Why are the American media, both liberal and conservative, so unanimously anti-Russian?

cdi.org ^ | Wed, 19 Jan 2005 05:47:59 EST | Ira Straus

[Tailgunner Joe]

except your own dexterity in switching positions like an acrobat

I haven't switched any position nor made any inconsistent statements at all. Once again you are a liar and have fabricated this charge. Prove it. make your case. I tell no lie. You are the liar as I have proved time and time again.

Yes I support Georgia against Russian aggression. Georgia is an ally of America, unlike Russia. Putin needs to get his Russian troops out of Georgia. President Bush agrees with me and has said so. Russia said they would leave but they lied.

do you also support their announced alliance with Basayov?

There is no such thing except in your web of fringe conspiranoia.

[jb6]

Georgia is an ally of America, unlike Russia.

Ally? One that takes US monies while turning a blind eye to Jihadies in their midst. One that you support who attempted to exterminate their minorities, all of their minorities. Hmmm, fitting.

[jb6]

Georgia is an ally of America, unlike Russia.

Also, tell us how you support men who close down their media and force out conservative parties. Your allies:

You "love" freedom by supporting genociders and autocrats. Yeah, keep hopping.

Georgia's media under pressure a year after aiding 'rose revolution'

HRIDC: Georgian-language “Georgian Times” under threat of being closed by the authorities;

Yes, your ally, the hater of things conservative/republican.

Saakashvili Hails 2004 as a Huge Success, but Refrains to Comment on Failures

But the opposition, which is represented in the Parliament by a small group of New Rights-Industrialists coalition, as well as by the Republican Party and newly set up Conservative Party, has been focusing over the government’s failures this week, while the Parliament was approving the new cabinet. The opposition slammed government for increased human rights abuse, restriction of free media, mounting pressure on judicial system, as well as about the South Ossetian policy, which according to the opposition led to failed August campaign when clashes erupted between the Georgian and Ossetian forces.

[jb6]

You do realize that 1. The Scythians lived on the north shores of the Black Sea, some 1,000 miles from Isreal and never ventured that far south, not even nearly.

Second, you do realize that Orthodox Christian Ethiopia is south of Isreal, don't you? So your wacky cult predicts an alliance of northern nations of Orthodox Russia, Shiete Iran, Sunni Syria, Orthodox Ethiopia, Catholic/Luthern Germany and Sunni Turkey? What crack are you on? Keep waiting for it, it'll be a waste of a life time.

[jb6]

while heading KGB operations in East Germany?

He was a colonel and a desk jockey in Dresden. If he headed operations he would have been a general and in Berlin.

[Tailgunner Joe]

You "love" freedom by supporting genociders and autocrats.

What does this even mean? Do you have any specific charges against Saakashvili or is it all Georgians who are "genociders?"

You defend Putin against the same charges that you make against Saakashvili. You even use Soros propaganda from leftist "human rights" groups to do it. You are the one who is "hopping" around condemning Saakashvili for the same things Putin does which you defend.

America stands with our ally Georgia against Russian aggression.

Russia must leave Georgia, or the consequences will be on their heads!

[Rockingham]

So how does providing Iran with nuclear technology help fight terrorism or advance Russian interests in a sensible fashion? Giving a tin of gasoline and matches to an arsonist does not fight arson, so why should Russia hope the principle will be different with terrorists? And why should a nuclear armed Iran that no longer needs Russian technical help not become a danger to Russia as well as to other neighbors?

I surmise that the cash paid by the mullahs for Russian nuclear technology includes lush bribes to Russian officials. But once enough A bombs are in hand and Russian help is no longer needed -- perhaps three years from now -- Iran could advance its interests and easily score major points with Islamists by advocacy on behalf of the Chechen rebels and against Russia in the 'Stans.

The supposed Iran-India-Russia alliance is not a genuine alliance but is a temporary and subsidiary political alignment that is readily subject to change. With an economy increasingly tied to the American market, India is establishing a relationship with the US that precludes fidelity to Russian strategic interests when they clash with those of the US. Plausibly, India, a regional nuclear power friendly with Iran, could help bring her to drop support for terrorism and harmonize its foreign policy with American interests, making Russia the odd man out. If that happens, can we at least agree now that having played a dangerous game that helps Iran get nuclear weapons, Russia will have no cause to complain if the game turns against her?

It is pure fantasy to say that in the 1990's the CIA has backed Islamic terrorists in Central Asia. But there are strong indications that the Russian FSB bombed an apartment building and blamed the Chechens so as to panic the Russian public into electing Putin. And it is painfully clear that corruption has undermined Russia's efforts to protect itself against terrorism. See the excerpts and articles linked below from the BBC.

Beslan team accuses top officials

High-ranking military officials aided gunmen who seized a school in Beslan, according to the Russian parliamentary commission investigating the siege.

Two officers have been arrested, the commission's chairman, Alexander Torshin, told Russian news agencies.

