". It is an honor to learn more about the tactical genius that stands against us. And we "cold warriors" haven't had so much laughter since our younger days of viewing training films of Russian infantry training."
Well this "Cold Warrior" has to get a kick out of the fearmongering going on. I see first hand what this "threat" is - hyped up in the papers, on the net. It's still the paper tiger it was when they were the Soviet Union. However, one BIG difference, their military is even less capable than it was back then (back when I faced it across the Wall in Berlin). How many of our soldiers are begging for money, booze, cigarettes on the streets? How many of our soldiers die of malnutrition, beatings, pneumonia, etc.? How many of our soldiers abscond with their weapons after killing abusive officers?
Their spring and fall draft boards rarely meet their quotas and the boys they do select are sick, drug addicted, HIV positive, or mentally unstable or slow (that being because the smarter and richer kids figure out a way to bribe the draft board. It's not uncommon for a Russian draft board officer to drive to the board in his new BMW - a strange feat for a guy who earns an average of 150 dollars a month [bribes average 5000USD and are climbing]). Want to know the real state of the Russian military ask Valentina Melnikova of the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers. (Committee of Soldiers' Mothers. per. Louchnikov 4/3, k. 5 101000 Moscow Tel: 928-2506 Fax: 206-8958). She'll send you some literature.
Sure, the Russians can build a big bad army (on paper), but it's absolutely useless without professionals to lead and man it. Their junior and mid-level officers are disgruntled and their conscript soldiers can barely survive in garrison. And, btw, a lot of these younger officers would rather be in an alliance with the US and UK (as equals, not subordinates- they have their pride too). These are the future leaders of Russia - but let's just shove them aside, ignore them, and push them toward nationalism with our own anti-Russian rhetoric.
Are the Russians doing some things that we might not like? Sure, but what's the real reason behind it? MONEY. You really think they believe it's wise to sell nuclear technology to Iran? Hardly. They know they're just as likely to be a target as anyone else - what they want is the millions it brings in, and I'd be willing to bet that they're hoping that we or Israel take out the Iranian nuke sites. It's win-win for them - they get the money and someone else eliminates the threat.
China? I don't know one Russian who trusts the Chinese. But by playing footsies with them they think they can nullify any threats from the Chinese and, once again, get MONEY from arms sales. (And we surely don't make money from arms sales ???)
Do the Russians want a neo-Communist revolution and world domination? No and No. They're trying to get strong as a country again AND yes, they want to have influence in their own geographical region. Something they probably won't get. Basically, they're trying to get their pride back. I guess Reagan was threatening the world with all the military build-ups and arms sales that went on during his time in office? I don't think so, but if you apply a lot of the arguments that some use to villify Putin and the Russians to Reagan - you could say the same about him.
But hey, let's quote all of these "wise" KGB defectors, like Golytsin, or pawns of Berezovsky, like Epstein, or believe Soros funded publications, and start building our bombshelters. Regarding defectors - the ones who should be revered are the ones who were executed after being betrayed by our traitors. They didn't flee for "riches" in the West. They stayed behind and continued the fight from behind the lines. The ones who fled have hidden agendas: 1) ingratiate themselves on their adopted homeland and 2) justify their actions.
Also, if you knew Russians you would understand this: If they want you to like them or do something for them they will write and say what they think you want to hear. Golytsin was doing what he thought his new masters wanted, just like when he (and Kalugin, and others) were at the beck and call of their KGB comrades - oppressing, repressing their own people. Why don't you go to Russia and ask some of their victims - the ones who are still alive. But hey, they defected to our side so they're "golden." Rubbish. How someone can put complete faith in someone who betrayed their country of birth is beyond me. Just like the FSB agent who "defected" to the UK and blamed the apartment bombings on his fellow FSB agents. Hmm, strange that Berezovsky funded his flight from Russia and strange that he was being investigated for criminal activities and ties to Berezovsky AND the Chechens. But, hey, he's blaming Putin so we'll take his word as the gospel. Yes, the FSB agent in question, Litvienko quit the FSB and started working for Berezovsky. After Berezovsky ran afoul of a Putin and fled to England, Litvienko first started claiming that the FSB had plans to kill Berezovsky, and then he claimed he had evidence of the FSB's alleged complicity in the bombings. The problem was, the Chechen guy he claimed was innocent (a Berezovsky associate) and was being scapegoated was actually photographed in the company of Basaev and company prior to the bombings. Hmmmm... And then there's Paul Klebanov, author of "Godfather of the Kremlin" (Berezovsky). He gets whacked in Moscow and then Berezovsky-controlled media outlets start saying it was Putin and company. Hmmm. Berezovsky hated the guy, sued him, made threats about him, but somehow Putin is to blame. And people on here quote those Berezovsky-controlled media outlets. Dupes.
Oh, but yes, just for making these statements some will infer I am somehow a Russophile, pro-Russian, a stooge, not patriotic. Rubbish. Just pointing out the inaccuracies and hypocrisy here. It's on the level of the inaccuracies and hypocrisy I hear from the old bitter "cold warriors" in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. "America is evil." "Bush wants to take the world over." "America wants to invade Russia." "America wants to enslave Russians." "America is plotting against the great Slavic peoples." "Bush is playing Putin for a fool." "Bush can't be trusted." "The expansion of NATO is an American plot to overtake Russia." "The Americans are planning on using their new bases in Central Asia to attack Russia," "Amerians are pro-Chechen terrorist because they gave asylum to Maskhadov's foreign minister and it proves they are plotting against us." And guess what, the people who spout this crap over there also find plenty of so-called "people in the know" in the media to quote as speaking the gospel.
Thank God the younger generation doesn't buy this b.s. and scoffs at these old fools.
Oh, and the 20 Duma guys and anti-Semitism? Idiots and we have our share of the same. Don't we have a Senator who was a former Grand Kleagal??? Don't we have plenty of racist groups in our own country?