Putin Thumbing His Nose at U.S. Efforts to Stop Iran’s Nukes
Even though U.S. unemployment has soared rather than fallen after feeling the effects of the Obama stimulus, the president likes to argue that his policy was still a success because things would have been even worse without his actions.
So, any day now, we’re likely to hear that even though Russia is barreling ahead with horrifying new levels of support for America’s most virulent foes, for not only Iran but also even the likes of North Korea, and openly assaulting basic American values, we’d actually be in hot war with the Russians now but for Obama’s decisive actions.
You have to admire the genius of this formulation: no matter how many appalling errors Obama may make, his policy is always … perfect!
Not even revelations about a ghastly trove of Soviet-style spies on America’s own shores could dampen Obam’s blind enthusiasm for the brilliance of his “reset” policy with Russia. With the alacrity of a KGB man, Obama rushed to sweep the entire affair under the White House carpet and push forward with even more favors and compliments for the rogue KGB regime that has seized power in the Russian Kremlin.
The Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin, must find it hard to believe his eyes. With each passing day, Putin is able to enact more and more draconian, neo-Soviet measures designed to promote anti-American values and undermine American security, and the president of the United States seems to be applauding. Putin is even recreating the old party apparatus, using the state party as the gateway to employment and promotion for young people. His foreign minister speaks openly about sowing the seeds of ethnic tumult in Georgia, and they seek to rewrite the history of World War II.
And Obama says nothing. His mouth is too full of hamburger to speak.
The “reset button” was an childish piece of Hollywood mawkishness that the cynical men of the Kremlin would have regarded with bemusement and contempt. The more perceptive of them would have reflected with satisfaction on the sheer sentimentality, the naivete of the State Department and the apparent infantilization of its policymakers. It is astounding that commentators in the US do not seem to have engaged in the same sort of reflection. Not merely the outlook that regards Putin and his gang of security service types as men capable of dealing with the US with honesty and goodwill; but the dreamy silliness of the “reset button” episode. It is nothing less than alarming.
As for Iran and Russia: I am going to repeat something I have posted before on the subject, with no satisfaction:
Why did anyone really expect much more from Putin? A “pure product of soviet education”, as he has described himself with ingratiating and entirely bogus self-deprecation, he was sucked into the KGB as a teenager and it has entirely shaped his moral view. Witnss the fact that his model of the selfless, uncorrupt public servant – he has stated this often and publicly – is Yuri Andropov, a brutal and (as the Mitrokhin papers have revealed) paranoid thug and murderer. He has promoted and cosseted his former security service colleagues, and restored the FSB to something like the privileged lawless position of its predecessor. He said openly at the time of his accession to the presidency that Russia would not be suitable for liberal democracy for a century and probably never. witness his view that the destruction of the USSR was “the geostrategic catastrophe of the 20th century”.
Putin’s geostrategic aims don’t go much beyond a wish to thwart the USA at every turn, and to restore, opportunistically as the occasions present themselves, the Soviet sphere of influence. This is the legacy of the secret policeman when the last pretensions to a noble ideology are shattered.
In pursuit of the former goal, he will do anything he can get away with, and make any secret pact that he can.
He and his “president” will mouth vague platitudes about bringing Iran to the table, and even support meaningless sanctions, but they will in fact protect Iran and its nuclear plans at every turn, knowing that the grateful mullahs will never allow nukes into the hands of Russia’s (sunni) insurgency.
There’s a good article at DebkaFile, ”Moscow Pledges Teheran Oil Products – Against US Embargo.”
http://www.debka.com/article/8910/
Another great success from the Obama team of amateur-hour bunglers & fools.
For another excellent account of where Obama’s policies lead, you might like to read an article by Caroline Glick, ”A War on Who’s Terms.” at http://www.carolineglick.com/e/2010/07/a-war-on-whos-terms.php
Kim always offers a window into the ruthless, brutal Russian dictatorship.
I would have liked her to mention ‘why’ Obama is oblivious to Putin’s machinations, and even more so, why he is clearly applauding Putin’s crackdowns.
