Posted on 08/05/2006 12:27:13 PM PDT by Flavius
The Russians have allegedly sold weapons to countries such as Iran, Syria, Venezuela, and other terrorist-supporting nations. After the US-led invasion of Iraq, Russian-made weapons were found.
As a result, the US government placed sanctions against American business dealings with two Russian companies selling arms and weapons systems to Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin blasted the United States on Friday for imposing such sanctions on two Russian corporations.
Putin called the sanctions an “illegitimate attempt to make foreign companies work by internal American rules,” after the US banned all American companies from dealing with two Russian firms that sold hardware to Iran.
One of the companies, Rosoboronexport, is headed by Sergei Chemezov, a former member of the KGB who worked with Putin in East Germany during the Cold War.
President Putin explains, “These sanctions, which the US unilaterally imposes on other countries and their organizations, are an obvious political and legal anachronism.”
The US Department of State says the companies were helping the Iranians to develop weapons of mass destruction, as well as cruise or ballistic missile systems to compliment its upcoming nuclear power.
According to an MSNBC report, the sanctions could have far-reaching implications; U.S. companies such as Boeing, works with Sukhoi in Russia and is a large customer of VSMPO-Avisma, a Russian titanium company, which has been targeted for a takeover by Rosoboronexport.
Under the sanctions, no American company can deal with the banned Russian firms for two years.
While some observers are criticizing Bush for the ban, it’s not the first time Putin has made a move against the US. Recently, President Putin’s government forced Russian radio stations to stop broadcasting news reports from the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Ironically, according to the VOA, President Bush praised his Russian counterpart Putin for his “helpful role” in international diplomacy.
The sanctions will be the first time the US government has taken action against the Russians. For many years, government officials turned a blind eye to Russian duplicity.
For instance, when the US called for an arms embargo on Iran last April for its defiance on its nuclear programs, the Russians ignored the call. Russia was already in the process of selling Iran 29 TOR M1 mobile surface-to-air missile defense systems and went forward with the sales.
The United States had hoped that the United Nations Security Council could impose sanctions on Iran for its nuclear programs. It’s hardly a surprise that Russia has been reluctant to do so.
“Why are people so surprised that the Russians are not cooperating? They stand to make a lot of money selling arms and military technology to Iran, especially since they lost a good customer in Iraq,” said one intelligence analyst.
Russia’s arms and technology transfers to Iran have created diplomatic and security headaches for Washington, as Tehran develops some fairly sophisticated military capabilities and builds ballistic missiles armed with weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that threaten US interests and allies in the region. Even more troubling for Washington, the US has been able to do very little about it and its options seem limited.
In addition, intelligence experts believe — as with the Saddam regime in Iraq — Russian intelligence officers are assisting the Iranians. Jane’s Intelligence Review reports that while the KGB was dismantled, the Russians are continuously growing a huge intelligence network that is deeply entrenched in the Middle East.
It’s believed that Russia is hosting Iranian intelligence officers at their training facilities and academies in order to upgrade their training in intelligence gathering and analysis, covert actions, and strategic planning.
In spite of the enormous amount of evidence that Putin’s government has repeatedly worked against the United States, the Bush Administration appears to be oblivious to the Russians’ duplicity on the world stage. When documents and tape recordings indicated that Russian military officers were in Iraq assisting the Iraqis prior to the US-led invasion, and that their assistance went so far as to provide Iraq’s dictator with US invasion plans, the silence in the Bush White House was deafening.
The sanctions against two Russian companies may be a good beginning, but that’s all it is — a beginning.
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com. He’s also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He’s appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri’s own website is located at http://jimkouri.us
F the commie bastard.
I wonder if Russia had troops in another country fighting a battle and they found American made weapons, just what would the KGB Putin do?
I have always felt that President Bush made a BIG mistake taking this guy for a 'friend'.... and I think President Bush will be learning this fact, if not already....
Its never a bad thing trying to forge a friendship if it improves, ours and the worlds affairs...now however friendship shouldnt be an option I say lets restart the cold war.
True. FTB. "B" stands for "baboon".
I guess they would have no problems with our corporations selling munitions to the Chechen rebels?
I get this feeling that one of the sanctioned companies really sold some crucial nuclear equipment and parts or Russia wouldn't be making such a stink.
In order to "blast" somebody, you have to at least have a leg to stand on in your argument. I'm sure Mr. Putin would be Mr. Magnanimous if he found out America was selling weapons to Chechen terrorists.
This reminds me of the constant stories during the Klinton years of Bubba and his wife "lambasting" Republicans in Congress, then going to soundbites of one or both of them angrily rambling about nothing in particular.
When it's some commie or 3rd world tinhorn dictator bitching about a Republican administration or congress, it's "slamming" and "lambasting". If it's a Republican taking somebody to task, then it's "complaining", "lamenting", and "rhetoric".
Related thread; http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1677925/posts
I'm shocked. / sarc
Bring back the bread lines.
Puts him in the company of Pelosi, Reid, Murtha, the two Cindys, etc.
I wonder if Russia had troops in another country fighting a battle and they found American made weapons, just what would the KGB Putin do?
I have always felt that President Bush made a BIG mistake taking this guy for a 'friend'.... and I think President Bush will be learning this fact, if not already....
.jpg)
To be added or removed from the list, please Freepmail me..
Iran to continue relations with Russia despite UN resolution
I don't know...it seems to me that, without fail, Russia ALWAYS does what's best (or at least what seems best) for Russia...and with Russia, and especially with Putin, we never really know what's actually going on...let's say for a minute that not only did Russia sell Iran nuclear materials, but had contractors intimately involved in the installation and operation. Uh oh, right? Maybe I'm crazy, but wouldn't that mean that Russia would have the exact locations and status of Iran's entire nuclear arsenal? Sounds like pretty good information to have to me. And Russia has much more to gain from doing America an intelligence favor that they could cash in on in the future than propping up the Iranian clowns whom they have no love for anyway. Putin may be a communist bastard, but he is indeed a smart communist bastard, and a communist bastard who thinks more than one move (or one news cycle) ahead.
Unlike some of our "leaders".
Was that remotely cohearent?
Putin is the arms merchant to the jihadic terrorist instigating régimes of Iran and Syria.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.