Posted on 04/17/2006 9:08:56 AM PDT by Wiz
"But the KGB agents and Russian leaders are Communists at their core, just like the Chinese leadership is."
Well, I would agree that both sets of leaders believe in the real "ideals" of communism, which is to say; mass murder, lies and every form of deceit, torture, mass starvation, propaganda, subversion of democratic governments, etc.
At this point in time, we have to recognize that the word "communism" has so many meanings as to be almost meaningless.
Personally, I would say China is a communist country because it is still ruled by the Communist Party. I would say Russia is not a communist country because the Communist Party has been pretty much deposed.
I feel the rulers of Russia today are primarily a group of people who used to rank high in the KGB. The KGB was an organization that loyally served Communism of course, but I suspect they appreciated communism more because it provided them with power than anything else.
Certainly, the KGB is still running its network of spies inside Russia and utilizing them to control the population there. For that matter, I am quite certain that they are still running their network of spies inside the United States, Europe, Japan, and most of the rest of the world as well. Certainly, they are still willing to kill, blackmail, create illnesses in people, deceive, etc.
If you mean that the present government in Russia is longing to re-institute the old communist economic system inside Russia---I really don't think so. This system made Russia poor and ultimately started to make them militarily weak. The old communist system supported millions of worthless Communist Party apparatchiks whose job it was to minutely control every aspect of the economy. I realize the current Russian system is nontransparent, crony capitalism---but it is still more free and open and communism was and still creates more wealth than communism did. So I don't believe the current rulers of Russia want to re-create the old communist system in Russia.
Unfortunately, this does not benefit the United States and Europe as much as people had hoped. These current rulers of Russia still want to destroy the United States---and they and their agents of influence continue to help lead Europe down a path of ever-increasing weakness and, ultimately, poverty as well. These current rulers of Russia still practiced subversion almost everywhere just as they did when they were servants of the Communists. The fact that they have fooled people---including President Bush---as to their motives just makes them more dangerous, not less so.
And of course, the Left around the world is still led in large part by Communists. While the majority of the members in these Communists organizations do not know it---practically all of these organizations were founded by the Russians and the current government of Russia still controls them. Because most of the people in these organizations never knew they were a tool of the Russians in the first place, it doesn't matter that the Russians are no longer "communists". As to the few savvy people at the top of these organizations, they also believe more in power and privilege then communism. If there were any real "idealist" communists in these top posts who wouldn't go along with the changed government of Russia---I'm sure the KGB disposed of them.
They even have a 24-Hour English language news channel you can watch over the Internet.
I think modern Russia is driven by a characteristic of Russia throughout the centuries, the desire to be a maverick country. To be different, for the sake of being different. Russians are leery of being too closely tied to any alliance, even if it may be in her best interests.
But as Churchill said, "Russia is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma." I think Russia is not what it appears to be. I believe that Putin plays a game of publicly going against the US. This gains him trust with our enemies. Using this trust, Russia gains information that gets passed on the US, valuable intelligence we couldn't get any other way.
It is the same for china. The communist party in China exist in name only. For all other purposes, it is a fascist government like Russia is.
Russia does not pass intel to us, unless it is WOT related. It is the same with the Chinese.
"It is the same for china. The communist party in China exist in name only. For all other purposes, it is a fascist government like Russia is."
Yes, the Chinese have also completely abandoned the economics of the Communist model.
"Yeah the "free" country which make living by stealing russian gas from pipe. "
You Russophiles continue to claim this as fact but there is never any substantiation. When Putie kicked Europe in the nuts on Jan 1 to show off how "powerful" Russia is, there was a great outcry so then he started crying that he didn't shut off the gas - but that the Ukes stole it. Make up your mind already
When Putie kicked Europe in the nuts on Jan 1 to show off how "powerful" Russia is, there was a great outcry so then he started crying that he didn't shut off the gas - but that the Ukes stole it. ==
On Jan 1 Gazprom shutted delivery to Ukraine but continue to Europe. SO Ukrainians began to steal europian gas. Well-known facts. In Russia they say that europian gas got just "ukrained".
Europians got it right hence they hop up to NEP project now. Today even Poland wants to participate. Everyone needs not opposed energy supply.
The gas route coming through Ukraine and the gas got "ukrained". Means stolen.
Recently Ukraine owed $700 mlns and fail to pay so soon we will see new shutout of gas delivery to Ukraine and for longer period. If Ukraine continue to steal then Gazprom will be compelled to shutout gas for Europe too.
Force-major. The impossibility to deliver when the merchandise got stolen during transportation. Then see who will be blamed for that:).
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