Back (stabbed) in the USSR..(Russia Neither an Ally or Neutral)

ChronWatch ^ | Monday 27 march 2006 | Joseph Mariani

[IrishMike]

Sooner or later, we’re going to have to admit that the Russians aren't half the ally they pretend to be, or should have been. For a while after the fall of the USSR, it seemed that the long fight was over, but it’s beginning to look as though that was just wishful thinking. Oh, the happy-go-lucky nineties, when we thought we had no enemies.

Russia has been moving backwards from democracy towards a more totalitarian government for years, a process that has accelerated under former KGB officer Vladimir Putin. Russia has tightened its grip on the former provinces of the USSR, reduced and nearly eliminated opposition parties and local elections, fought and lost a war to reconquer Chechnya, interfered with democratic elections in the Ukraine, and spent aid money given for economic reconstruction on the military instead. Between 1992 and 1999, the Russian economy contracted by 25%. Admittedly, it’s difficult to change from a doomed collectivist economy to free market capitalism. It’s more difficult when the same corruption rampant under the old system remains entwined in the new. It’s especially hard when almost no one alive remembers anything but the centralised authority and crushing bureaucracy of communist rule.

Part of the problem was that most Western nations refused to call the Soviet Union’s defeat what it was. An entire nation vanished, and everyone pretended not to notice. Russia was even allowed to retain the Soviet Union’s permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council and the USSR’s veto power in NATO, although the USSR no longer exists. This politically-correct policy of walking on eggshells so as not to offend, had to be at least partially responsible for Russia’s attempts to rebuild its past instead of building a better future, as Germany and Japan did after World War II.

[IrishMike]

The Iraq conflict saw the re-emergence of Russia as a serious opponent, and the sooner we admit it the more likely it is that we can deal with the threat diplomatically. Russia had long ago sold its U.N. Security Council vote to Saddam Hussein in exchange for oil exploitation rights in the West Qurna, Tuba, Saddam, Kirkuk, and Bai Hassan fields under various state-owned companies. In 2002, Russia and Iraq signed a new $40 billion deal for 67 new projects. None of the work was allowed to commence until the U.N. sanctions were lifted, and the deals would certainly collapse with the removal of Saddam. It was in Russia’s best interest to keep Saddam in power and work to lift the sanctions. France and China, of course, made similar deals. All three nations had veto power in the Security Council, which Saddam thought would prevent any action against him.

In 1995, UNSCOM inspectors uncovered evidence that Russia agreed to sell Iraq biological weapons fermentation equipment. The previous year, General Anatoly Kuntsevich was discovered attempting to sell five tons of VX nerve gas components to Syrian agents acting on behalf of Iraq. Kuntsevich allegedly sold another 1,760 pounds of chemical weapons precursors to “unnamed buyers” from the Middle East, none of which was recovered. Russia was also Iraq’s number one supplier of conventional military equipment, including missiles that were prohibited by the U.N. sanctions. When war between the Coalition and Iraq looked inevitable, Russia moved to erase the tracks of its involvement with Iraq. Russian spetsnaz (special forces) troops cleaned out Russian weapons stored at the al-Qaqaa facility, including whatever chemical or biological weapons may have been stored there. In August 2003, former Soviet spy Ion Mihai Pacepa wrote, “The Soviet bloc not only sold Saddam its WMDs, but it showed [him] how to make them ‘disappear.’”

Russia continued to train Iraqi spies, in defiance of the United Nations, until the fall of 2002. Even as Coalition forces moved into Iraq, Russian companies were helping the Iraqi military deploy global-positioning system jammers around Baghdad. The jammers would cause missiles to go astray, hitting random targets. Russia also sold Saddam anti-tank missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, navigation equipment for fighters and night-vision goggles in violation of U.N. sanctions, possibly hidden in shipments of humanitarian aid. We now know, thanks to documents recently released to the public, that Russian intelligence passed information on American troop levels, deployment and battle plans to Saddam. Clearly, Russia has not been our ally, nor remained neutral.