Surely Kim understands that the communist, marxist underpinnings of Obama’s childhood is in lockstep with Putin.Not only did he cut his communist teeth under grandma, granda, mama and Uncle Frank, but he continued to nurture their radical ideology from his college years until the present.
There is a treasure trove of information backing this up, therefore, showing the nexus between Putin’s iron fist, resulting in Obama’s applause is of utmost consequence for the US, as well as the free world.
Adina, Obama wishes he could be like Putin. Remember at Westpoint he said in some things he has ABSOLUTE power. Never in US history has a sitting president expressed himself in such a manner
“the president likes to argue that his policy was still a success because things would have been even worse without his actions..”
So, the world should be grateful knowing that the American people were not stupid enough to elect someone worse than Obama..
That was truly a great response, but I am too busy buying more guns and ammunition!
We just have to get used to the idea that obama is not brilliant because he has legitimate ideas, because those ideas work or produce beneficial results…he’s brilliant because he says so.
I don’t suppose it’ll be too long before he will put us in jail for 2 weeks without charges for refusing to agree with that whole approach. (And then his worshippers will point out that, except for his great mercy, it could have been much worse.) Wonder what James Carville will do then? That boy’s about to start spitting his own teeth out, which would be a lot more fun to watch if the jerk he supported for POTUS weren’t destroying us.
Russia is working with THE CARTEL to bring America into submission(submit!)thru economic ruin caused by war costs ;crime;any capitalist weakness that can be exploited.The Iran thing is just a part of the strategy.They will re-assemble the former SOVIET is a more sophisticated way in the end game.It will be an order of complete cold communism.This is so very apparent;and OUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW IT!WE HAVE NO REPRESENTASTION IN WASHINGTON.WE MUST NOW REPRESENT OURSELVES.WHEN YOU TALK TO A BEAR YOU TALK WITH THE DEVICE OR PROCEDURE THAT THE BEAR UNDERSTANDS;I HAVE A BEAR RUG IN FRONT OF MY FIEREPLACE.Russia has done nothing in 400 years but cause trouble for all.I t is thier nature to do so;they need BEHAVORIAL MODIFICATION.A LITTLE PAVLOV FROM THE GROCERY STORE WILL TAKE OF THEM.BY THE WAY;WE JUST SPRAYED WITH CHEMTRAILS AGAIN IN SOUTHERN U.S.A.YOU PEOPLE BETTER WAKE UP NOW;OR YOU MIGHT NOT WAKE UP AT ALL!ITS THE ROYALS STUPIDO!
Putin smells blood, our blood! Obama and gang are lightweights . . . . . everyone but the MSM, and leftwing loons know it!
Yet another reason why Obama’s decision NOT to place anti-ballistic missile batteries in Central Europe was a really STUPID one. I wonder if Putin would like it if we started supplying a lot of arms and weapons to the people in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia? Hmmm, I think that would wreck is day just a bit. Also, I’d have our ships make a lot more “good will” visits to the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. If we really had a president with some stones, he would be reminding the Russians that we can support countries along their border that don’t really like them. Just a reminder that we do have some options in the area. That is, of course, unless Obama just doesn’t care whether or not Iran gets nuclear bombs and has already given up on the idea of preventing them from having some.
Sorry, I refuse to believe that the CIA and other agencies did not inform BHO that Russia ‘might not’ honor his embargoing efforts (such as they are) against Iran.
I am far from a Russia expert, though my great-grandfather did come from there and I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in the past. Here is my take, fwiw:
1. Putin and his friends operate on a Darwinian and Machiavellian view of life and politics. There was an anecdote in an article by a former Israeli Ambassador to Somewhere or Another about how another Israeli tried to explain to a Russian diplomat that the PLO were terrorists ‘just like the Chechens.’ The Russian’s reply was ‘nonsense. They are freedom fighters. We are fighting for holy Russian soil.’ This is not so much moral relativism as logic of the supreme alpha male;
2. Putin knows that Obama doesn’t really have it in his heart, or head, to stop the Iranian nukes. He knows that Barry has a very soft spot for Islam, and he knows lots of other things about Obama. The Russians have little reason to fear Obama;
3. This will remain the case until ‘hawks’ (Biden? Gates? Clinton? Who exactly…) in the Administration send a different kind of message, or until Israel acts to defend its sovereign existence. Russia has no problem with Israel being destroyed and no problem with Israel surviving. It’s all simply a game for them;
4. The point at which Russia opposes sanctions is the moment after the leadership grasps that the Iranians may be an actual threat to Russian interests or sovereignty. Repeatedly, ‘experts’ claim that they have grasped this, which is why they cooperate. The same people are silent once the cooperation is shown to be an illusion. For now, Russia views Iran as a useful tool to bleed the West, terrify Israel (which has the side benefit of provoking strains in the US-Israel relationship), as a source of weapons purchase, etc. Maintaining Iran as a semi-partner also helps intimidate Europeans. After all, sane Europeans have to fear a Russia that ‘might’ let Iran send missiles to Prague or Munich. The same people will be ‘grateful’ when and if Russia helps stop Iran. In both scenarios, the Russians benefit.
