Russia says gets U.S. assurance amid market turmoil (Russia now scared of U.S.)

Reuters ^ | 09/17/08

[TigerLikesRooster]

Russia says gets U.S. assurance amid market turmoil

Reuters - Thursday, September 18

MOSCOW, Sept 17 - Russia's finance ministry said on Wednesday the United States had given an assurance that its policy toward Moscow is not driven by politics amid the worst exodus of investors in a decade from the Russian markets.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary "Henry Paulson assured Russia that the Federal Reserve and Treasury officials are not driven by politics in their relations with Russia in the financial sphere," the Russian finance ministry said in a statement after a phone conversation between Paulson and Russian minister Alexei Kudrin.

The conversation took place one month after Russia sent tanks to repel the attack of U.S. ally Georgia on its breakaway province of South Ossetia.

The military action drew widespread condemnation in the West and caused a deterioration of Russia's relationship with the United States.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think may oligarchs and Mafia Dons in Russia are upset now. Putin screwed the pooch.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[word_warrior_bob]

Yeah sure, Russia, we’ll bail you out too, if it’s one thing we have in abundance it’s US TAXPAYERS MONEY!

[microgood]

Life just isn’t fair. LOL.

[DB]

When you break contracts and essentially nationalize other peoples property they are much less inclined to invest there. They know they may be next.

[DoughtyOne]

Putin has power in Russia, but he’s an absolute fool.

There is nothing to be gained by the U.S. or Russia antagonizing each other. The Georgian affair, the bombers in foreign airspace in northern Europe, the bombers in Venezuela, the recent moves in Cuba, it’s all a great big cluster —— by Putin. He should thank his lucky stars for the United States. Instead he wants to act like a big shot, antagonizing everyone across Europe, North and South America, and parts of Asia.

Get a clue Vlad. The western powers are your natural partners. China isn’t. Cuba isn’t. Venezuela isn’t.

Where do you think the money is coming from to help your nation grow? China? They’ll just use you and then come after you next you dingo.

[piytar]

Yup. Putin tried to bring back the USSR, with himself as top dog. He so overplayed his hand, though, that what he’s probably really accomplished is bringing back anothe USSR tradition — count on him getting “the flu” soon...

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

(spits on the ground.)...;0)

[bruinbirdman]

""Henry Paulson assured Russia that the Federal Reserve and Treasury officials . . ."

. . . that the U.S.A., unlike socialist countries and dictatorships, is not in the habit of defaulting on its Treasury Bonds.

yitbos

[piytar]

“it’s all a great big cluster —— by Putin.”

I read several years ago that Putin was suffering from late stage syphillis (symptoms include several mental disorders). It was not a reputable site, so I discounted it, but his recent behavior seems to fit the pathology.

[DoughtyOne]

;-)

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

We already bailed out Russia, and China too. I thought over 60% of AIG’s debt was to Russia and China.

[Soliton]

Castro, Imanutjub and Chavez can bail him out right before they go bankrupt.

[DoughtyOne]

I’m not sure what his problem is. In some respects Russia seems to have Canadaitis. It remains in our shadow after the end of the cold war (unlike Canada with regard to the cold war aspect), and it wants some respect. The problem is, it’s going about it the wrong way.

Russia is it’s own worst P.R. enemy. It could turn itself into a well respected state if it wanted to. Instead it opts for bluster on the order of Fidel Castro, or that idiot in Venezuala, Hugo Schnozev.

Who is going to respect a Russia that becomes a pariah state? Putin should realize he’s just blowing it big time.

As for what you read, I just think he’s got terminal ego.

[TheWasteLand]

Did the three semi-sober guys left in Russia look up from their stolichnaya and realize there’s a problem?

[nathanbedford]

Of course you are right in everything you say but that raises the question, why?

Why would Putin risk everything out of, what, personal pique? It seems extraordinary to believe that the head of state of a nuclear power would act in a manner so destructive to the interests of its people out of mere animus.

