Whitewashing a rat - Russia's invitation to Hamas an attempt to reestablish Russian influence

Ynet ^ | 02/12/2006 | Sever Plocker

[Tailgunner Joe]

So Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Hamas leaders for talks in Moscow. The invitation purifies the rat, and make no mistakes about it: At this point in time, Hamas is a real rat.

Hamas – as it now stands – cannot be a partner for dialogue for any democratic country or government, nor for any aspiring democracies.

The Hamas covenant, written in 1988, says - amongst other things - that the "Land of Palestine – from the river to the sea – is a Muslim waqf, and will remain so for all time. Any concession on any part of the land is tantamount to sacrificing part of the Islamic religion."

The covenant, based on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, also says the Jews are a "terrible enemy, Nazi in their behavior." The Jews – who according to Hamas are not a nation, but rather an inferior religion – have schemed to "destroy societies, destroy values, break agreements, to bring about the deterioration of ethics and to eliminate Islam.

Hamas blames the Jews for the outbreaks of both world wars, and says that with the end of World War II they "created the United Nations in order to take control of the world."

Outrageous cynicism

These are the folks the president of Russia wants to hold "constructive dialogue" with. Why? Because Hamas, says Vladimir Putin, won the Palestinian elections. Therefore, "they represent the Palestinian people."

This is outrageous, cynical reasoning, especially coming from a man whose country continues to wage a war of occupation and brutal suppression against Muslims.

For more than a decade, Russia has tried – with a strong, destructive hand – to prevent an independent Republic of Chechnya from being established.

Putin – like predecessor Boris Yeltsin – has never allowed a Hamas-like Muslim-Chechnyan party, nor a more moderate version, to take part in elections of any sort in Chechnya, elections that in any event have taken place under the shadow of Russian tanks and guns.

These parties have been rejected outright, despite the fact that underground leaders in Chechnya have never demanded the eradication of Russia and the establishment of an Islamic state from Siberia to the Black Sea. These demands are the cornerstone of Hamas demands vis-à-vis Israel.

Terrible mistake

In hindsight, there is no question Israel (followed by the United States) made a terrible mistake by letting Hamas participate in the Palestinian elections before recognizing Israel and annulling the anti-Semitic clauses in its covenant.

Putin's openness to Hamas is not, unfortunately, the first crack in the international wall of opposition to Hamas. Such a wall never existed. It was only an illusion. The minute the Palestinian election results were released the chorus of international political voices started, calling on Israel to "give Hamas a chance."

Diplomats – Israelis as well as foreigners – have said we must "judge Hamas by its actions, not by its words," that "Hamas will need to change now that it is responsible for running the Palestinian Authority," that "It will have no choice because it will have no money," and a million other phrases to try to calm themselves down.

Rejected advances

And how has Hamas responded to the flirtation? With complete scorn.

Giddy with power, drunk with victory, Hamas has demonstrated apathy with respect to the do-gooders from the West.

Today the organization walks confidently towards assuming control of the PA, but also towards international recognition, first by the Kremlin, to be followed by the rest of the bewildered world.

But Putin's invitation to Hamas is more than a slap in the face to Israel. It is also a disgrace for Russia. What, exactly, does this superpower need from a small, cruel Islamic terror group, thoroughly infiltrated by collaborators with Israeli intelligence? Has Russia learned nothing from the Soviet Union's past support for Palestinian terror groups?

Failed policy

Russia's policies in the Middle East are riddled with errors, failures and bizarre treaties that have eventually pushed Moscow right out of the region. One after the other, Russia has lost whatever influence it had over Arab and Muslim policy, from Egypt to Afghanistan, from Libya to Iraq.

Senior officials amongst Arab "Liberation Fronts" studied during the 1960s at Lumumba University, acquired basic literacy in Marxist-Leninism and then completely renounced their education and their sponsors.

Despite this, President Putin, a former KGB man, dreams of re-establishing Russian influence in the Middle East. In order to do this he extends a hand to the blackest, most backwards, most dangerous forces in the entire Arab world.

It is a covenant of blood: Putin's hands are swimming in Chechnyan blood, Hamas' in Israeli blood.

