Russia slams U.S. for accusing Syria of terror ties

Ha'aretz ^ | 21 January 2005 | Aluf Benn and Reuters

[NonValueAdded]

"It's well known that slapping labels on countries and unilaterally describing certain states as part of the 'axis of evil' has not improved anyone's security,"

Oh, really? Try this quote:

Former Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky, 61, remembered Reagan fondly for his humor and his toughness. "His phrase, 'evil empire,' became a household word in Russia," said Bukovsky, who now lives in Cambridge, England. "Russians like a straightforward person, be he enemy or friend. They despise a wishy-washy person."

Doesn't work, huh?

source

[exnavy]

That phrase is a sarcastic slam on those that through ignorance or selfishness aid the enimies purpose.

[JasonC]

Syria can get out of Lebanon immediately, hold free elections, stop harboring terrorists in the Bekka and in Lebanon, shut down their offices in Damascus, and stop the flow of terrorists into Iraq from the west. Then we can talk about what an important player in the middle east Syria is, and can encourage talks that include Israel. Or, Syria can remain an outlaw state that bullies whoever it can and commits murder at the slightest remove thinking it will always be untouchable, and then it will in the end be obliberated by the present tide of history. As for Russia, we can tell when a great power is an ally and a friend, and Russia is no friend or ally of the United States, for a very simple reason. It has not yet decided it prefers civilization to barbarism.

[finnigan2]

Putin has clearly decided that the future of Russia lies in it's ability to forge an anti US alliance with China. The two have recently announced military agreements, including joint exercises, and I think Putin sees a close partnership as a way for Russia to regain it's clout on the world stage. It will take a decade or two for this to play out, unless the matter of Taiwan brings a crisis to a head. However, I think as long as Bush is President, China will not push that issue. They will wait to see if the US selects a weakling like Kerry in 2008 before making a military move on Taiwan.

[gr8eman]

Hey Ivan...STFUsky!

[Sender]

Russia isn't supporting terrorism, far from it. It's all business. Syria is a valued and lucrative client who buys things with cash. That's all it is. Russia is assuming that Syrian terrorists won't target Russian interests. They could be wrong.

[American in Israel]

Gee, I guess hosting and supporting the Hizbullah in its attacks against Israel, or having the HQ of HAMAS in Syria's capitol city has nothing to do with terrorism?

Russia is increasingly full of Shi'ite I guess, and is dancing to the demands of the fears of terror. But even if you dress a bear in a tu-tu, it never becomes a pretty woman, just a dancing bear.

More and more nations are becoming sockpuppets to Islam. The mouth moves, but the statements are from the Arabs.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Russia has supported internation terrorism in various ways since way back during Khrushchev's time at least. Russia, the Soviet Union, whatever they called themselves at a particular time, has never been a real ally and friend of the USA. At best, there was a temporary arrangment of mutual convenience between them and us, like WW 2. Just like Saudi Arabia and the US - there are temporary arrangements only when a third power is a greater threat to both. Putin is a neo-Stalinist wannabe, after all, he is ex-KGB.

[Just mythoughts]

Here we go again, same old method of operation out of that bear nation. Always using another people, country, nation to keep themselves hidden in stirring up trouble.

[anotherview]

You seem to have me mixed up with one of the people posting comments. My one and only comment before this (#1) states clearly that I think Russia *IS* supporting terrorism.

On this issue we are on the same side.

[Finalapproach29er]

I'm beginning to think Russians are hopeless.

[anotherview]

Indirectly as in they do not send money or arms directly to Hamas or Hizbullah or al-Qaida. They support governments who in turn support terrorists. As such it is indirect, as opposed to direct, support. That doesn't make it any less heinous, though.

[American in Israel]

Mean while in other news Russia makes a deal for a second Nuclear reactor for Iran and "Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is planning his first state visit to Russia next week and he goes with a long shopping list of cooperation agreements and arms deals... Topping the Syrian shopping list are upgrades of packages for existing equipment, including hundreds of artillery and ballistic missiles. Next is the purchase of at least 18 units of the SS-26 surface-to-surface missiles, also known as Iskander-E."

So, as one of the Key sponsors to terrorism in the Middle East, I find Russias comments to be as accurate and as valuable as the Islamic comments. Just brim full of Shi'ite of a different flavor.

[American in Israel]

Russia is no friend or ally of the United States, for a very simple reason. It has not yet decided it prefers civilization to barbarism.

Indeed, and the presense of a lot of gold seems to appeal to its barbaric side.

[WoofDog123]

I wonder how much of russian posture on topics like this going forward is going to be influenced by what they perceive as the west hijacking the ukraine election, which they DO consider their traditional sphere of influence (and they are correct, at least until now).

[ml1954]

I guess Putin doesn't think he needs our help or support in fighting his own terrorist enemies. I'd like to hear what Condi has to say about this.

[Sender]

I wonder how much the West actually did influence the Ukrainian election. Clearly Putin wanted to influence it the other way. I think the people of Ukraine proved that no outside influence or authoritarian government can forever hold down the will of the people...and that is what scares would-be dictators everywhere.

[Wiz]

Shall we stop labeling Chechenya rebels as terrorists and call them resistance, Mr. Putin?

[Alright_on_the_LeftCoast]

ROFL - right, Hamas has their office on main street in Damascus but Syria has no terrorist ties - Putin is an idiot. The day Syria installs Russian missiles Damascus will soon thereafter be utterly and totally destroyed, probably by Israel - hopefully sooner rather than later...