US Accused of Instigating Russian Revolt

New York Times ^ | December 3, 2007 | Associated Press Staff

[america4vr]

A pro-Kremlin youth movement said it will distribute fliers Monday accusing the United States of planning to incite ''thieves and traitors'' to rebel across Russia -- a move that reflects an increasing strain in Moscow's relations with Washington.

Organizers for the group, Nashi, said Sunday it is mobilizing against an alleged threat of a Western-inspired revolt following Sunday's parliamentary victory by President Vladimir Putin's party.

United Russia won a solid victory in the election, cast as a referendum on whether Putin should remain Russia's de facto leader after he steps down as president in May.

The leaflets, which appeared on several Web sites before the vote, seem aimed at rallying Nashi activists in case anti-government protests break out in the wake of the elections.

One side of the leaflet praises Putin's victory while the other accuses the U.S. of enlisting Putin critics to try overturning the results. A cartoon depicts Uncle Sam sitting on sacks of money with names of Russian opposition leaders written on them.

''They wanted traitors and thieves to win,'' the text says. ''Between Dec. 3 and 6, before the official announcement of the election's result, (the traitors) will try to seize squares and buildings, provoke disorder, take our victory from us.''

A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman called the claim ''ridiculous.''

The Nashi move follows Putin's allegations that Washington sought to discredit the vote by pushing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe not to send observers to monitor the election -- the claim denied by both Washington and the OSCE. Putin also denounced Russia's liberal opposition as ''foreign-fed jackals.''

International monitors said Monday that the election fell short of democratic standards.

[america4vr]

Seems like the old days in the new "old" Bolshevist Motherland. Elections where you vote for the guy in charge or else, hardliners in control, surreal headlines of US incitement to undermine the regime, treaties broken..

[bad company]

Looks like halftime is just about over.

[Cindy]

ON THE INTERNET:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=putin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=nashi

[Thrownatbirth]

Very Clintonian - establish a fake grassroots organization to discredit your enemies.

[Son House]

whether Putin should remain Russia’s de facto leader after he steps down as president in May.

If Putin were a decent man, he would just step down. Boris Yeltsin did.

[Tigen]

So how much did the gas go up today?

[BallyBill]

A pro-Kremlin youth movement ..("Young skulls full of mush")

I don't like the sound of that.

[LIConFem]

Here we go again.

[SmithL]

RYMB?

[monday]

Russians love tyrants for some strange reason. Stalin killed millions of them and the survivors and their descendants applaud him for it, then go out and elect his replacement. So strange.

Perhaps they have a death wish? They certainly don’t want to live in peace and prosperity. All Putin will bring them is misery and despair, again.

[justa-hairyape]

Hey Putin, it goes over better if you give the conspirators a cool name. Like for example something along the lines of a ‘Vast Right Wing Conspiracy’. Then whenever Russia suffers a terrorist attack, you can blame the attack on the VRWC or something that the VRWC caused. Of course you can always borrow you friends Chavez phrase. He calls he opposition ‘Fascists’. Oops. That probably would not work very good for you Putin.

[AnimalLover]

bttt