Cold world…
9. Larry in the Silicon makes more sense than a lot of the reactives online here today. Russia is surrounded by Islamic crazies, and some are crazier than others. You, too, would be hunkering down behind your walls if you were surrounded by Chechens, Tatars, Uzbeks, Tajiks, al Qaidas, and other Islamic crazies all determined to burn down your house and take the heads off your children as they flee. The best minds in Russia re crippled by alcoholism and fear, and any possible allies like the USA are totally confused & treacherous. No wonder Russia likes to set the neighborhood dogs at each others’ throats. Nothing like a good dog-fight in your neighbor’s yard. More fun than watching TV and getting juiced. Keeps the neighbors from robbing your house. The best move Russia can make is to arm Iran (just a little bit) and hope somebody will step up and start a really big dog-fight in Iran’s yard. Russia knows that won’t be the USA that steps up.
Thanks, Larsen. Rare is the open compliment in cyberspace. My real goal is to one day gain a compliment from Adina, but I won’t wait for that…:)
Nice screen name, btw. Is this from a comic strip or just an original creation?
Sorry, but what exactly is new?
So Russia is a tyranny. When in all its history has it ever been anything else, and why should anyone expect it to change now? The West has lived with a tyrannical Russia for centuries and can no doubt continue to do so.
As for the Iranians, if they eventually get a nuke (quite likely) what can they do with it? If they nuke anybody, they get nuked back, by the Israelis even if no one else does it. In theory, I know, the Mullahs should be all right as they just go straight to their 72 virgins or however many it is, but in practice I get the impression that they are in no more hurry to sample the Afterlife than are the rest of us. I certainly don’t recall any Ayatollahs or whatever walking over Iraqi minefields to clear the way for their army. They left that to the grunts, as Top People always seem to do. Ditto for suicide bombings.
In short, is there any particular reason why we can’t just deter The Mullahs (and Putin) the same way we deterred the SU for half a century? “You fry us, we’ll fry you”.
The Kremlin is schizophrenic as Bob Gates stated or we now call it the Kremlin two step, they have to follow this line, as it allows them to bargain with the US on geopolitical issues. It looks schizophrenic to us, but it is a completely rational strategy.
The only reason Russia and the PRC supported sanctions against Iran was to send the message to Tehran, not too start sectarian war in Iraq. It is clear if Iran does, the US has telegraphed with the current uptick in violence they are not going to stay. Iran has come as close to sectarian war in Iraq as it can without losing it backers at the UNSC. The PRC and Russia will lose significant investments they have made in Iraq if sectarian violence resumes and Iran will face punishment at the UNSC by losing the backing of both of it’s veto holding members.
Russia is desperate to broker Middle East peace, much of their doctrine is to pressure Israel into accepting the Kremlin terms. Mossad’s main concern about Soviet spies in the US recently arrested is if they have infiltrated to influence US policy on Israel in the favor of the Soviet Mid East doctrine so they can broker a peace. Which is why the view that that cell which was not de-compartmentalized could have been a decoy for other higher placed individuals that are compartmentalized with the mission of influencing US policy on Israel in favor of the Soviet objective of brokering peace.
Russia feels if they can use proxies Israel’s enemies (Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, Hamas to de-legitimize Israel in the international community and pressure Israel via security threats. Russia’s sale of weaponry, nuclear programs to Tehran and Syria is designed to tip the balance in favor of Israel’s enemies, while limiting Israel’s ability to respond in the traditional manner.
