Putin issues sharp warning to US, vows to counter 'imperialism'

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

MOSCOW (AFP) - President Vladimir Putin issued an acerbic warning Friday to the United States, saying the recent test of a new Russian missile was a direct response to US actions and condemning "imperialism" in world affairs.

"Our American partners have quit the ABM Treaty," Putin told reporters after meeting his Greek counterpart, referring to the landmark 1972 US-Soviet treaty limiting the missile defenses of the Cold War superpower foes.

"We warned them then that we would come out with a response to maintain the strategic balance in the world. Yesterday we conducted a test of a new strategic ballistic missile with multiple warheads, and of a new cruise missile, and will continue to improve our resources."

The United States informed Russia in 2001 that it was exercising its option to withdraw unilaterally from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) pact. It has since stepped up controversial plans, fiercely opposed by Russia, to deploy a missile defence shield in eastern Europe.

Putin warned Wednesday that the US missile defense plan would turn Europe into a "powder keg" and he repeated on Thursday previous assertions that the planned deployments would ignite a new Cold War-style arms buildup.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070531/pl_afp/russiauspolitics_070531135109

[TwilightGardener]

1. Could we piss off MORE countries? Is that possible? Would be ironic

if Chimpy re-started the Cold War.

[Virginia Dare]

2. I think he already has...

there's a giant iron curtain around the entire U.S. right now.

[TwilightGardener]

6. You're right--amazing that we can be overaggressive AND isolationist

at the same time.

[originalpckelly]

25. Yep, the border fence is going to be keeping people in soon, not keeping them out.

People are so stupid to not realize that fences don't magically disappear for US citizens and not for Mexican/other citizens.

[maddezmom]

3. I think we're already in the midst of one

[snappyturtle]

4. This situation proves bush hasn't a diplomatic bone in his body. nt

[paparush]

21. The Chimp is a Full Service Deciderer...

You get you hot war.

You get your cold war.

Hey, it aint easy destroying the known world.

[Igel]

42. It pays to know the kinds of popular literature that are extant.

There's no shortage of works saying that the USSR actually won WWII, but the ignorant Westerners took credit for it--after letting their lapdog, Hitler, do severe damage to the communists. (You see, FDR was in league with Hitler.)

All the rumors about Warsaw Pact oppression and abuse of Poles under the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact ... lies, to humiliate the Russians. A Jewish/Western/Capitalist/Anglophone conspiracy.

And the collapse of the Soviet Union was arranged by spies and the US ... to take advantage of the Russians. Bush and Clinton *wanted* the Russians to suffer economically, to reduce the birthrate and life expectancy of Russians, you see--Bush I and especially Clinton hated the USSR and Russians. (Actually, there are those that are convinced *Stalin* was a Western plant, and Russia was set up by the Jews and Westerners when Lenin was imposed on them.)

No shortage of works in the last 10 years that are the mirror image of Red Dawn--Russia responding to a scurrilous American (or Western) attack, and wiping the floor with fascist American butts. Please note that this genre started under *Clinton*--the entire Kosovo business was prima facie evidence that both dems and repubs want to kill Russians, lest the Russians show how great and wonderful they are. Since everything in the universe exists only in relation to Russia, *'s statements about the jihadis are about Russia.

In short ... A Slavic Salafist movement. Putin wants to go back before the greatest tragedy in the 20th century happened. And a lot of the underclass that like him (remember Putin has excellent support stats) believe precisely what the xenophobic literature says. Even what Putin says carries a whiff of paranoia and xenophobia, and a desire to avenge the suffering and humiliation that can only be somebody else's fault (not the Russians').

[napi21]

5. I remember how glad I was when the US & Russia agreed to

begin destroy many of their nuclear bombs. Finally there were some honest leaders in this world who recognized it was INSANE for people to constantly be trying to kill each other!

Obviously the Shrub crowd didn't share my enthusiasm!

Sometimes I wonder if the world will survive until January 2009!

[myrna minx]

7. I think we have proof positive that Republicans should be marginalized to

the loyal opposition and leave governing to the grown ups.

[Miss Chybil]

8. Thanks, Bush. nt

[ramapo]

9. Wait until you hear the rhetoric

I am sure the MSM and most politicians will get on the bash Putin bandwagon. Perhaps Ron Paul can give another lesson showing that every action has consequence.

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has constructed military bases throughout the former Soviet-bloc. The various-Stans and Bulgaria are just two that come to mind immediately.
The US has more than 700 bases scattered across the world. Is it any wonder that the Russians might complain about US imperialism?

I often wonder just how long will the the rest of the world put up with our shenanigans.