[Coldwater Creek]

Shocked! I tell you I am shocked!!!!!!!

Why would we trust the Russian's when we cannot trust own fellow citizens (Dems and some Republicans)??????

[DustyMoment]

Russia has been moving backwards from democracy towards a more totalitarian government for years, a process that has accelerated under former KGB officer Vladimir Putin. Russia has tightened its grip on the former provinces of the USSR, reduced and nearly eliminated opposition parties and local elections, fought and lost a war to reconquer Chechnya, interfered with democratic elections in the Ukraine, and spent aid money given for economic reconstruction on the military instead.

I've been saying the same thing for quite some time here. Sounds like at least one in the MSM is starting to hear the message. Next up, Cold War - the Sequel.

[Texas Jack]

Why would we trust the Russian's when we cannot trust own fellow citizens (Dems and some Republicans)??????

My thoughts exactly.

I keep wondering if some of the information may not have come from the demoRat traitors on the Senate Intelligence Committee?

[Visalia]

Russia is not our good buddies? C'mon, tell me it ain't so. Or, at least tell GW and Condi.

[M. Espinola]

Under Putin and his crowd Russia is not only not an ally in anything, but an enemy, arming our most visible enemies around the globe.

[nativeRussian]

While Russia has government assembled of former communists & comsomolets, Russia has doomed to repeat erroneous policy of the USSR. Why the US government did not help to Russian people to depose communists from authority in 1991-92??? Instead, the US preferred to devastate Russian state by hands above mentioned scoundrels like Yeltsin and his Co. or successor Putin.. Now we can see reciprocation:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/NY_Times_to_report_on_secret_0326.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/27/radioactive.smuggling/index.html
It is sad.

[M. Espinola]

You have presented vary valid points. What is the solution to dispose what you acurectly described as the current régime in Moscow as being comprised of "former" Communists and comsomolets".

The links you provided with the alarming news concerning "dirty bomb" material smuggled into the U.S. should be reviewed by everyone.

I would say in terms of Iraq, the overall objective beginning with Afghanistan was to surround Islamist Iran for the eventual overthrow of the Mullah's dictatorship, which is not that far away.

We are in the relative calm before the whirlwind.

[MikefromOhio]

Sadly, it's going to be a couple generations until the Communist stain is out of Russia altogether.

Only then can we expect them to act differently.

[BamaGirl]

How much of the Russian's actions can be explained by apeasement of the Muslim fanatics? I know they have problems with the Chechen "rebels" (how come no one ever points out they are Islamic terrorists) and are also hungry for oil. What else motivates them?

[DustyMoment]

What would you have us do? You wanted us to "depose" the communists from authority, but don't say how? We counted on the Russian people to make these choices for themselves and they failed to do so.

In the early days, following the fall of the USSR, with Gorbachov, the Russian people complained that democracy and capitalism were too hard. Too many lamented the old days under the communists in which things were provided whether anyone worked for them or not.

The Russian people elected Vladimir Putin, not the Americans. The Russian people knew who he was and what he was and they elected him, anyway. With the fall of the USSR, you were given the free will to elect anyone, and you chose to elect a former head of the KGB, what did you expect?

So, as you point the finger of blame at the US, remember, there are four other fingers pointing at you. You had choices and didn't take them. America can't be blamed for that. You got what you got and you gave us a future that will include a new Cold War for both our kids.

Perhaps, on a future occasion, if democracy is presented to the Russian people again, you'll let this be a lesson and act on it instead of waiting for the US to do it for you. We can lead you to the water, but we can't make you drink, and the Russian people didn't drink.