Consider Hitler and his bizarre vision of the world which turned him against Jews, Slavs and even his natural trading partners who could help bring Germany out of the ruin of the first world war and the Great Depression. His searing resentments fed by the loss of the war and nurtured by a virulent anti-Semitism, led Hitler to believe that in order for his people to prosper others must die. Is Putin so resentful of the loss of the Cold War that he would revive it because he has something to prove as a true believer in the KGB?

Recently in an article by Robert Kagan (or was it Fred?) The author advanced a thesis that Putin and, by way of another example, the Chinese leaders fear democracy because it means the rule of the mob and the loss of order. In their world view, then, democracy is a very real threat to the welfare of their people. It is not so much that they oppose capitalism, it is that they must protect autocracy because it is authoritarian rule alone they can bring order out of chaos and indeed prevent chaos which is inevitable in democracy.

All of these autocrats, including Hitler, had in common the rationalization they were acting in the best interests of their people.

In Putin's case, there is no historical/cultural foundation in Russia which tells the people that democracy works best. Immediately after the fall of the Soviet Union, things did in fact seem chaotic. As Putin became increasingly autocratic, quite coincidently the money began to roll in in the form of petrodollars.

I have posted before my belief that the signal characteristic of the Russian people is their outright cynicism. They were ready to be led back into autocracy especially when the path was strewn with petrodollars. Steeped in cynicism, bribed with greenbacks, they were virtually defenseless.

[iopscusa]

Good comment on Russian cynicism...IMO there was a brief moment after the Berlin wall fell when the West could have been instrumental in assisting the Russians to embrace individualism/free markets, etc...what we did was send too much money and too many MBA’s. Not to mention GHWB managed to lose reelection to that DA Clinton and his incompetent cronies.

[Leisler]

There is a Bell Curve in Russia too. Most people everywhere....do...not...think. At all. They just put simple patterns and notions alongside each other and the one that looks/feels the closest is uncritically accepted.

Those that do think and can act on their thoughts are a minority. Putin and company exist in a very small, closed feed back loop. They fell into oil wealth and thought they hit a home run.

As oil prices collapse and the fight WITHIN Russia to see who gets to sit out in the cold when the cash dries up, watch out for the US Russian bogeymen to be more brought up, the US and Jews.

[Leisler]

How has liberal theory and trillions done for American Blacks and once wealth producing urban cities? Better or worse?

Knowing that, why would the children of the lefties that ruined trillions of dollars in wealth and left once proud American cities hollow, underpopulated shells, why would they succeed in Russia?

What they taught is that the Russians had to become urban Democrat thieves. Which the Russians took to quiet well.

[Meshblorg]

Glad to see the global free market at work. It took awhile but the invasion of Georgia finally did it in for investors.

Oh and Hi everybody, I’m knew here and am from www.mightyrighty.com . Some liberal website was bashing this place as a bunch of ultra-capitalists lol. So I figured I would fit right in here :)

[TigerLikesRooster]

Hope you enjoy this place.

[quesney]

“Where do you think the money is coming from to help your nation grow? China? They’ll just use you and then come after you next you dingo.”

Putin is, truly, a dumba$$.

[Gritty]

the children of the lefties that ruined trillions of dollars in wealth and left once proud American cities hollow, underpopulated shells, why would they succeed in Russia?

What they taught is that the Russians had to become urban Democrat thieves. Which the Russians took to quiet well.

This bears repeating.

If we remember, it was Bill Clinton and his people who went into Russia after the collapse of the USSR and taught them how American "capitalism" really worked.

The Russians already had their own domestic organized crime in place (the KGB) and they were quick learners.

[monday]

“Who is going to respect a Russia that becomes a pariah state? Putin should realize he’s just blowing it big time.”

Russians like Putin, and they like him because he is a bully who antagonizes everyone outside of Russia. Putin is just giving Russians what they want and he is wildly popular in Russia because of it. You can't really blame Putin. People get the government they deserve.

What is really sad is that apparently we don't deserve any better than Obama or McCain.

[DoughtyOne]

Well that’s my take on it. As others have said though, he is popular with some of his countrymen.

[DoughtyOne]

You are probably right. As for the last part, you are definitely right.