Source: http://oko-planet.su/politik/politiklist/301881-rostislav-ischenko-rossiya-v-nevidimoy-voyne.html
Rostislav Ischenko
Translated by Seva
Russia in an invisible war
How could Russia in just 20 years, without wars or other perturbations, rise from a semi-colony to an acknowledged world leader, equal among the top ones?
Kitchen “strategists”, who sincerely believe that massive nuclear strike is the universal solution to any international problem (even the hottest one, close to military confrontation), are unhappy about the moderate position of the Russian leadership in the crisis with Turkey. However, they deem insufficient even direct participation of the Russian military in the Syrian conflict. They are also dissatisfied with the Moscow’s activities on the Ukrainian front.
However, for some reason nobody asks a simple question. How did it happen that all of a sudden Russia started not just actively stand up to the world hegemonic power, but successfully win against it on all fronts?
Why now
By the end of 1990s, Russia was a state that economically and financially was at the level of the third world. An anti-oligarch rebellion was brewing in the country. It was fighting an endless and hopeless war with Chechens that spilled over to Dagestan. National security was supported only by nukes, as to conduct any serious operation even within its own borders, the army did have neither trained personnel nor modern equipment, fleet could not sail, and aviation could not fly.
Sure enough, anybody can tell how the industry, including military, was gradually revived, how growing living standards stabilized the internal situation, how the army was modernized.
But the key question is not who did more to rebuild the Russian military: Shoygu, Serdukov, or the General Staff. The key question is not who is a better economist, Glaziev or Kudrin, and whether it would have been possible to allocate even more resources to social spending.
The key unknown factor in this task is time. How did Russia have it, why did the US give Russia time to prepare resistance, to grow economic and military muscle, to annihilate State Department-funded pro-American lobby in the politics and the media?
Why did not the open confrontation, in which we are now getting ahead of Washington, begin earlier, 10-15 years ago, when Russia had no chance to withstand sanctions? In reality, the US in the 1990s or 2000s started installing puppet regimes on the post-Soviet space, including Moscow, which was considered as one of several capitals of dismembered Russia.
Healthy conservatism of diplomats
The conditions for today’s military and diplomatic successes were being built for decades on the invisible (diplomatic) front.
It must be said that among central ministries the Foreign Ministry was the first to recover from administrative mess caused by the breakup of the early 1990s. As early as in 1996, Evgeny Primakov became the Foreign Minister, who, in addition to turning the government plane around over the Atlantic upon learning about the US aggression against Yugoslavia, turned around the Russian foreign policy, which after that never followed the US course.
Two and a half years later, he recommended Igor Ivanov as his successor, who slowly (almost imperceptibly), but surely continued to strengthen the Russian diplomacy. He was succeeded in 2004 by the current foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, under whose leadership diplomacy accumulated enough resources to switch from positional defense to decisive offence.
Among these three ministers only Ivanov received The Hero Star, but I am sure that both his predecessor and successor are just as worthy of this award.
It must be said that traditional caste closeness and healthy conservatism of the diplomatic corps contributed to rapid restoration of the work of the Foreign Ministry. That very unhurriedness and traditionalism the diplomats are accused of helped. “Kozyrevshchina” (the word is derived from the name of Andrei Kozyrev, the Foreign minister in 1990-1996; the word means “acting like Kozyrev”, i.e. in a subservient manner against one’s own interests – translator’s note) never caught on in the Foreign Ministry because it did not fit.
Period of internal consolidation
Let’s return to the 1996. Russia is at the bottom of the pit economically, but the default of 1998 is still ahead. The USA totally disregards the international law replacing it with its arbitrary actions. NATO and the EU are getting ready to move to the Russian borders.
Russia has nothing to respond with. Russia (as USSR before it) can annihilate any aggressor in 20 minutes, but nobody plans to fight it. Any deviation from the Washington-approved line, any attempt to pursue an independent foreign policy would lead to economic strangulation and subsequent internal destabilization – at that time the country lives on Western credits.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that until 1999 the power is in the hands of the comprador elite beholden to the US (like the current Ukrainian one), and until 2004-2005 compradors are still fighting for power with patriotic Putin’s bureaucracy. The last rearguard battle given by the loosing compradors was an attempt at a revolution in 2011 at Bolotnaya square. What would have happened if they had made their move in 2000, when they had an overwhelming advantage?
The Russian leaders needed time for internal consolidation, restoration of the economic and financial systems, ensuring their self-reliance and independence from the West, and rebuilding the modern army. Finally, Russia needed allies.
Diplomats had an almost impossible mission. It was necessary, without retreating on key issues, to consolidate the influence of Russia in post-Soviet states, ally itself with other governments resisting the US, strengthen them, if possible, all the while creating an illusion in Washington that Russia is weak and ready for strategic concessions.
The illusion of Russia’s weakness
One demonstration of the fact that this task was successfully achieved are the myths that are still alive among some Western analysts and pro-American Russian “opposition”. For example, if Russia opposes another instance of Western adventurism, it is “bluffing to save face”, the Russian elites are totally dependent on the West because “their money is there”, “Russia sells out its allies”.
However, the myths of “rusty rockets that do not fly”, “hungry solders building dachas for generals”, and about “economy in tatters” are essentially gone. Only marginals believe in them, who are not really incapable, but are too afraid to acknowledge the reality.
These very illusions of weakness and readiness to back off that fooled the West into belief that the Russian question is solved and prevented it from rapid political and economic attacks on Moscow, gave the Russian leadership the precious time for reforms.
Naturally, there is never too much time, and Russia would have preferred to postpone the direct confrontation with the US, which started in 2012-13, by another 3-5 years, or even avoid it altogether, but the diplomacy won 12-15 years for the country – a huge period of time in today’s rapidly changing world.
Russian diplomacy in Ukraine
To save space, I will give just one very clear example, most relevant in the current political situation.
People still blame Russia for not counteracting the US in Ukraine actively enough, for failing to create a pro-Russian “fifth column” to counterbalance the pro-American one, for working with elites, rather than with the people, etc. Let us evaluate the situation based on real capabilities, rather than wishful thinking.
Despite all references to the people, it is the elite that determines the state policy. The Ukrainian elite, in all its actions, has always been and still is anti-Russian. The difference is that the ideologically nationalistic (gradually becoming Nazi) elite was openly russophobic, whereas the economic (comprador, oligarchic) elite was simply pro-Western, but did not object to lucrative links with Russia.
I would like to remind you that not somebody else but representatives of supposedly pro-Russian Party of Regions bragged that they did not allow Russian business to Donbass. They also were the once who tried to convince the world that they are better for Euro-integration than nationalists.
