[anotherview]

Russia is now clearly seen as indirectly supporting terrorism.

[Atlantic Friend]

Oh, man, say it ain't so ! What will happen to the Putin Fan Club now ?

[mtbopfuyn]

And Russia is working a weapons deal with Syria. Those sky-is-falling'ers may be right this time.

[exnavy]

Russia is a large group of useful idiots.

[Trippin]

The Russians are retarded. We should "slam" them for accusing Chechnya of terror ties, see how they feel.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Russia (previously the USSR) has ALWAYS supported terrorism directly AND indirectly.

[Trippin]

The Russians are retarded. We should "slam" them for accusing Chechnya of terror ties, see how they feel.

[JustAnotherOkie]

Indirectly?????

[ovrtaxt]

Israel stunned by Kremlin double-cross, as Assad shops for missiles in Moscow

[kittymyrib]

A hit dog howls.

[Puddleglum]

Russia is running out of toe-holds in the Middle East. What choices do they have left? Iran hates everybody! Syria at least has the sort of brass knuckles dictatorship Putin can understand, flatter, and bribe. The little Stalin in Putin was immediately smitten.

[niteowl77]

While Beslan goes into the memory hole.

[Paul_Denton]

Of course it is well known that Syria supports terrorism.

[marvlus]

It seems that Russia really didn't become Russia. It is trying to revert back to USSR.

[marvlus]

It seems that Russia really didn't become Russia. It is trying to revert back to USSR.

[Atlantic Friend]

Any pro-Russian insight ?

[Semper Paratus]

Ole "Putie-Pu" can kiss off any more barbecues in Crawford.

[Paul_Denton]

Hmm where did the putin-lovers run off to?

[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

[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.