I believe Putin ran the Belsan thing in Chechneya and basically runs al Queda

Iran's Nuclear Option, AJ Venter | 2-22-05 | strategofr

[MEG33]

I believe is a far cry from "I have the facts, the proof".

[strategofr]

Yes. I have no proof.

[Petronski]

[MEG33]

I believe you have been paged.

[MEG33]

I am busy getting out my latest tin foil fashion apparel..My hat is to die for.

[cripplecreek]

I BELIEVE John Kerry will be inaugurated in oh I don't lets say July.

[dog breath]

While I believe Putin is a troublesome opportunist, this goes too far in slandering him. Simple explanations are often more correct then elaborate conspiracy theories. Please don't portray him as the evil Dr No, super villain. While he is often a pain in American's back side and I am no fan of his, I don't buy the evil genius idea.

[GarySpFc]

I am a former demolition expert on a Special Forces A-Team. I have read the conspiracy theory posts that the KGB blew up the apartment buildings, was responsible for the massacres at the Moscow theater Beslan.
I want to say all of this is nonsense, and on the level of a man claiming he is a poached egg.
Firstly, the report of the KGB blowing up the apartment buildings included one where the KGB members were caught putting sugar looking RDX explosive in an apartment building. RDX does not look anything like sugar, and so I count that report as fantasy.
Secondly, the Moscow theater rescue was handled almost as well as could be expected. Rescuing the hostages in the theater where two huge artillery shells had been electronically wired to explode was an almost impossible to win situation.
Thirdly, the Beslan school massacre was similar. The terrorists had wired artillery shells to explode electronically. One was attached to a basketball goal, and later exploded when it accidentally fell setting off the final chain of events.

In all military operations the unexpected happens, and these operations were no different on either side. While the Russian military did not execute their plans perfectly in Moscow or Beslan, they did do a decent job.
We have several individuals on Free Republic who are conspiracy theorists, and live and breathe the evil Russia, KGB, and Putin. I include TapTheSource as a complete basket case looking for a conspiracy in every newspaper, rag, novel, and comic book to back his wild ideas. Putin, Russia, and the FSB have their faults, weaknesses, and a few bad eggs, but they are not the evil beings these nuts make them out to be in their posts.

[dog breath]

That was a sane response, it is a little hard to figure out how to respond to a wild theory. I thought the baseball with the nuts sticking out was a good humorous answer. While I question Putin's motives, I feel that he has done nothing to deserve such a ugly slander against his name.

[GarySpFc]

May I suggest reading The Accidental Autocrat. It's a long read, but you will have a good understanding of Putin once you are finished.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1347197/posts

[MarMema]

There are meds available for those who need them. It's a shame that we aren't doing a better job helping those in need.
And I only read the title.

[strategofr]

Your post is very interesting. I never heard any of that information and you sound credible.

Could you expand a little about how you think it is reasonable that terrorists broke out of the cordon around Belsan? Do you believe the same thing could happen in the US, given that we had a few days or more (as I recall) to set up the perimeter and would bring our best people there?

Would you characterize the Belsan operation as a major blunder, analogous to Waco? (which itself could be used as a support for your thesis---things go wrong.)

I am not a person who finds a lot of conspiracies about in the world. This is my only one. (Not that that, in itself, refutes the people who think I'm "nuts".) However, I do see the influence of the Russian KGB in the world (how I refer to Putin and his friends) as extensive (realizing that many operations would be transferred to the FSB, but not all, I believe.)

One thing in my "favor", is that the myth of "helpful Russia" is dissolving in view of their involvement with Iran. For example, p. 306, Iran's Nuclear Option (not a nut case book, but well-footnoted (I have 2 footnotes for this if you'd like):

"Further arguments appeared when reports surfaced in early 1998 that the Russian FSB was in fact coordinating clandestine missile technology transfers to the Iranians---allegations denied by Russian officials. The Russian-along with Russian supplied aircraft---to provide reliable carriers for potential nuclear warheads. Furthermore, the mere existence of of the Shahib-3 missile program, with its relatively poor accuracy (Circle of error Probable 1-3 kms over distance) implies that it is most likely meant to carry a strictly WMD payload. Moscow has always declared that no infringements of the MCTR have been committed, but did admit the existence of "individual contacts" between Iranian and Russian entities. Through it all, the Russians refuse to be shut out of the lucrative market of missile technologies."

On the other side of the leger (providing the other motive for Russian involvement with the Iranian nuclear program) are the unbelievable financial rewards, especially for a country as poor as Russia.

p. 308, same source (footnote also available):

"In defiance of U.S. pressure, Russia declared in July 2002 that it will finish construction of the $840 million nuclear reactor in Bushehr, and that it plans to build five more reactors over the next decade (another in Bushehr and four in Ahvaz, 40 miles from Terran), for an additional $10 billion." (!)

You don't have to think the Russians are behind al Queada to realize they are, along with the Chinese, our no. 1 enemies in the world today. Their actions in Iran constitute massive indirect support for terrorism, in my opinion.

[strategofr]

Well, aren't you glad my title was clear enough to save you the time of reading further?

[unspun]

"I believe Putin ran the Belsan thing in Chechneya and basically runs al Queda"

Isn't that a line from a Steve Martin monologue?

[nopardons]

Ping the RKBA list,we have some paving to do here.

[King Prout]

Ping the RKBA list,we have some paving to do here.

we, the RKBA, cannot pave here yet; but, as many of the RKBA are also VKS, I shall summon lightning and nuclear fire.

and kitties... lots of kitties...

HAMMER OF THE GODS WILL DRIVE OUR SHIPS TO NEW LANDS...

(You know the tune, so crank it up and get down with the flashbangery)

[Conspiracy Guy]

[nopardons]

Thanks,King! :-)

[Conspiracy Guy]