"Now I think a couple of others will join them... and their rank is higher than major," he was quoted as saying.

Full story at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4214853.stm


Police charged over Beslan siege

Russia has charged three police officials with criminal negligence over the Beslan school siege, in which an estimated 360 people were killed.

Residents of Beslan welcomed the charges as a start, though they are furious that the gunmen ever made it to their town. Many believe the gunmen bribed their way through police checkpoints.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3958249.stm

[Lukasz]

But the Russians did restore the Kingdom of Poland - againstt he wishes of Prussia.

I repeat, ONLY POLES could restore Kingdom of Poland. Russians created their puppet republic called “Kingdom of Poland”.

Instead of Prussian Junkers, Russia installed Polish lords.

Russian czar was “king of Poland” and his brother was his Governor in Warsaw. Of course except few traitors Poles never recognized them. Czar “gave” us also new constitution but his brother didn’t cared about that at all.

To be clear Poles didn’t needed more reasons for uprisings than independence of Poland. Of course that don’t mean that there weren’t other reasons provoked by Russians.

[Lukasz]

Saakashvili Presents Peace Plan at the PACE

Saakashvili gave South Ossetia more rights than they would have in Russia (practically democratic quasi- independence, when in Russia only simple republic ruled by local clan like in Dagestan for example) but their leader, Russian puppet Eduard Kokoity still want to join Russia. Similar status Saakashvili would give Abkhazja but their leaders also pro-Russian, don’t want to talk at all. Russians simply want to destabilize oil transfer from Caspian sea.

[winker]

Russia is the headquarters of the Alliance, the others are aligned with it as participants no matter where they are located. Russia is still calling the shots hence the "NORTHERN CONFEDERACY" exists as a partnership of like minded nations who follow Russia's Orders!

[BlackElk]

I will give him credit for that and anything else deserving of credit, of which there appears to have been more than I suspected.

[BlackElk]

This thread has been an eye-opener. Thanks for the info. God bless you and yours.

[jb6]

It's a light water reactor, the same as the two we were building the N.Koreans. You can't make fissable fuel from it. Dirty bomb fuel yes, nuke bomb no. Pakistan, though, is giving them nukes.

[Destro]

nuclear power plants don't produce nuclear bombs.

[Destro]

Poles rather have lived as Serfs to the Prussian Junkers (not a good thing to be) than be autonomous.

[Rockingham]

Russian help with nuclear reactor technology is vital to Iran's nuclear weapons program because much of the knowledge and equipment carries over to building nuclear weapons. Also, light water reactors produce plutonium, which can be reprocessed and used to make A bombs. That is how we produced the bomb that we dropped on Nagasaki and why North Korea's spent reactor fuel is such an issue.

In addition, Russia has provided essential help to Iran's ballistic missile missile program. Russia has been promiscuous in supplying equipment, materials, and technical knowledge useful to Iran's biological and chemical weapons programs. And Russia has helped North Korea with similar weapons programs, with less known to the public because of the isolated, Stalinist nature of that regime.

To return to the question posed by the original post -- why are both conservative and liberal American media so "anti-Russian" -- I submit that it is because the facts are so damning. In addition to the points made in previous posts, Russian has done much to heap discredit and ill will upon herself by helping Iran (and North Korea) develop nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and the means to deliver them. Since these are vile regimes that hate and routinely threaten America, one ought not to be surprised that Americans do not like Russia for aligning with and helping them.

[MarMema]

God bless you!

[Destro]

You know and I know Iran has zero to do with it. Pakistan has active nukes on missles and does not get the same bad press.

[Rockingham]

Actually, Pakistan does get a lot of bad press in the US -- and with good reason because of the powerful Islamist movement there and Pakistan's state support for terrorism in Kashmir. But after 9/11, Pakistan has also furnished important help against terrorism, even if it has taken substantial American pressure and aid for Musharaf to do so.

With national icon, nuclear proliferator A. Q. Khan now exposed, shut down, and under house arrest, Pakistan's conduct as to weapons help to others is now better than Russia's, which continues to provide extensive nuclear, chemical, biological, and missile technology and expertise to dangerous regimes. As bad as Pakistani nukes on missiles are, they are not directed at Israel, Europe, or the US but are a counter to India's nuclear weapons and the threat that they pose has been constrained by diplomacy and Pakistan's sense of caution.

With nuclear weapons and a record of support for terrorism worldwide, Islamist Iran will be more dangerous and intractable than ever. Is Russia prepared to accept and be responsible for the consequences? A "bad press" in America will be the least of it, for Iran is the kind of customer that seems likely to turn upon its supplier once it is opportune to do so.

[Destro]

"But after 9/11, Pakistan has also furnished important help against terrorism"

So has Russia - intel in Iraq and substantial aid Afghanistan against the Taliban and ongoing intel in the war on al-Qaeda.