We have been through all this type of negative Soviet influence in the 60′s,70′s and 80′s it stopped after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and now it is back in play. It did not work then and will not work now.
There is a view in Israel that Iran must be dealt with before Putin returns to the Presidency, Medvedev is overtime tried to course a different path not as hostile as Putin.
It is not mentioned officially but the coup in Kyrgyzstan, which was believed to be green lite by Putin the speed of the coup and fact the Kyrgy KGB sided with the opposition and the civil unrest which followed was intended to have led to a Soviet deployment. Under Putin this would have taken place. The point is they forgot to tell Medvedev and he was the only one who could authorize the deployment of Russian forces, he was supposed to be a naive man and follow the script that had been planned for him without knowing it. Many Russian analysts support this view while not accusing the Prime Minister of any involvement.
This coup and the civil unrest was the reason that the US decided that any deployment would have to go through the UN and have a UN mandate to prevent a Soviet occupation as it was a risk to Manas.
There is an effort in the West to lift Medvedev’s international standing by showing Russians he has key relationships with leaders and is the best man to lead Russia. Who can deliver key agreements while still looking out for Russia strategic interests.
Also the difference between Stalin, Putin and Medvedev have different opinions on how his legacy should be observed in modern Russia. If Medvedev can split Putin’s vote he has a chance at defeating him in 2012 elections. Putin will not run if he believes he will lose to Medvedev. He has lost some former votes who have turned to the communist parties, he was able to get these via his ex-KGB street cred, Medvedev can secure the reformist vote who never voted for Putin and divide the core voter base especially amongst the younger generations, the ones that have been affected via the years of brainwashing. The poll’s show that Putin would win re-election, but it would be close if Medvedev ran against Putin. If it is a free and fair election Medvedev has a real chance at winning. It will be interesting Medvedev was not meant to run again so a game of cat and mouse is being carried out in public.
It does not show up in statistics or the media in Russia, but Israel has a bush telegraph (a word of mouth system) to influence the vote of Russians, due to the high Russian population in Israel and their family and friends connections back in Russia.
An example with the spy arrests if Putin was President they would have been arrested while he was visiting the US during a press conference, to embarrass him and put him on the spot as he likes to have everything under control and a scripted. When this is not he becomes hostile. This is a tactic also so foreign journalists will not confront him with issues he does not want to discuss. At home they end up crippled or shot.
Then it is broadcast back in Russia, spies arrested, the press conference and then the swap. It does not instill confidence. With Medevedev it was done after he had left the country to avoid any complications and not to embarrass him.
The fiscal crisis and the oil bubble bursting hurt the Russian economy, we have heard little about the 5-6 carriers, instead of the procurement of the French Mistral Class LHD of 4 or 5.
If Israel was not intending to attack Iran, Putin’s legacy what he would be remembered for by Russians. Is is a hostile Islamic neighbor with 1000′s of missile silo’s in the Persian desert and mobile launchers with nuclear warheads.
Dear Kim: Sorry I beg to disagree completely with your basic premise.
And I find your headline out to lunch…
The US is not, has not, and will not do anything to challenge the Iranian dictators that parade as religious…in their quest for “the bomb”…or anything else. Our ships are there to protect the regime, not anything else.
The US is committed to keep the Iranian/Iraqi oil off the market as much/long as possible. The US is committed to the “nice ling lasting war and sell lots of weapons”.
I believe you are simply brainwashed and now disseminating propaganda/rubbish.
You’re not one of the left wing liberal bleeding heart conspiracy theorists are you?
You sure quack like a duck.
Blarney: you described yourself perfectly! I notice your complete inability to refute a single word of my post, so you get…and describe yourself…
We are doomed with the manchurian potus, he just reads the prompter.brilliant!
There is a cure for communism and islam. It is called Christianity. Not the hypocritical churchianity prevalent in the USA; but adherence to the New Testament of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must OBEY; not just trust our Lord, or be damned both here and now and for all eternity.
If we continue to live like dogs we will end by chasing garbage trucks and eating feces.