The regime of Yanukovich-Azarov precipitated economic confrontation with Russia in 2013, demanding that despite signing the treaty of association with the EU Russia retained and even enhanced favorable regime with Ukraine. After all, Yanukovich and his fellows in the Party of Regions, while they had absolute power (2010-2013), supported Nazis financially, informationally, and politically. They led them from marginal niche to mainstream politics in order to have a convenient opponent in the presidential elections in 2015, while suppressing any pro-Russian informational activity (not to mention a political one).
The Ukrainian communist party, while retaining pro-Russia rhetoric, never had a shot at power, and played a role of convenient loyal opposition indirectly supporting oligarchs, channeling protest activity into venues safe for any (including current) powers.
Under these conditions, any Russian attempt to work with NGOs or to create pro-Russian media would be perceived as an encroachment on the rights of Ukrainian oligarchs to rob the country singlehandedly, which would cause a further drift of the Ukrainian officialdom towards the West viewed by Kiev as a counter-balance to Russia. The US would, quite naturally, see it as transition of Russia to direct confrontation, and would have redoubled its efforts to destabilize Russia and support pro-Western elites all over the post-Soviet space.
Neither in 2000, nor in 2004 Russia was ready to openly confront the US. Even when (not by Moscow’s choice) this happened 2013, Russia needed almost two years to mobilize its resources in order to give a strong response in Syria. The Syrian elite, in contrast to the Ukrainian one, from the very beginning (in 2011-2012) rejected the option of compromising with the West.
That is why during 12 years (from “Ukraine without Kuchma” action, which was the first unsuccessful attempt of pro-American coup in Ukraine) the Russian diplomacy worked on two key tasks.
First, it was keeping the situation in Ukraine in unstable equilibrium; second, convincing the Ukrainian elite that the West was a danger to their wellbeing, whereas reorientation towards Russia was the only way to stabilize the situation and save the country as well as the position of the elite itself.
The first task was successfully achieved. The US has managed to switch Ukraine from the multi-directional mode into the mode of anti-Russian battering ram only by 2013, having spent enormous amount of time and resources and having acquired a regime with huge internal contradictions incapable of existing independently (without growing American support). Instead of using Ukrainian resources for their benefit, the US is forced to spend their own resources to prolong the agony of the Ukrainian statehood destroyed by the coup.
The second task has not been accomplished due to objective (independent of Russian efforts) reasons. The Ukrainian elite turned out to be totally inadequate, incapable of strategic thinking, of evaluating real risks and advantages, but living and acting under the influence of two myths.
First – the West will easily win in any confrontation with Russia and share the spoils with Ukraine. Second – no effort, except the unwavering anti-Russian position, is necessary for comfortable existence (at the expense of Western financing). In the situation of choice between orientation on Russia and survival, or siding with the West and dying, the Ukrainian elite chose death.
However, even out of negative choice of the Ukrainian elite the Russian diplomacy managed to get maximum advantage. Russia did not let itself be sucked into a confrontation with Ukrainian regime, instead forcing Kiev and the West into the grueling negotiation process on the background of a low-key civil war and excluding the USA from the Minsk format. By focusing on contradictions between Washington and the EU, Russia managed to burden the West with Ukraine financially.
As a result, initially consolidated position of Washington and Brussels disintegrated. Counting on a politico-diplomatic blitzkrieg, the European politicians were not prepared for a prolonged confrontation. The EU economy simply could not support it. In its turn, The US was not ready to accept Kiev exclusively on its own payroll.
Today, after a year and a half of efforts, the “old Europe”, which determines the position of the EU, such as Germany and France, has abandoned Ukraine completely and is looking for a way to extend a hand to Russia over the heads of the pro-American Eastern European limitrofes (Poland and Baltics). Even Warsaw, which used to be the main “advocate” of Kiev in the EU, openly (although semi-officially) hints at the possibility of dividing Ukraine, having lost the faith in the ability of the Kiev authorities to keep the country together.
In the Ukrainian political and expert community hysterics about “the treason of Europe” is growing. Former governor of the Donetsk region (appointed by the Nazi regime) and oligarch Sergey Taruta states that his country has eight months to exist. Oligarch Dmitry Firtash (who had a reputation of the Ukrainian “king maker”) predicts disintegration as early as in the spring.
All this, quietly and imperceptibly, without using tanks and strategic aviation, was achieved by the Russian diplomacy. Achieved in a tough confrontation with the block of most powerful, militarily and economically, countries, while starting from a much weaker position and with the most peculiar allies, not all of which were or are happy about growing Russian power.
Breakthrough in the Middle East
In parallel, Russia managed to return to the Middle East, retain and develop integration within the post-Soviet space (Eurasian Economic Union), together with China roll out a Eurasian integration project (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), and initiate via BRICS a global integration project.
Unfortunately, limited space does not allow us to discuss in detail all strategic actions of the Russian diplomacy for the past 20 years (from Primakov until today). A comprehensive study would take many volumes.
However, anyone who would try to answer honestly how Russia managed within 20 years, without wars or upheavals, to rise from the state of a semi-colony to the state of a recognized world leader, would have to acknowledge the contributions of many people on Smolenskaya Square (where the Foreign Ministry is located – translator’s note). Their efforts do not tolerate fuss or publicity, but without blood and victims yield results comparable to those achieved by multi-million armies in many years.
Rostislav Ischenko, analyst of “Russia today”.
Having secured the new labor force through fully automated machines, what has left for the dominant elite now, is to take all the resources. Big corporations are grabbing huge cultivable areas especially in the developing countries in order to control food production.
Oil and natural gas fields in many areas of the planet are already controlled by big private corporations, except that there are two big barriers left to deal with: Russia and China.
The new cold war which started with the crisis in Ukraine, has not only to do with the natural resources of the vast Russian territory. It also has to do with the model that the Western plutocrats want to impose, which requires the absence of the nation-state in its final phase. Their various think tanks probably wrongly estimated that Russia had permanently passed to the neoliberal phase and would be an easy target, but Putin made them run.
What we see now, is a cruel battle with time. On the one hand, Russia and China, together with the rest of the BRICS, are trying to get rid of the dollar and form their own currency system to gain complete independence, on the other, the neocon banking-corporate puppets in the US are in panic and seek desperately a pretext to come to war with Russia and put an end to this threat for their plans. This explains their agony to drag Russia into a warm conflict.
Currently, Russia tries to decouple its economy from the neoliberal monetary monopoly.
http://bit.ly/1swMFLy
nmb,
You say, “Russia and China, together with the rest of the BRICS, are trying to get rid of the dollar and form their own currency system to gain complete independence,”
Where do you see evidence of this?