[cyborg]

Once a KGB agent, always a KGB agent.

[Supernatural]

Let Russia give the hamas rats billion of dollars in aid. The free world should forget about hamas.

[GSlob]

Pox on them all. They have always had deep affinities for saddams, assads, kims, quaddafis, now iranians and hamas - must be the brotherhood in arms and spirit. Serves them right.

[AmericaUnited]

The Moscow Times ^ | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 | Simon Saradzhyan

... President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged the Federal Security Service to prevent foreign governments from interfering in Russia through NGOs and said terrorists should be hunted down "in caves ... like rats."

[SevenofNine]

Joe I wonder how ole Vlad feel if Israelis invitated CHECHENS

[kublia khan]

If anyone was ever naive enough to believe that this former KGB man had the best of intentions they should be getting over it PDQ.

[Stellar Dendrite]

ping

[M. Espinola]

KGB Putin is once again demonstrating his true colours. The only thing which has changed in Moscow is the level of deception.

Putin is the enemy of freedom and one of the prime arms supporters of Islamic and Communist enemies of America.

==================================

Reprinted:

Arms Trade Reaches Post-Soviet Record

By Vladimir Isachenkov

The Associated Press

Russia registered a new post-Soviet arms sales record last year, exporting $6.1 billion worth of weapons, a top government official said Thursday.

Mikhail Dmitriyev, the head of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, said that Russia also had new weapons contracts totaling $23 billion. "These orders will be fulfilled starting in 2007, and our annual sales will exceed $7 billion starting in 2007," Dmitriyev said at a news conference.

"That makes us optimistic about the future."

Russia's arms exports in 2004 totaled $5.8 billion. The Soviet Union was exporting weapons worth an estimated $20 billion a year during the 1980s, but most were provided to Soviet allies on a credit or barter basis or even free of charge.

Dmitriyev said that China and India last year remained the leading customers, together accounting for about 70 percent of Russian arms exports.

He said that several southeast Asian nations had emerged as top clients. Indonesia and Malaysia have bought large quantities of Russian arms in recent years, and Vietnam has agreed to buy a license to build Russian missile boats worth $1 billion.

In the Middle East, Russia intends to continue its military cooperation with Syria despite U.S. and Israeli criticism.

"We have a good program for cooperation with Syria," Dmitriyev said. "That deals with repairs, modernization and supplies of new defensive weapons."

Dmitriyev said that Russia would also fulfill a contract to provide Iran with Tor-M1 air defense missiles -- a deal that has drawn strong U.S. and Israeli complaints. He said that Moscow was not negotiating any other weapons deals with Tehran. Demand also was growing for Russian arms in Latin America, where oil-rich Venezuela has emerged as an important customer, Dmitriyev said." (end)

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Come out Putin promoters and defend the record of your "leader".

[cyborg]

amen!

[rightwingcrazy]

As Putin says, the circumstances aren't comparable. For them to be so, the Chechens would have to have as their goal the destruction of the state of Russia and the driving of all Russians into the sea.

[spanalot]

Russia is no stranger to terrorism.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lietuvos.net/istorija/communism/communism_photos1/2Orsha1918.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lietuvos.net/istorija/communism/&h=551&w=401&sz=9&tbnid=Ff13sGJOLt0J:&tbnh=130&tbnw=94&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2Bcannibalism%2Brussia%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8

[M. Espinola]

Amen! :)

[zarf]

Once a KGB agent, always a KGB agent.

How is this differnet from the State Deptarment dealing with the PA?

We should be the last to be critical.

[cyborg]

Once a terrorist, always a terrorist. When the US deals with these people, they should keep that in mind. I hate it that the US deal with these people at all.

[Whispering Smith]

I think the Russian dealings with Iran and Hamas are interrelated. Basically, the Russians say "leave our Muslim minority alone and we won't bother you in the Middle East." Right now Iran is funding Hamas and Hamas is funding the Checnyans so Putin stands to profit from such a deal.

[Thunder90]

Commies love middle east despots.

[GSlob]

Despots in general, they themselves being ones.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
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