Stay out of NATO – Russian defense minister

gateway2russia.com ^ | 14 September 2005 | unknown

[twinself]

At a NATO defense ministers meeting in Berlin on Tuesday, Russia’s defense minister Sergei Ivanov warned that Moscow would review its relations with Ukraine and Georgia if these countries joined NATO. He said the consequences would go beyond defense and security, Radio Liberty reported. At the same time Ivanov said it was the sovereign right of any country, including Ukraine and Georgia, to join NATO.

Before flying to Berlin Ivanov said he urge the alliance to cooperate more closely with the Collective Security Treaty Organization whose current members include Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. His statement is interpreted as a sign of Moscow’s efforts to prevent NATO’s further expansion east.

Commenting on Washington’s plans to cut its nuclear arsenal, the Russian defense minister said this move was dangerous in itself as it could prompt other countries to develop nuclear weapons.

A draft revision of the U.S. Defense Department's nuclear operations doctrine was made public at the weekend, outlining the use of nuclear weapons to preempt an enemy attack. Ivanov said he hoped U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld would inform him if such a change to the U.S. military doctrine was planned, Reuters reported.

The draft "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations," dated March 15, revised the "discussion of nuclear weapons use across the range of military operations." The document was available on numerous web sites, however the Pentagon site listed the document as unavailable.

According to the document, combatant commanders could request approval from the president to use nuclear weapons under a variety of scenarios, such as to preempt an enemy's use of weapons of mass destruction against the United States, multinational or alliance forces or civilian populations. Reuters quoted a Defense Department spokesman saying the document had not yet been given to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

[twinself]

(...) Ivanov warned that Moscow would review its relations with Ukraine and Georgia if these countries joined NATO. He said the consequences would go beyond defense and security. At the same time Ivanov said it was the sovereign right of any country, including Ukraine and Georgia, to join NATO.

Duh, diplomacy! Economic blackmail (gas, oil prices) and spies are the only effective weapons Russkies got. It will be a good test for these young democracies how much will they be willing to cut the bonds from unfriendly, constantly interfereing neighbour.

[Racehorse]

Sergei Ivanov warned that Moscow would review its relations with Ukraine and Georgia if these countries joined NATO.

Russian xenophobia.  Something not to be underestimated or trivialized.

Commenting on Washington’s plans to cut its nuclear arsenal, the Russian defense minister said this move was dangerous in itself as it could prompt other countries to develop nuclear weapons.

The world has most certainly become a much more dangerous place to live since the demise of the Evil Empire.

[twinself]

The world has most certainly become a much more dangerous place to live since the demise of the Evil Empire.

Same people and imperialist agenda, more intricate tactics, better make-up.

[Kozak]

The world has most certainly become a much more dangerous place to live since the demise of the Evil Empire.

Nonsense. The great danger of the fall of the Soviet Union was that they would gamble all on a military move against the West while they still had the option. That was the monent of greatest danger. All those tank armies sitting aimed at the Fulda Gap, backed by Chemical weapons, and thousands of tactical and strategic nukes. How soon we forget.

[Racehorse]

Same people and imperialist agenda, more intricate tactics, better make-up.

Why do you say the same . . . imperialist agenda?  The rest seems accurate enough.

[Racehorse]

Nonsense.  . . . How soon we forget.

I certainly don't believe I'm the one doing the forgetting.

[RussianJew]

The world has most certainly become a much more dangerous place to live since the demise of the Evil Empire.

Let's call it MORDOR for the sake of simplicity.:) (You are so childish, people)

[Racehorse]

No half-decent metaphor goes unpunished, I suppose. :-)

[RussianJew]

Half-decent. Do you suppose that calling a 250 million country with 1000 years story THE EMPIRE OF EVIL is decent? Even for the president of your country. There is two possible cases for this phenomena, I think: 1. Absolute intolerance of the American nation (I do not believe this crap) 2. Brainwash (So it's better to call it MORDOR. At least, new generation knows what does it mean). Make your choice, "comrade". (nothing personal)

[Racehorse]

Half-decent. Do you suppose that calling a 250 million country with 1000 years story THE EMPIRE OF EVIL is decent?

If that was what I did, no.  Absolutely, no.

But, it was not what I did.  Reagan, from whom I borrowed the metaphor, and I both refer to the Soviet empire.  We were not, for instance, referring to Ivan the Terrible nor to the Rus nor to any earlier period of Russian history.

Within context, it was an apt metaphor.

Make your choice, "comrade". (nothing personal)

Neither.

I seldom, if ever, take these disagreements personal.  More often than not, there's something to be learned and even enjoyed, now or later, from being confronted with a different, forceful point of view.

[Lukasz]

Duh, diplomacy! Economic blackmail (gas, oil prices) and spies are the only effective weapons Russkies got. It will be a good test for these young democracies how much will they be willing to cut the bonds from unfriendly, constantly interfereing neighbour.

Georgians have new pipeline (gas and oil) built in their land from Azerbaijan. US concerns conrolling the business, so Kremlin have few cards less in their neo-communist game. Ukraine also actually has Odessa _ brody pipeline and rich domestic gas resources .