China has recently privatized her publicly-owned industries, opened her interbank sector to the West, and integrated herself more thoroughly into the IMF system. The Yuan has been included in the sdr basket of currencies through China’s satisfying IMF requirements which make it more vulnerable to financial attack by the West.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/brics-and-the-fiction-of-de-dollarization/5441301 The situation of the other three BRICS member states (Brazil, India, South Africa) with regard to the implementation of (real, rand rupiah) currency swaps is markedly different. These three highly indebted countries are in the straightjacket of IMF-World Bank conditionalities. They do not decide on fundamental issues of monetary policy and macro-economic reform without the green light from the Washington based international financial institutions.
http://www.voltairenet.org/article188188.html ” modus operandi of both institutions revealed that neither of them stimulates the process of de-dollarization [1]. The credits of the New Development Bank are denominated in US dollars. The same goes for the liquidity that the Contingent Reserve Arrangement provides. Furthermore, the endorsement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be necessary to act as a stabiliser for the BRICS’ balances of payment.
As you know, due to sanctions & low oil price, Russia’s economy has had difficulties not of her own making. The manner in which Russia’s Central Bank dealt with the crisis was entirely within the instructions of the IMF/Fed system. So entirely that Nabullina was given “Banker of the Year” award at an IMF/World Bank dinner.
Some people see the accumulation of gold from their own mining as a very hopeful sign that China & Russia intend to “become independent” of the IMF/Fed system. I don’t share that opinion, but at least it does no harm except to tie up Russia’s capital that is desperately needed to support economic growth.
When the BRICS institutions came into being alternative sites told us how wonderful they were & that they would undermine the dollar, but I noticed that they cited no facts. The tiniest bit of research showed this to be untrue. It may be that many commentators are still taken in by this wave of euphoric reporting.
I would like so much to believe that Russia intends to take control of her currency. If you are interested in learning about MMT, (Modern Monetary Theory) which Michael Hudson has been advocating, please consider this link as a resource: http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/
The data regarding India’s debt is from 2013. The situation is significantly better now.
India is serious about de-dollarization. Also, there will be major deals announced with Russia in a few weeks.
For two years I went back and forth. Now there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Russia is not fighting the empire’s monetary system.
There are so many clues they are actually all working together. What’s the game plan? I don’t know.
Aside from the economic angle, does anyone believe for a second that Russia would use the S-400 system it has place in Syria against a NATO incursion? Of course not.
But when you look at a map, you realize that the system covers almost the entirety of Israel.
You know, Anon…you sound pretty informed and knowledgeable, but you do not reveal who you are, so I can’t really take anything you say, seriously. sorry.
I would agree with the above poster. Whilst remaining a slave to the western money system there is no independence or any possibility of it. Many would like to think that there is resistance to the Evil Empire, but it seems a larger game is in play.
Both Russia and China are 100% on board with the IMF and World Bank and have a foreign controlled central bank, as such any claim to being outside the system is absurd. Both governments also continue to make statements suggesting they just want their seat at the table of subservience in a poly-world.
Would be delighted if otherwise, however…
Many people don’t understand how relatively weak Russia still is. For instance, none of Russia’s early-warning satellites are currently operational. The situation isn’t desperate–Russian ground-based radars *are* operational–but still, the situation isn’t ideal. This explains much of Russia’s caution.
Going beyond geopolitics, if someone is spiritual, he or she can pray that God would have mercy on the world.
Hmmm. look at that!!!!!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/11/soyuz-2-1b-eks-1-russian-early-warning-system/
I’m amazed that anyone imagines that Russia & China would tip their hands on their true intentions regarding the globalists. Putin kicked out the NGO’s and is vehemently anti-GMO. That’s enough for this reader who waits for a better world. China is a 5,000 year civilization. Did anyone read “The Double Helix” published a year or so ago? It detailed how China & Russia became staunch allies. They don’t stupidly taunt the West’s cabal leadership with foolish independent stances. No, they play chess. And they buy more gold. BRICS are breaking their own trail. India just rejected the TPP trade pact. Brazil is fighting to save itself from the empire’s attacks on its currency. Read the latest article by Hugo Salinas Price on his website on the waiting game they play. The US is sinking under a failing economy, continual domestic terrorism by its own govt, and incessant poisons from the sky chem trails. Americans are under siege. Meanwhile, it’s a waiting game as the hedge funds implode, more & more revelations about 9/11 surface, the terror incidents are debunked in a week, people have stopped spending and the list goes on. But the retirement funds are now being looted and the people will know. Chicago citizen protest Rahm’s regime of vicious cops. No, I don’t worry about Russia falling, I just hope Americans awake in time. Putin forgot more than the illegally elected president Obama ever could know.
China is closer to Russia than ever because of the stupid neocon policy. The US are seeing China as an economic threat. The dynamic and magnitude of China cannot be stopped. Therefore the US encircling China with military presence in Pacific (60% of naval forces) and thus China is forced to turn to Russia due to its military superiority. Recently, the West is trying to invade China by other means (http://bit.ly/1OrIAGT), because the economic wars against it have failed so far. It is an effort to brake the BRICS alliance and minimize the danger of an independent monetary bloc which will threaten the monopoly of the Western neoliberal monetary system.
MMT is sort of interesting, but in the end it seems to me just one flavour of mainstream neoclassical-ish economics, and has most of the same crippling vulnerabilities. For instance, it looks to me as if MMT, like Walrasian efficient markets, does not exist in time but in a single instant. Instead of all markets clearing, it’s about all accounting identities clearing; in both cases there’s no mechanism for dealing with things changing, and attempts to add one seem sort of “bolted on”.
I agree. Very few people understand China. Below the surface China has become a vassal state controlled by us.
One only needs to follow what is going on in the real world of economy, industry and high-technology to understand that China is intertwined with USA by 1000x more connections compared to Russia.
China still depends on the high-tech received from USA companies when talking about micro-electronics.
Many Chinese people, especially a lot of the rich ones (including many members of the ruling party), are desperate to emigrate in USA and not in Russia. Why ?
Big USA companies are also opening centers in China and are transferring know-how at a much furious pace than ever. Are they so stupid to empower they own future enemy ? I don’t think so, it’s a game of smoke and mirrors !!!
I also did swing back and forth about Russia and especially Putin. Lately I believe that Putin tries to save his country but he is losing and he is overwhelmed because, after all he is not at smart as we believe. Especially when finances come into play. Make no mistake, I believe he is very intelligent, but he is against a big bunch (tens or hundreds) of other intelligent and evil people. He also seems to be quite naive sometimes. Maybe he got indoctrinated too much by the religion and he believes one always needs to turn the other cheek after getting slapped (like a good sheep from the herd being driven to the slaughterhouse). From what I did read, Jesus also said to “sell your shirt and buy a sword if you don’t have one”.
