Don't Play Dead for Putin

Council on Foreign Relations ^ | 12-06-06 | Max Boot, Senior Fellow for National Security Studies

[khnyny]

Don't play dead for Putin Author: Max Boot, Senior Fellow for National Security Studies

December 6, 2006 Los Angeles Times

There are a lot of ways to make a man’s death look like an accident, suicide or a street crime. That wasn’t the intent of whoever murdered former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London. By using such an exotic murder weapon—a radioactive isotope known as polonium-210—his killers sent a message: Don’t mess with the powers that be in Russia.

The identity of his murderers is likely to remain unknown, but in all probability Litvinenko was poisoned because of his campaign against Russian President Vladimir V. Putin and the KGB’s successor, the FSB. He is only the latest to pay with his life for offending Russia’s ruling clique. The list of prominent people murdered in the last few years includes crusading journalists such as Anna Politkovskaya (whose death Litvinenko was investigating), politicians, executives and government officials. Others, such as Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, have narrowly survived assassination attempts or have been exiled or silenced with threats of violence or legal charges.

[colorado tanker]

This was a brutal way to murder someone. Vlad's lads sent a message alright.

[kronos77]

http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/agencija/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=46725&NrIssue=213&NrSection=30

Litvinenko to be buried in London's Muslim cemetery

London, 14:41

The former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko will be buried later today at Muslim cemetery in London.

Litvinenko's father Walter confirmed that the funeral will take place on Thursday, adding that his son converted to Islam before his death and was given the Muslim equivalent of the last rites in London's hospital.

The funeral will be attended by family members and close associates. He will be buried in a sealed coffin to guard against any traces still in his body of the deadly polonium-210 radioactive isotope.

British authorities said Wednesday they are now treating the fatal poisoning case as a murder investigation. /end/




I just dont care for Litvinenko, as not for any Convert that have rejected Christianity in favour of Islam.

[beaversmom]

Above all, what’s needed is a change of mind-set in Washington. We need to stop thinking of how to cozy up to Putin and start thinking of how to frustrate his illiberal imperial designs.

Better run that by Jim Baker first. Thanks for the article. Just heard Max Boot on Medved's program talking about the Iraq Study Group Report.

[khnyny]

Glad you liked it.

"Iraq Study Group Report" - don't make me laugh. Concessions with terrorists, even under intense media pressure, won't work and never will. The recommendations of the 911 Report are being thrown under the bus.

[colorado tanker]

I don't care about his religion. This supports the view that Litvinenko was in league with the Chechens, which would not endear him to Vlad.

What I find outrageous, and chilling, is that the FSB can apparently assassinate an opponent in such a brutal and public way in London of all places.

Putin has been consolidating his power. Russia now controls so much of Western Europe's gas supply that he's accumulating power over those countries as well. And, of course, he still has nukes. It's very troubling.

[beaversmom]

You gotta try appeasement and if all else fails, blame it on the Jews.

[khnyny]

Litvinenko becoming "Muslim" could just be disinformation, but if it is true, like I believe another poster already pointed out, it gives more credence to Putin and co. seeing him as an enemy who was sympathetic to the Chechens.

[khnyny]

Did you see this?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1749352/posts

[thegreatbeast]

I have to admit that I haven't studied Litvinenko's death but it seems incredible to me that the Russians would be so ham-handed in dispatching the fellow. Polonium radioactivity is being found everywhere, bad actors all over the place-- there's no finesse at all. And sure the medium might be the message but the FSB knows millions of ways of delivering messages. It just doesn't compute.

[beaversmom]

Saw it but didn't read it. Thanks for the link. Everyone has gone looney toons. I don't know who we can look to for leadership anymore.

[khnyny]

[It just doesn't compute.]


Yes, it is odd. If Putin isn't the culprit, then who?

[colorado tanker]

The Kremlin spin is this was a Russian mafia hit and that Bereszofsky (sp) is behind it. They have some convoluted explanation that he skimmed Chechen reconstruction funds and Litvinenko got wise to him.

Overall, it doesn't make as much sense as this being an FSB job, at least not to me.

[colorado tanker]

Putin has been flexing his muscles lately and at this point in his reign there is very little he needs from the West. He is thumbing his nose at the West by continuing to supply Iran with a nuclear program. At this point, Western Europe needs his gas more than he needs them.

I agree, this is a very audacious, in your face move. But I doubt Scotland Yard will find any hard evidence linking the Russian government to the crime. It wouldn't surprise me if Putin tries some Russian patsy as a scapegoat, supporting the Russian mafia spin, but refuses to extradite him to Britain.

So, Vlad's point of view is the Euro's ain't gonna do nutin' to nobody. They'll huff and puff and do business as usual. And he's probably right.

[kalee]

His father, who the article I read said was an Orthodox Chistian, made some pretty unusual statements.
Would the Orthodox attend a funeral of a person who leaves the Faith?

[genefromjersey]

What a crock !

[khnyny]

Would you care to explain, lol?

[genefromjersey]

Start with this:

http://insidestraight.typepad.com/the_inside_straight/2006/12/a_former_defect.html

and add this:

http://insidestraight.typepad.com/the_inside_straight/2006/12/time_to_step_ba.html

And quite a few other commonsense posts from a variety of people, which can be seen here:

http://www.strata-sphere.com/blog/

I saw a bunch of blather yesterday from the (violently anti-Putin) "Moscow Times" - about like getting your information about Bush from Huffington Post or DU !

[RedStateRocker]

I think you nail it 100%.
Vlad's got a pair. And nukes, and the FSB, and gas, oil, etc.

[kronos77]

Only if they are closley related, due to the family ties, otherwise no, it is concidered to be crime against Christ.