[frankieT]

10. Exactly ! thank you !

If Russia started building bases and missile systems in Central America I wonder how US would react ?

[DianaForRussFeingold]

22. like the Cuban Missile Crisis and like the Bay of Pigs !

The United States government became increasingly concerned about the new Fidel Castro administration, which had become a major focus of the new Kennedy administration when it took office in January 1961.<2> In Havana, one of the consequences of this was the fear that the U.S. might intervene against the Cuban government. This fear materialized in April 1961 when Cuban exiles, trained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, staged an invasion of Cuban territory at the Bay of Pigs. Although the invasion was quickly repelled, it intensified a buildup of Cuban forces that was already under way. U.S. armed forces then staged a mock invasion of a Caribbean island in 1962 called Operation Ortsac. The purpose of the invasion was to overthrow a fictitious leader named Ortsac ("Castro" spelled backwards). Castro soon became convinced that the U.S. was serious about invading Cuba.<3> Shortly after the Bay of Pigs invasion, Castro declared Cuba to be a socialist republic and entered close ties with the Soviet Union leading to a major upgrade of Cuban military defense. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War among the Government of the United States, the Government of the Soviet Union, and the Government of Cuba.

The crisis began on October 14, 1962 when U.S. reconnaissance imagery revealing installations on the island were shown to U.S. President John F. Kennedy and ended days later on October 28, 1962, when Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev announced that the installations would be dismantled. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. The United States armed forces were at their highest state of readiness ever and Soviet field commanders in Cuba were prepared to use battlefield nuclear weapons to defend the island if it was invaded. Luckily, thanks to the bravery of two men, President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev, war was averted.

:hurts: :hide:

[MetaTrope]

16. Not just military bases..."enhanced interrogation" centers

There's probably a pretty good market for pliers and jumper cables over there right now.

[cliss]

19. Not sure, but I've read it's even more.

I thought I saw a reference to ~ 2,760 bases worldwide.

Now if THAT ain't Imperialism, I don't know what is.

[David__77]

11. I hope strategic balance is maintained.

I don't want one country to have a free hand. Strategic balance is a factor for world peace, which is ironic, because it relies on massive expenditure of resources of military affairs by such a country as Russia.

[donkeyotay]

12. Excellent news! Defense contractors, start your calculators.

Oohhh, this not be cheap! A neo-arms race!

You know, while our attention has been directed at the fiasco in Iraq, has anyone else noticed that our crime family and Putin's seem to be engaged in a fight over Russian oil? All that talk about spies and democracy...I was looking at an old article about Poppy going to Moscow on behalf of Carlyle, and the whole thing about Yukos and half the assets going to the Brits.....there's a whole lot more going on there than meets the eye.

[AX10]

13. Bush is a thousand times worse than Reagan ever was.

At least Ronnie signed onto arms controls. Bush has taken the nation over the deep end.

[Vidar]

14. Go ahead, George, invade Russia. See how well that works out.

[Cha]

27. Does Russia have

OIL?

[Vidar]

37. Oh yeah.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

15. How far backward has the US moved since Bush has been in office?

It's amazing how much damage he's done in such a short period of time.

[bdamomma]

39. cuz, * does not give a shit, he's a ideologue and a very sick one.

[FiveGoodMen]

17. Role Reversal!

[TheLastMohican]

18. George looked into Vlad's soul?

When Vlad looked into George soul he found 3 empty bottles of liquor forgotten in the dusty attic.
Remember how Putin humiliated Bush on G8 summit last year about Iraq democrasy as paragon for Russia? The journalists were laughing their arses off.

[UpInArms]

20. some of us were watching - even then

How Long Can You Tread Water?

In July, the US walked out of a London conference to discuss a 1994 protocol designed to strengthen the 1972 Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention (which had been ratified by 144 nations - including the United States) by providing for on-site inspections. I wonder if the knowledge that could have been gained then would have helped to understand the threat of anthrax and who possessed the technology to use this as a terrorist threat? (Note: In Geneva in November 2001, US Undersecretary of State John Bolton stated that the protocol is "dead" while accusing Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan and Syria of violating the Convention while refusing to offer specific allegations or supporting evidence.) Also in July, the US opposed the UN Agreement to Curb the International Flow of Illicit Small Arms and the International Plan for Cleaner Energy, being the only nation to oppose either of these agreements and plans. Did the opposition to such accords allow the terrorists to arm themselves at the expense of American lives?

The week prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States withdrew from International Conference on Racism, which brought together 163 countries in Durban, South Africa. If we had attended and listened to the participants of this Conference, would we have learned more about the view held by other countries to the expanding powers of the policies of the United States and how the effects of such were influencing opinions of the disenfranchised?