Erdogan fooled him during the last 2-3 years. How many times did we hear about the master deal regarding the Turkish-stream ???
After the downing of the plane, maybe Russia/Putin should have sent a tactical Iskander missile at the Incirlik base and evaporate at least 50 planes form there.
China takes now advantage of the weak position of Russia in order to obtain petrol at an historical low price, and fixed for several decades. But eventually, they will stab Russia in the back.
Many Chinese people are as cunning as the jews, who they actually admire very much.
Brazil and Argentina are lost for at least a decade from a potential alliance with Russia.
Only India might remain faithful to Russia.
Putin should clean the house before it’s too late: starting with the traitors like Nabulina. Unless he is, after all, part of this worldwide masquerade before installing NWO.
After the downing of the plane, maybe Russia/Putin should have sent a tactical Iskander missile at the Incirlik base and evaporate at least 50 planes form there.
That’s among the most retarded things I’ve ever read. Not good to do yet better to keep as much peace, while the multipolar Alliance develops.
Only India might remain faithful to Russia
That’s because Russians are danavas from kashmir.
Maybe you are the retarded one. I’m sure that if a show of strength would have been done by bombing Incirlik, you would have been one the first to praise it.
Russia is being pushed in the corner and it’s running out of options, you moron. Proving they are willing to draw and stand for a red line, would in fact make many small countries from NATO to think twice about where they are being herded.
Unfortunately nmb, the BRICS are over. India is totally untrustworthy under Modi, and heading for civil strife as the Hindutva fascists crack down. South Africa and Brazil are falling into Depression, as US economic warfare, eerily like the debt crisis of the 1980s, hits home. The next Brazil regime, if not a military dictatorship, will be firmly in Washington’s camp. Argentina is gone, Venezuela toppling, Armenia being prepared for a Colour Revolution etc. Russia and China have one another, with Russia always at risk of a Colour Revolution. The Exceptionalist Empire is, and ever has been, remorselessly aggressive, and that will NEVER change.
The simplest way to explain this resurgence is that systems tend to return to equilibrium. No matter how badly Russia shot itself in the foot during the end of the Cold War, still one of the handful of continental scale nations, bound to be an important player.
I want to correct this sentence.
The Russian leaders needed time for internal consolidation, restoration of the economic and financial systems, ensuring their self-reliance and independence from the West, and rebuilding the modern army. Finally, Russia needed allies……
Shold be:
The Russian leaders needed time for internal consolidation, restoration of the economic and financial systems, ensuring their self-reliance and independence from the Natoists, and rebuilding the modern army. Finally, Russia needed allies……
“… They are also dissatisfied with the Moscow’s activities on the Ukrainian front. …”
Wrong. Dissatisfied with Putin’s inactivities on the Novorussian front.
“… Russia started … to … successfully win against it on all fronts …”
Wrong again. Read /week-nine-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-the-empire-strikes-back/ – a sober(ing) analysis.
Please no attackig guests – your next post will be in the trash.Mod TR
“Wrong.”
Being so categorical would make one expect a higher interest in your interpretation efforts. Certainly Ischenko means those you are keen to include too, don’t feel excluded by any means. Also keep in mind the prerrogative of doing anything is with the Russian Federation all the way.
“Wrong again.”
Why insist in mathematical qualifiers for appreciating things on the opinion sphere, it all depends on how one defines “win”. If Ishenko’s assertion is certainly disputable, and you reference a good counter view, howcome not building a mutually including appreciation instead of such a brainless dismissal?
Anonymous,
Your removed petulance is laughable, though annoying. Which is, of course, your removed goal.
Matching intellect with Rostislav Ischenko is so far over your reach, you become farcical.
Removed. Please note the moderation policy – no attacking other commenters – some of your comments have been removed. Please keep it polite. I think the other commenter has got the message.Mod TR
Expressing a difference of opinion on a subject matter is not a personal attack. Saying that a statement is wrong does not violate Saker’s moderation policy: /moderation-policy/
Mr. Ischenko’s points seem to have flown right above your anonymous head…
Think again! Russia’s point is to not further radicalize the situaton in its own backyard, but to calm it down and bring the “play” closer to/ into opposition ground; War in Ukraine, as Ischenko notes, will only lead to further adding petrol to the fire by the Empire and subsequent militarization/ weapon build-up in Europe (remember the “ZATO Parade” in Eastern Europe? http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/dragoon-ride-us-army-convoy-rolls-through-eastern-europe-reassure-countries-bordering-russia-1494208) and almost certain attempts to destabilize Russia internally.
Furthermore, it is always economically more exhaustive waging wars at your own doorstep, because war only creates destruction and disconnection, a part of which has been going on for a while, be it direct and physical (refugees, infrastructure failure, currency attacks through the AngloZio dominated global “markets”) or less visible – at least in short term – economic destruction, for example higher military and humanitarian expenses with parallel economic sanctions, disruption/ disconnection of established trade ties, as well as reduced revenues from oil and gas sales through Saudi shooting themselves in the head on the altar of Zionism ( http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-10-10/why-oil-plunging-other-part-secret-deal-between-us-and-saudi-arabia ).
Now throw in a hot war in Novorussia and do the math, “war hawk”… ICBM’s can literally only be put to use once and Russia is desperately trying to avoid that. Ever since the war on Serbia in ’99 and to this day I have admired Russian foreign policy’s diplomacy through calmness and utter respect for established laws, principles and institutions of international law. Can you imagine what would be left of the world if Russia had its own “John McInsane” as a Foreign Affairs or Defense or, God forbid, Prime minister?
@ LXV
While you may call others “war hawks” (your term), others may consider you and the author of the above officially sanctioned masterpiece – “kitchen “strategists”” (his term).
The fact stays, however, that along with the well-deserved great praises of the policies and achievements of the present regime in Russia, there are equally well-deserved serious criticisms of these. One part of the latter regards aspects of its internal economic and social policies, a very, very big topic. Another, prominently includes aspects of the Novorussian conflict – a mixed bag (while dropping Libya, etc., etc., are at least less visible now). Concerning Syria, one may say that Saker’s analysis /week-nine-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-the-empire-strikes-back/ provided an excellent balance in assessing the present situation.
Incidentally. Concerning “… Ever since the war on Serbia in ’99 and to this day I have admired Russian foreign policy’s diplomacy [etc.]…”.
