Posted on 07/14/2007 1:16:31 AM PDT by HAL9000
MOSCOWRussian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree suspending Russia's participation in a key European arms control treaty, the Kremlin said Saturday.The Kremlin said in a statement the need to pull out of Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty was linked to "extraordinary circumstances ... which affect the security of the Russian Federation and require immediate measures."
The treaty is seen as a key element in maintaining stability in Europe. It establishes limitations on countries' deployment of tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery, attack helicopters and combat aircraft.
Err... They say big things begin with little things. Why does this really strike me as one of those little things?
Time for a new arms race. The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to invest more into defense again.
” The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to invest more into defense again. “
The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to blame the US and do nothing - again.
There — fixed it.....
He needs to gather his forces to go help his Iranian pals create the new Persian Empire and take over the ME oil patch (which he will get a very healthy share of) perhaps? Something seems to have been wrong with him during his last visit with Bush. Putin couldn't look anyone in the eye, He always seemed to be looking at his shoe laces.
No Blood for spoiled socialist intellectual inbreeds!
Troops home now.
Lord I do hope we dont end up spilling our blood for those parasites, again.
"The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to blamebeg the US for more US bases and equipment and do nothing - spend nothing, and commit nothing for their own defense- again.
There... fixed it better
Unfortunately, sometimes they make boo-boo’s in this regard...
” to blamebeg the US for more US bases “
Not mutually exclusive....
Old Europe has had decades to finely develop the art of blaming the US for all their troubles while, at the same time, demanding that the US dedicate blood and treasure for their defense.....
It really threw them into a state of confusion when they switched from alcohol in the radiators to kerosene at the beginning of ww2, but didn't post the service bulletin update until after the cold war ended.
I dont think so.
France and Gasprom signed a deal about natural gas exploatation.
France and Germany became new Russian best buddies...
So, Russian arms race wont be targeted against them, but against Poland and Czechia, and Russians can easily win that one.
Ehat Putin did is that he knocked out France and Germany from Cold War pt. II
Therefore the blame on the US for doing nothing will be restricted. It is rather that the US are blamed for provoking Putin with their new missle defence in Poland and the Czech republic among Europeans. Our benefit from those ABM measures is not that big and we have to pay for new arms that become nessecary. Although everybody knows that Putin just uses those ABMs as a excuse to act against US-interests the European political establishment will be not amused.
Nevertheless this will be irrelevant for the US since the Poles and Czechs will do whatever they want although the "old Europeans" will make them pay their political (and practical) price then. It is a give and take. Personally I believe that there will be much more giving than taking in this case on all sides. Instead of revoking old treaties or provoking each other we should concentrate on something more productive. With help from Russia it would be much easier to deal with Iran.
Does that mean we can finally list both france and germany as the enemy they are and have been?
That would be a nice development. Pretending they are our allies is a constant source of indigestion and headache.
Somehow it is funny. On one hand the Poles and Czechs are hiding behind the EU (aka Germany and France) against Russia on the other hand they try to torpedo Germany and France as often as they could.
The thing is that Russia is indispensable for the European future. No matter if we like it or not. If the Russian resources are combined with European know-how lots of money can be earned. Therefore Poland and the small “new” Europeans are well advised to think about compromises. On one hand Russia has to be changed into a western civilized society, on the other the Poles have to reduce their national anger about Russians in general.
BuHuHaHa! In Germany we have a bonmot: The more enemies the more honour you have.
Bloody typos. It must read:
The more enemies you have, the more honour you will get.
(Viel Feind viel Ehr!)
You’re assuming that Russia has any interest in behaving rationally. They do not have a track record that would suggest such as a possibility, let alone a potential.
The resurgent Russia sees itself, very much, in the same old role as hostile to the US. The EU has been angling that way itself by slow degrees over the last decade.
I agree with you that the EU and Russia will join forces. But where we probably differ is in the motivation for that joining.
” With help from Russia it would be much easier to deal with Iran. “
I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for this — while nobody’s been paying attention, Neo-Imperial Russia, Neo-Caliphate Iran, and Neo-Marxist Venezuela have quietly formed a coalition - an axis, if you will - of powers willing to use oil as a weapon of economic domination.
Except Russia doesn't see itself as needing to be "combined" with anyone else -- I'm not sure the Russian national psyche can accept the need for real partnerships (or for not being the lead dog in any partnerships) any more than the U.S. psyche can.
. . . on the other the Poles have to reduce their national anger about Russians in general.
The Poles may still be smarting a bit about that whole World War II misunderstanding -- where the USSR allied itself with Germany at the beginning when Poland was invaded, then politically subjugated Poland at the end, when Germany was defeated, followed by that whole WTO thing.
I think Poland somewhat views itself as being the vanguard of Eastern European independence, owing to its taking the lead in post-Iron Curtain democratization. So naturally it will struggle with a dichotomy as it goes to more lengths to tie itself into the West, even as it is influenced by its ties to central and eastern Europe.
It seems that Russians are going the way of Iran and Venezuela with natural resource exploitation. That is costs in excess of profits. All three seem to be milking. All three have kicked out world class companies mostly because they didn’t want to pay back, or share, money. In a word, greedy. So, European hopes, wishes upon the the competency of Moscow could be illusionary. Last winters energy problems could well be prologue. Polish rough notions towards the Russians could well be closer to reality. On the other hand, Moscow has it and Europe needs it and what is one to do? Us Americans get it from Chavez and the always attractive Saudi Crime Family, which make even the most boorish Russian a sweetheart.
You have to wonder about drinking radiator fluid. It is so easy to make alcohol.
Mahamoodring will still cut off Pootie-Poot’s head given the chance!
Kindly inform us which companies Russia has evicted.
Please name one.
Russia will one day be far too busy with head choppers inside their borders, killing everything that moves, to be concerned with abstract things like “treaties”.
LLS
LLS
‘OL Pooty-Poot is up to his tricks, again.
Never trust a Commie. Never, never, Never-ever,
Here is another interesting development out of Russia... I hope the world is ready for this, I see dire things happening if you put all these little things together. Putin has plans up his sleeve, IMHO, and it’s not going to be good for the U.S. or other “Western” countries (read as — non-Socialist/Communist/Fascist countries).
I read your response and thought you (and others) might be interested in seeing this article, if you haven’t already. Putin is making Youth Groups that are eerily reminiscent of Hitler’s Youth Groups...
Putin’s Children
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1865700/posts
Putin definitely has some (old) tricks up his sleeve it would seem. He seems to be itching for a revival of the Cold War tensions, and seems also to be looking for some excuse to start something, IMHO. I sure hope I’m wrong...
Royal Dutch Shell.
Baloney. They renegotiated and are making noises about how much MORE they will be doing in Rossiya.
Yes, Russia has several projects going, none that help with the world’s peace.
This site is also a Free Republic poster and is full of Russia opinions.
http://russophobe.blogspot.com/2007/07/kiselyov-on-russia-gone-amok-with-neo.html
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.