"Hardly any of the high-ranking officials in Russia today will risk saying aloud that it would be a catastrophe if the USA were defeated in the war... in the form of the Saddam remaining in power. The consequence of this would not only be a world economic crisis... but a final crash of the entire present international system of the values..."
"For this part of the human race, the Arab street, this would become a clear signal: much is now possible. Almost anything... the threat of new Chechnya, but on the scale of the entire North Caucasus, destabilization of central Asia, and especially by those possessing nuclear technologies, such as Pakistan, Iran and so forth."
"This, of course is an apocalyptical picture but the tendency is precisely such. An alternative to this nightmare would be the rapid victory of the USA in the war. The choice is between two versions, similar to what Comrade Stalin designated by his unique phrase "both worse". The first one is dangerous. The second one is disgusting from the point of view of Russian political philosophy. But history now and then does not allow other versions."
As far as sooner versus later, I'm still chasing down that op-ed which was on irak.ru until yesterday. Political commentary is a translator's nightmare, so it takes me awhile. Watch this space for further developments ;-)