That is your privilege. However, I sincerely hope that you are not including here the war on Serbia in 1999. The criminal action of NATO, bombing of the helpless nation for over eleven weeks, from 24 March to 10 June 1999, was matched only by shameful inaction of the Russian government at the time, which did not even try to send any military supplies to brotherly Serbs – or even seriously raise its voice against the abominable crime. (Of course, that was under the alcoholic Yeltsin, over half a year before he appointed Putin, so is outside our present discourse…)
That “helpless nation” was waging wars from 1991 on Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
@Anonymous – I’ll take a “pragmatic pacifist kitchen strategist” over a “lunatic emotional chickenhawk” every day of the week… since the difference implies the latter’s expectations of someone else’s sons & daughters being the cannon fodder in the realization of their insane ideas of world domination.
This civilization is done with. Better luck next time!
False, Serbia did not start any of the Yugoslav wars.
Thanks, Ischenko, (& Seva for translation):
The revival of the Russian Nation, almost given up for dead in 1990, is the Key international reverse that the Zionist-American imperialists did not count on (they never believed it possible; they never saw it coming).
The strengthening of Russia, with its ability to resist the imperialists, is the foundation for a revival of a healthy, multi political and multi economy centered world; and only that world is capable of hosting a prosperous, safe, democratic, and happy community of peoples.
And in America:
It is to be hoped that we, American Citizens, can do our part in this positive surge, by Restoring our Republic, that was destroyed by the Zionist-American Terrorists on November 22, 1963.
President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” would be a nice VISION for our citizens to aim at achieving.-
-freedom of speech and expression, freedom to worship God in ones own way, freedom from want “which…means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peace time life for its inhabitants…” and freedom from fear “which…means a world-wide reduction of armaments…”
For the Democratic Republics, from Russia, to France, to America, and all who wish to travel this road!
I don’t think they were expecting what happened in China either. We’re all used to it now, but think back 20 years or so–nobody expected the economic growth to continue this long or move this high up the tech chain or involve massive infrastructure creation. Everyone, certainly most American policymakers, just thought China would become a gigantic Philippines, a place full of sweatshops basically going nowhere, convenient as a place to make profits but no real threat.
China’s economic growth is slowing–but then, so is everyone else’s, and most US economic growth is now a product of cleverly redefined and probably outright falsified statistics. China’s still stalling politically and in some ways economically, trying to postpone the most serious confrontations. And I can see why.
Consider: By some measures, China’s economy has now reached parity with the US. Say for the next ten years China grows average 5%/year and the US grows 1%/year. At the end of that, China’s economy is nearly 1.5 times as big as the US’. And with the New Silk Road stuff, not only that but all their allies will have much bigger, stronger economies as well. Major shift in the world’s centre of gravity.
Of course, before 10 years is up there will almost certainly be at least one more major financial catastrophe, probably considerably more serious than the last one. But China will probably weather that better than the West as long as they maintain the capacity to step on the financiers if they have to. That’s the main risk in China’s game, that all the financial froth they’re allowing so as to look less threatening to the system will manage to take over, and I’m not sure how well the leaders see that risk.
FDR is not a hero in my book anymore.
FDR insisted that Henry Wallace be his running mate in 1944. He was outflanked by ‘the Empire/US oligarchs’. There is evidence that he was slowly poisoned to death. Had he lived and/or Wallace become president, the world would be a very different place.
The plan to destroy the USSR/Russia has been the plan of the US deep state for decades.
Agreed.
Now that the cold war is turning in to a hot war, past luxuries like vodoo economics or let’s call it neoclassical economics will be a much bigger burden on Russia in the future. Glazyev, Katasonov, Khazin or not, dear held beliefs will turn out to be mirages. Russia can resist and probably will have the means to resist, by doing business as usual, but there are factors that can turn the odds against Russia. In my opinion the two most important factors will be the political-economic condition and the scientific-technological development.
We all have limited knowledge about all relevant variables and there is inherent uncertainty – I hope I will be wrong about my negative outlook on Russia’s long term prospects given the existing political-economic situation.
“European politicians were not prepared for a prolonged confrontation. The EU economy simply could not support it. In its turn, The US was not ready to accept Kiev exclusively on its own payroll. ”
-Certainly EU is more capable of a prolonged confrontation than Russia. Something Russia wants to avoid at all cost is being drawn into and trapped in something.
No it isn’t, the EU is the weakest as it’s ever been. I live in the EU and the sheer amount of problems are beginning to fragment it. The inner contradictions of the EU and their consequences are becoming critical. Institutions (Lageso, Bamf, law [f.e. on immigration] becoming irrelevant. (Financial-) Sovereignty is but a joke in the face of structures like the EU commission, the ESM … New and old protest movements gain traction. Not to speak of the unresolved refugee crisis and Eastern European member states obstructionism (Polaks being the most strident). This is just a small window into what is happening.
Nobody is interested in the Ukraine as far as the population is concerned. Nobody wants it, nobody wants to pay for it. The EU is a bureaucratic abomination, barely able to hold on to Greece and other members considering to get * out of dodge and leave it (like the UK) as soon as possible. For more and more member states, the EU is becoming a synonymous with a hostage situation.
Well EU still has more money then Russia, and EU is not really paying for Ukraine it is IMF that does.
I live in EU as well, and although some countries disagree with the sanctions against Russia, if anything the the Ukrainian situation, has served to unite and energized the anti-Russian front in EU.
The anti- Russian sentiment is definitely there, esp. with the elites and functional elites in the press. But I don’t see it to be majority position. Most people don’t want a conflict. Amazingly all the propaganda did not change attitudes towards Russia significantly, too many lies have been told, too much of it became public.
Starting to underwrite the junta in Kiev will call into question austerity politics .All the funds are already earmarked for rescue operations, subsidies and so on. The insistence on a balanced budget is reducing available funds. Macroeconomic markers show that indebtedness is rising in member states not falling. The ECB has the entire south on life support and we still see deflationary trends (credit-portfolio in general).
Indeed, anti-Russian sentiment is largely focused on in the western elites and some eastern European immigrant groups.
One the other side, pro-Russian political parties are exploding in popularity in almost every western country, these are often nationalist,conservative, traditionalist parties challenging the PC elites, and they vary between netural towards Russia to pro-Russian, not a single one is pro-NATO and anti-Russian. This is true from Sweden in SD to Germany in Afd, to UKIP in UK or FN in France.
I meet many people, 80% of which are very anti russian automatically , no reasoning, this is in the middle age group 40-50’s , this is what USA has been doing poisening the world against Russia as much as it can.
The same you can meet 80 percent in Russia that don’t like Americans.That the politics and propaganda
Yes.
