Posted on 12/19/2005 6:07:13 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
MOSCOW — Russia's foreign spy chief said military forces from other countries deployed at bases along Russia's periphery are a threat to the nation, a Russian news agency reported Monday.
In comments that appeared directed at U.S. forces deployed on bases in former Soviet countries, the Interfax news agency quoted Sergei Lebedev, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, as saying that Russia no longer had a "main adversary" as during the Cold War.
But "Russians cannot help but be concerned about new military bases and military contingents being deployed around our country," he was quoted as saying.
Russia has watched warily as the United States deployed forces to the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and strengthened military and political ties with Ukraine and Georgia. Also, the three Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania joined NATO in 2004 over Moscow's strong objections.
Earlier this year, Uzbekistan evicted U.S. forces from a base there after Washington criticized Uzbekistan's authoritarian regime for a violent crackdown on a demonstration in May and other human rights abuses.
Kremlin leaders have also been jittery about mass protests that brought the opposition to power in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan over the past two years — protests that Russia says were backed by the West.
Lebedev did not name any specific countries that Russia considered a threat.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Last week, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar University, the world's oldest Islamic institution of higher learning, declared that terrorism is a disease, and that Islam prohibits killing innocent civilians. The terrorists call their cause holy, yet, they fund it with drug dealing; they encourage murder and suicide in the name of a great faith that forbids both. They dare to ask God's blessing as they set out to kill innocent men, women and children. But the God of Isaac and Ishmael would never answer such a prayer. And a murderer is not a martyr; he is just a murderer.
Hmmm someone obviously never bothered to read the Koran.
We make such a great team. I bash Putin, and then you try to defend Putin by bashing Bush. Too bad you can't justify bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior.
I don't bash Bush, I point out that your bashing applies to our president too, if we apply your standards. But double standards, lies, innuendos and fear mongering are your stock and trade.
I don't have any double standard. Bush was completely wrong to say that Islam is peaceful. Most here agree with me.
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