By November, the Bush administration's disdain for humanity became obvious when it forced a vote in the UN Committee on Disarmament and Security to demonstrate its opposition to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. This Treaty was signed by 164 nations and ratified by 89, including France, Great Britain and Russia. Continuing on in December, the US Senate again added an amendment to a military appropriation bill that would keep US military personnel from obeying the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Treaty, which would be to set up in The Hague to try political leaders and military personnel charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC was signed in Rome in 1998 and approved by 120 countries, with seven opposed (including the US).

Also, in December, the United States officially withdrew from the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty (ABM), gutting the landmark agreement. This is the first time in the nuclear era that the United States has renounced a major arms control accord. Cold Wars are no longer in vogue, it would appear that we like ours hot.

The pattern of unilateralism becomes obvious when all of these acts are viewed together. Taken separately, they barely mark as blips on the radar of the American public. Only when viewed as a whole does the position of the current administration take its shape. We, these policies say, do not wish to coexist with other nations. We don't care what you think. I heard that said before this year. In the inimical words of George Walker Bush, "Who cares what you think.", to a fellow citizen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 4, 2001.

[whistle]

23. Dick Cheney must have just had an orgasm and Dubya is beating on his chest

:wtf:

[Honeycombe8]

29. Cheney having an orgasm? (shudder shudder)....

Now THERE'S a visual I could've done without!

:puke:

[19jet54]

24. Rape, Pillage, Burn and Destroy!

Skull & Bones "Bush" motto! :nuke:

Just how much more damage to US relations can he do before he LEAVES finally?

[Blue_Tires]

26. i hear bush has called in gen. turgidson to advise him on the matter

so i've stopped worrying!

[Dark]

28. A dictator who can't even feed his own people is wasting his money on THIS?

Sounds to me like someone has some imperialism of his own to deal with.

[babylonsister]

30. Russia: Cold War arms race is starting again

Source: Telegraph.uk

Russia: Cold War arms race is starting again

By Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 3:14am BST 31/05/2007

The Russian foreign minister today declared that the Cold War arms race has restarted, 24 hours after Russia announced it had tested a missile capable of breaking through any planned US missile shield.

Russia's new intercontinental ballistic missile takes off from Plesetsk launching pad.
The new RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile is fired from its launch pad today

Sergei Lavrov said that "strategic stability" was being damaged by America's plans to erect a "Son of Star Wars" shield able to shoot down enemy missiles.

Elements of the system will be based in Poland and the Czech Republic, two former Soviet satellite states.

"I think that those who are professionally aware of this problem understand that there is nothing ludicrous about this issue because the arms race is starting again," he said. "Strategic stability is being damaged."

more...

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/30/wmissile130.xml

[Lautremont]

31. That Bush. Anything to get into the history books.

Restarting the Cold War. Sheesh. Duck and cover, everybody.

[silverweb]

32. Of course.

There's nothing the military-industrial complex wants more than to restart the cold war. They've made trillions from it in the past and they want to keep right on raking in the loot.

War is good business, whether it's hot or cold. Cold is just considerably less publicized and less messy, thus much less unpopular.

[babylonsister]

33. Yes, and here's an interesting article to attest to that:

War Is A Government Program

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x285179

[unkachuck]

34. of course, Sergei....

....there's big money to be made; a new generation to be threatened and raped then sent on its way without adequate education and healthcare; there's big money to be made, for our fascists know how to efficiently coerce corporate socialism at the end of a gun....

[CHIMO]

35. Putin Defends Tests as Response in 'Arms Race'

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said the country's recent tests of new missiles were aimed at maintaining "global peace," defending them as an appropriate response to an increasing U.S. military presence in Europe.

In the latest sign of cooling relations with the United States, Putin suggested that Washington's actions were provoking an arms race.

"Bear in mind, it wasn't us who initiated the new round," Putin said, adding quietly, "of the arms race."

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/06/01/011.html

Maybe more than one holy alliance being started as China seem to be out of their picture,

[cassiepriam]

36. Bush is a genius. For screwing things up.

[Phrogman]

38. Remember, that "cold war" was a real moneymaker for the MIC

theres big money in big weapons

[Screwfly]

40. Well, the neo-cons tried

plundering the natural resources of Russian by buying up everything with straw man purchases and that didn't work. So I guess they'll try bankrupting Russian into submission with an another cold war. This will probably backfire on the neo-cons since a small donation of munitions to the right group goes a long way towards countering yankee imperialism.

[Supersedeas]

41. I bet our Doctor of Sovietology suddenly feels relevant--and it took such hard werk

to get to this place -- where Russians and Americans begin to hate one another again.

Good job, Condi.