I link to this again in case someone missed it, as an entertaining illustration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGc7yCZQ8CE
Star Trek Next Generation ‘Peak Performance’ ending S2E21
(“I busted him up”)
I find this very pertinent. Russia does not have to ‘win’ but continue playing without losing because the balance of power continues to shift towards it over time, while the EU and empire is falling apart. Russia is somewhat like a sheet of strong, well anchored, rubber: it’s easy to displace the surface a little, but the hard one pushes the greater the resistance becomes, the less tenable the ground on which one stands, and the higher the cost of pushing.
The sanctions against Russia, for instance, did immediate, but not very significant harm, while the counter sanctions not only weaken the EU long term but also builds Russia’s strength as it becomes industrially and financially independent and stronger.
We can find similar instance of the principle in past attempt to conquer Russia militarily. One can start the war, but can’t finish it.
I would counter that the burden is on its unity not on its capacity. Whence goes the unity so does the capacity.
“Certainly EU is more capable of a prolonged confrontation than Russia.”
Well. yes and no. What Western supremacists tend to forget is the fact that as far as their beloved Zionazi Oligarchs are concerned, war is not an option — it’s imperative for their very survival as plain, all-out parasites. Really, if it were up to them alone, it’s questionable whether Planet Earth would be inhabitable at all by now.
In real life, however, the picture looks completely different. The EU is beset by such a long-lasting, profound rot and decay that a “prolonged confrontation” — especially against an adversary of Russia’s stature — would lead to complete disintegration, chaos, and upheavals; most notably in its southern periphery. Russia, by contrast, has solidified immensely and her people are much more self-reliant and perseverant. Zionazi satanism and Cultural Marxism are just not any defects to be reckoned with there, Forget about any mass base for Pussy Riot; ain’t gonna happen.
Conclusion: For the ZIonazi Oligarchs to survive (both as a class and physically), then Russia must be defeated, absolutely yes. But a violent, prolonged confrontation with Russia is risky, to take understatement to the point of caricature. With a Maidan stunt in Russia out of the picture, the sole option are the traitors running the Russian Central Bank.
” managed to burden the West with Ukraine financially.”
-But is that really a burden for the west? USA can just print as much money as it want, and Ukraine just got more loans from IMF. While Russia is burden with Crimea and Donbass financially. And no doubt the west has more economic resources then Russia.
Factually it’s their burden. Yes they could generate the money with a keystroke, but they don’t. By breaking IMF rules the US signals, that it won’t be a reliable financial partner to any country, that isn’t a vassal and with this in mind the end of the dollar reserve currency status will be accelerated.
End of dollar reserve currency keeps being repeated by I don’t see it happening, will it happen at all? Maybe, will it happen soon? Maybe, the end of dollar reserve currency seems very abstract as troops are being killed by NATO funded wahhabist and nazists right across the border.. The war is almost here now.
To be more precise: the eroding status of the dollar as the sole reserve currency. No serious financial analyst would write about the disappearance of the dollar as a reserve currency. The US is actively working on its remaining dollar region. TPP and TTIP are a part (sure, not solely for that reason) of this project. China will push for the yuan to become the second reserve currency.
Ugh, these economics are so slow and boring, and nobody seems to actually understand what will happen, everyone is saying their system is better, and that the other guys system will collapse at any moment. I feel like Ron Paul has been saying the crasch is coming the crasch is here for decades.
Money is not wealth and the capacity of the US to generate real wealth continues to diminish (utilization, unemployment, outsourcing, limits to natural resources). Russia has immense real wealth and is growing as it modernizes, reindustrializes, and secures trade with non-empire partners.
What holds up the value of the dollar reserve currency is that it is the biggest reserve currency. This is like someone being famous for being famous, rather than doing anything, and that can crash very quickly. It’s a bubble.
Something else is the capitalists the world over put their ill gotten wealth in US$’s thinking it is safe. The amount of money involved from chinese, indians, russians alone were enough to cause shortages of high end apartments costing over 2 mil.. If these people left their loot in their own countries, the government might take it since it really is from plunder.. Heck London survives on plundered loot.. The more the US destabilizes other countries the more money that flows into US$’s.. It is a perception problem where criminals think the US is safe.. Mostly because no other government can touch them. But you are right, it is a bubble built without any fundamentals except perception and that can change quickly.. So the US needs to keep the world de-stablished so it dont itself fall apart. I think Russia showing it is military powerful must be sending shock waves..
Yep! I agree.
The lowest scum of the earth, plundering their own countries and sending the loot to the west. Around 8 TRILLION of this loot has moved into the west in the last decade.. Over 1 Trillion from Russia alone.. 1.5 Trillion form China, 500 billbion from india and 500 billion from mexico. The US/UK dont seem to have problem with corruption as long as the money flows into their own financial centers. This is what keeps the US$ strong. Also why the elites the world over wants to move to the west. Stopping the movement of this loot to the west should be a priority of every country. It would stop a lot of the crime and poverty that’s present in the world. The US itself prevents money from flowing to the outside with money laundering and tax provision codes.
Every year, roughly $1 trillion flows illegally out of developing and emerging economies due to crime, corruption, and tax evasion. This amount is more than these countries receive in foreign direct investment and foreign aid combined. This week, a new report was released that highlights the latest data available on this “hot” money. How does this “hot” money leave these countries? Global Financial Integrity has calculated that 83% of illicit financial flows are due to what it calls “trade misinvoicing”.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-12-11/visualizing-worlds-hot-money
brief explanations of how “offshore” havens work. The one at the link below covers the basic-basics reasonably well.
http://barlowscayman.blogspot.com/2013/01/offshore-tax-havens-what-they-do.html
They got to where they are for the same reasons the Americans got to where they are: arable land, forests, minerals, oil and gas.
The Nazis nearly destroyed the Russians but didn’t, and they made a very rapid recovery after the war, so much so that they were able to match the Americans, who had absolutely no attacks on the mainland during the war.
The Americans lost any hopes of turning Russia into a colony because they are Americans. The more money they spend on the military, the more likely they are to lose wars. The more they spend on school, the dumber they get. The more money they spend on “health care,” the sicker and more diseased they get. The more they spend on fitness, the fatter and more injured they get. Now they have no arable land (they eat GMO fossil fuels), no minerals (imported), no manufacturing (imported), junk grade oil and gas (good stuff is imported). The only produce things that no one wants: toxic GMO mutant food, low grade unprofitable petroleum products, and garbage. And now they are almost out of water. Americans are just not a substantial challenger once you get past the false advertising. Even their multi billion dollar high school parade color revolutions aren’t working as well as they used to.
Russia had to deal with the Nazis. Then the Teutonic knights a few times. Then the dreaded Mongol horde. All were by far more capable then anything the Americans could do at the time, and Russia defeated all of them except the Mongol horde (Mongols left after succession crisis). Still they managed to survive the siege of Oddessa(?) where the horde launched a single plague-ridden corpse over the city walls and killed 5 million people over the course of 5 years.