[nativeRussian]

I consider your post as the reply of honest but uninformed in Russian history man.
First of all you ought to find out and read:
(United States. Congress. Senate. Judiciary Committee. «Bolshevik propaganda. Hearings before a subcommittee of the committee on the judiciary. United States Senate. Sixty-fifth congress. Third session and thereafter pursuant to S. Res. 439 and 469. February 11, 1919 to March 10, 1919», Washington, Government Printing Office, 1919; U.S. Supt. of Docs. No. Y 4.J 89/2:B 63/40 Publication Date 1919 Pages 1265)
Without it, nobody can understand what was the communist regime in Russia.

[nativeRussian]

Population of the Russian Empire consisted of 160 nationalities but there were no inner borders. Any man of any nation could live in any place (town, village and so on) of the Russian Empire.
When German General Stuff gave money for Russian Revolution one of indispensable condition was: "to determine areas of life for different nationalities to create multinational federation state" which was established at Dec.30 of 1922 under name the United of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Such undermined state must be exploded because any republic had national government and national elite which can has own interests. If federal center is weak, national elites can split up such state. We saw how the USSR was disunited in 1991-92.
I heard about "national rule of UN" which proclaim: if some state has more than 62% inhabitants of one nationality, such state consider as mono-national. Russia now has 85% inhabitants of the Russian nationality but government proclaim us as multinational state. It is clear that such state prepares to second crash. Every nation has hereditary traits of national character. We know as peaceful so unfriendly nations. In the beginning of 1920's, all Caucasian republics consisted "Caucasian federation" from Black sea up to Caspian sea. After disintegration of the USSR, some national elite (and most of all the Chechens) wanted to revive "Caucasian federation". Russian government leaded by pr.Yeltsin has begun "chechen war" but "chechen rebels" got some money from their Muslim brothers in Saudi Arabia and others. Many generals and Kremlin businessmen made huge money during "chechen war" (and do the same up to nowadays). Russian government has many problem with Tatarstan, Bashkiria, Kabarda, Ingooshetia, Dagestan and Tuva. Every republic has own national mafia. Federal Government transfers money to every republic from Federal Budget for stabilization economy. National elite & local Mafia divide almost all money among themselves. For example, Dagestan obtains 19bln. rubles (more 680million dollars) per year. Putin and his government prefer to pay off handsomely but not solve the national problems.
May you imagine such situation in the US?
Spanish-speaking republic demand to give back former Mexican territories!
International community supporting national movement under slogan: "Freedom of national self-determination for Texas!"
It is terribly to divide state territory along national "republics".

[DustyMoment]

Without it, nobody can understand what was the communist regime in Russia.

Excuse me!!?? I'll have you know that my father worked VERY deep in AF intelligence as was targeted for assassination by the KGB on more than one occasion. You think I don't know anything about you people!!?? Think again, pal. One reason that I will NEVER visit Russia willingly is that I know that the KGB still has records tucked away about my father and the rest of his family and I would never see the light of day again if I ever visited your country.

Thanks for playing, man.

[nativeRussian]

I can't understand your temper on me. I sincerely recommend you read above mentioned stunned book again. Unfortunately, I have it only in Russian. I can't find out this book in English via Internet.
And I did not play.

[DustyMoment]

I can't understand your temper on me. I sincerely recommend you read above mentioned stunned book again. Unfortunately, I have it only in Russian. I can't find out this book in English via Internet.

No, what you sincerely did was suggest that I am naive and ignorant about Russians. I know more about you and your country than you think. What part of "the KGB attempted to ASSASSINATE my father on more than one occasion" did you not understand?? What part of I can and will NEVER "willingly visit Russia" because of the existence of those KGB records on my father and his family (which includes me) did you miss?

The Russians are the authors of their own history. If you don't like the direction that Russia is heading, you have only yourselves to blame.

My advice is to get out of Dodge before Putin closes the borders and turns all of Russia into a new gulag. You still have choices, although they are growing fewer by the day. You're smart enough to figure out what is happening, if you stick around to watch it and become trapped, you have only yourself to blame.