection capabilities; and over 100,000 AK-47s to Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela, the weapon of choice for his anti-American program of subversion throughout the hemisphere.

for full article:
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/FrankJGaffneyJr/2007/03/05/putins_back_to_the_future

 

[Adam's Apple]

The ends justify the means...? Positioning missiles and armed forces around another nation is an act of provocation. Wouldn't it becalled just that if Russia had missiles and troops all around the US?

If it wouldn't be considered provocative - my apologies.

After the fall of the old Soviet Union, the U.S. did everything it could to assist Russia to get back on its feet, a clear indication that the U.S. had no interest in taking over Russia then or in the future. Where is the provocation in that?

As far as installing missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic goes, in all likelihood, they asked that those missiles be installed to protect them from Putin's "new" Russia. They were Russian captives once and have no desire to be in that position again.

Unfortunately for the U.S., Putin continues to be a warrior in the Cold War. To him it never ended; he still lives and functions as if the old USSR is still in existence.

 

[Annie]

After the fall of the old Soviet Union, the U.S. did everything it could to assist Russia to get back on its feet, a clear indication that the U.S. had no interest in taking over Russia then or in the future. Where is the provocation in that?

As far as installing missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic goes, in all likelihood, they asked that those missiles be installed to protect them from Putin's "new" Russia. They were Russian captives once and have no desire to be in that position again.

Unfortunately for the U.S., Putin continues to be a warrior in the Cold War. To him it never ended; he still lives and functions as if the old USSR is still in existence.

Heck he still functions as the head of the KGB.

 

[Adam's Apple]

And that explains a lot about the "new" Russia.

 

[Gurdari]

After the fall of the old Soviet Union, the U.S. did everything it could to assist Russia to get back on its feet, a clear indication that the U.S. had no interest in taking over Russia then or in the future. Where is the provocation in that?

As far as installing missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic goes, in all likelihood, they asked that those missiles be installed to protect them from Putin's "new" Russia. They were Russian captives once and have no desire to be in that position again.

Unfortunately for the U.S., Putin continues to be a warrior in the Cold War. To him it never ended; he still lives and functions as if the old USSR is still in existence.

I thought we were discussing missiles and provocations from DURING the cold war... and if Mexico and Canada requested Soviet missiles installed and pointed your way, you wouldn't mind I guess...

I never claimed the US wanted to take Russia over...