Still, the American can still be dangerous. They just haven’t been so far. Their new production weapons are almost exclusively dedicated to infrastructure disruption done so in plausible deniability (EMP cruise missiles, HERF drones). Russia has changed over the years and has become a commercial industrial economy (Russia=gazprom, etc) and have integrated with the global economy. Their infrastructure is defenseless (Crimea powerline attack) and if solely attacked on that level, Russia can be beaten. Any country can. But if anyone challenges in a WW2 style battle, Russia will win.
In order for Russia to survive such an attack, they would have to convert their security forces into fortified infrastructure (probably too expensive; country is too vast), and use PMCs and paramilitaries in foreign affairs.
Wouldn’t be wise to rely on BRICS. It’s already falling apart. Brazil is in full economic crisis. China is choking on its own pollution and is already having setbacks on infrastructure projects (NIc canal). The only countries that seem to be not having problems are Iran and South Africa.
Iran is not part of the BRICS
Russia and China should ensure that Iran aquire full SCO membership in early 2016.
Tehran would be an asset to the organization.
The SCO should then transition into a Military Alliance with collective defense for its members.
This would definately give the NATO groupies something about.
Every country has its problems. C’est la vie. South Africa is no exception. From a South African newspaper http://beta.iol.co.za/news/politics/king-praises-apartheid-regime-1956136
Just answer one question, and you’ll have your answers for all the others.
Who financed Russia’s recovery?
My answer would be the same ones behind its collapse.
“who financed Russia’ recovery?”
The question shouldn’t be who, but what? Answer: oil. The rise in the oil price financed Russia’s recovery.
Russia has been through death – and is now experiencing the resurrection. This is the secret of the future. And because America refuses to die — it has become the world’s most menacing nation.
You are referring to the Zombie Apocalypse, no doubt?
Thank you to the translator and Ischenko for this excellent article.
Excellent article but is the western hegemon aware of how all this played out and should they be given the chance to adjust tactics through what they can learn here?
It seems the US now owns Ukraine, Myanmar, Argentina, Venezuela. just a few of its achievements in the last few months. US also has global finance backing it due to the petro dollar.
Russia needs more than diplomacy to protect itself now.
Russia also needs to be able to offer protection to countries that do not wish to be taken over by the US. Perhaps Russia is not capable of that at this stage but unless it can do so it will be isolated as US gradually gains control of more and more countries.
US has set the precedent that there are no rules in this game, international law is worthless.
Peter,
Surely the key to Russia’s being able to protect others & herself must be economic development & growth. There is an obstacle: The IMF/Fed system requires that she may print her own currency only in an amount equivalent to the worth of her export sales– like all countries categorized as “developing”. She has a shortage of rubles, which are onlly 25% of her circulating currency. The rest is dollars & euros.According to Starikov’s free online book, Russia may not even use her central bank reserves as collateral to issue investment capital or credit.
Nabullina is not the problem; she is a protege of Putin. She served as economic assistant & helped to interview applicant for head of central bank. Putin chose her instead.
Russia’s weakness is due to her failure to implement her own sovereign currency. The commenter above who criticizes MMT has no knowledge of it. MMT returns control of currency to the govts of nations. You saw what happened to Greece because she no longer controls her own currency. Voters have no power when monetary and economic policy is decided abroad.
When nations are free to issue their own currency and credits as needed, there is no need to borrow worthless dollars, nor to endure crippling IMF “conditionalities”. Nor to be forced to produce for the export market rather than for their own people’s needs. Wherever there are unmet needs while there is willing labor the problem is the money supply. The IMF/Fed system is designed to keep poor countries poor.
Ischenko poses this question:
“The key unknown factor in this task is time. How did Russia have it, why did the US give Russia time to prepare resistance, to grow economic and military muscle, to annihilate State Department-funded pro-American lobby in the politics and the media?”
The Neoliberalcons allowed them because they became full of themselves and drowned on their hubris as they became infatuated on fulfilling the Greater Israel Plan in support of Israel and implementing Vision 2020’s Full Spectrum Dominance. All of which grew out of GWH Bush’s New World Order, which was left to Clinton to implement. It was only toward the end of Clinton’s regime that this mistake of allowing Russia time to recover became clear, thus the Project for the New American Century was announced and outfitting the WTC for the implementation of an updated Operation Northwoods began. In other words, Clinton essentially ignored Russia during his second term even more than his first since the IMF and World Bank had their hooks deeply set into Russia’s fabric and was controlling Russia just as much as so many other unfortunate nations. And with Yeltsin as comprador, Clinton assumed Russia would remain down and out; and he was almost correct.
I would need to examine the internal documents, but I’m fairly sure the priority to control Russia fell sharply after Yeltsin’s 1993 attack on Russia’s Parliament and as the economic and demographic disaster deepened, beginning to look like a black hole. Eventually, Russia, like Cuba, would become low hanging fruit ripe for picking whenever. And as with Cuba, that assumption was 100% false. We should all be thankful for the hubris of the Neoliberalcons as we’re thankful for the lack of military acumen by Hitler. Their great errors in judgment allow for their eventual defeat.
“The Neoliberalcons allowed them”
Assigning sole or prime agency is always a form of self-imposed blindness, a form of hubris.
Mr. Ischenko has limited his exposition within a time frame and subject as he acknowledges by
“A comprehensive study would take many volumes.”
However some may caution him on the use of “comprehensive”.
“We should all be thankful for the hubris”
This is acknowledged in many ways including, but not being restricted to, the use of terms such as “colleagues” and “partners”.
“It was only toward the end of Clinton’s regime that this mistake of allowing Russia time to recover became clear”
Some would suggest the Senate investigations of August/September 1994, the cancellation of the no bid Harvard contract, the return of Mr. Aslund and Mr. Sachs were of significance in illustrating schedule.
However a paradigm shift method was then implemented including but not restricted to NGO’s, the replacement of one paradigm with another leading to “surprises” which encouraged “looping” and reliance on increased levels of hubris.
To paraphrase Mr. Andersen – the Emperor and his procession gathered their clothes together and marched on.
It would appear that the procession continues perhaps as a function of candoness?
“I would need to examine the internal documents…,”
If serious using physical post send a research request and synopsis initially to the Office of the President, The Kremlin, Moscow.
Try to remember the use of titles, first names and patrinomic as those who use designations such as “Yeltsin” and those reliant on assertions such as “with Yeltsin as comprador” will likely not be taken seriously.
It’s always pleasure reading Rostislav’s insightful thoughts.
Most excellent article…don’t you think Uncle Bob ? For this paragraph I have a question..
“All this, quietly and imperceptibly, without using tanks and strategic aviation, was achieved by the Russian diplomacy. Achieved in a tough confrontation with the block of most powerful, militarily and economically, countries, while starting from a much weaker position and with the most peculiar allies, not all of which were or are happy about growing Russian power.”
What are the peculiar allies.?..sorry I should know this answer and it will be obvious to me, once I do know, but this quite adorable way of phrasing has left me mystified.
Yes,I did like it.
Statistics: Russian air strikes against #Syria September 30th – December 8th
https://twitter.com/Missilito/status/674993513763840001
How many times is Maheen going to be captured and recaptured?
Source in Sadad: Russian Air Force is relentlessly bombing ISIS in Quraytayn and Maheen
U.S. war on Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is considered “fighting terrorism” – Russia’s war on the Chechen mujahideen is considered a “massacre”
Another scumbag from the dirtiest city in Syria (Jisr Al-Shughour) was killed by the SAA. Sectarian scumbags.
Terrorist Zakarya Ibrahim was aborted in Darayya. I don’t know why this terrorist ended up with a black-eye.
One of David Cameron’s moderate Al-Qaeda rats was euthanized by Hezbollah in southern Aleppo:
The leader of the terrorist group “Liwaa Suqour Al-Jabal” was killed by the SAA. Yes, that’s dandruff on his beard
Lol you couldn’t pay me enough money to touch that terrorist’s hair. It’s probably lice and dandruff ridden.
Argentinian mercenary killed by the Houthis in Yemen. Mercenaries from 10 different countries have been killed now:
https://twitter.com/leithfadel
Its amazing that they have only moved like 2km in the last 2 months in this direction even with all the heavy firepower..
Syrian Army Inches Closer to the Most Important Turkish Border-Crossing
The rebel frontline in the Lattakian governorate has largely crumbled as the SAA, National Defence Forces (NDF), Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) and Al Muqāwamat al-Sūriyah (Syrian Resistance) have captured more than a dozen villages from insurgents during the past month.
If the SAA and their allies were to capture Rabi’ah and Salma, rebels would be forced to abandon the Lattakian province and flee to Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib. Furthermore, this would have the government surround the Islamist Jaish al-Fateh coalition in the province of Idlib from 3 flanks.
https://twitter.com/TheArabSource/status/675200131935936512
Not much movement in s.allepo either..
The situation in #South Aleppo Dec10, 2015 / HD : http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/archives/599 #SAA #Nusra #LF
https://twitter.com/deSyracuse/status/675000628196810752
This is what we have all been waiting for…..
Another Russian Su-25 in #Syria with rocket pods
https://twitter.com/AbraxasSpa/status/674895210724401152
Syria #Latakia #Lattakia #SAA “Navy Seals”
https://twitter.com/IvanSidorenko1/status/675177515040772097
Map Showing Who Controls what this Morning @ Northern Countryside of #Latakia #SAA #NDF
https://twitter.com/IvanSidorenko1/status/675134881156960256
SAA Special Forces From Zahi Mountain in #Latakia
https://twitter.com/Ibra_Joudeh/status/675128270279581698
WATCH: #ISIS captured VBIED destroyed by #SAA T-72 Tank around #Palmyra #Tadmor
https://twitter.com/Syria_Protector/status/674977357644566530
SAA New equipment: The #Russian bomb-launcher AGS-17 and The #Chinese Type 87 .
https://twitter.com/Syria_Protector/status/674951896172507136
A worthwhile article for sure. He strikes me as a modern courtier of sorts, though. Has he ever said anything bad about the actions of elite groups in Russia? Can’t remember any. So it fits that he doesn’t think it matters that Russia ignored the thinking and feelings of Ukrainians who weren’t in the elite. He is very elitist. Intelligent and knowledgeable, but not really a neutral observer.
And, in line with this courtier approach, he makes things sound better for Russia than they actually are. The cost of the Ukraine Project to the US has not been that great. And the results in terms of damage to Russia have been dramatic. He tries to make Russia’s failures in soft power seem like a strategy. Not only was Russia unable to create effective NGOs, but Russia had trouble defending against those of her enemies. And not just in the Ukraine, but also in countries like Armenia. The people in the Russian Foreign Ministry may also feel that it doesn’t matter what the average person feels in countries like Armenia or Latvia. After all, the elite set policies. If Ukrainians in 2014 had had the same feelings towards Russia as they had in 2000, would the war in the Donbass have even happened? There is a whole generation of strongly anti-Russian young people, and in places like Kiev or even Kharkov. Maybe not responding to this phenomenon was good judo, but that is hard to believe.
Not denying the great progress Russia has made, but wasn’t it through things like modernizing the military, and not the Foreign Ministry? The elite may set policies, but they need a certain amount of buy-in from the masses. The Ukrainian masses, including native Russian speakers with Russian surnames, are often Russophobic these days. It goes without saying that all kinds of business opportunities are lost when a generation or two think that Russia is terrible and don’t even want to visit.
The good news is that he will likely praise Russia’s soft power once they get it working. And say how vital it is.
“Not denying the great progress Russia has made, but wasn’t it through things like modernizing the military, and not the Foreign Ministry?”
Perhaps these will aid illumination.
/russia-in-an-invisible-war/comment-page-1/#comment-185948
/russia-in-an-invisible-war/comment-page-1/#comment-185963
How will Russia counter the 30.5 million dollars of US tax money assigned to the 2016 destruction of rt.com? Involved in the success of any efforts to do this is the total surveillance that is being accepted,permanent and global?
Russia’s so far successful war on ISIS in Syria is actually the war it must wage against the US hegemony which fills it’s ISIS. In fact ISIS is being militarily defended by US NATO members.
NATO is presently ‘giving’ it’s members the duty to become totally lawless as is the homeland accomplished by 9/11…false flag. Black lives in US clearly do not matter and their pain has become the billboard to proclaim utter lawlessness globally. Police terror will not stop unless the US is stopped. EU is terrified of Washington. Every US false flag strengthens Washington. They are daily and span the globe…making the isolated continent international status, giving it face when it had no face but say “Coca Cola”, atomic power.
“Involved in the success of any efforts to do this is the total surveillance that is being accepted,permanent and global? ”
Once upon a time there was an organisation that indulged in comfort eating.
If memory serves it called itself STASI.
Over-eating can give rise to insecurities giving rise to greater reliance on comfort eating.
“I think there’s an infinite loop there that could cause indigestion. “
Means condition ends, but some ends are not precluded solely by means.
Perhaps the link below affords a preferred illumination of integration within one paradigm and attempting paradigm shift – attempting to substitute one paradigm for another and being reintegrated through reliance on and use of paradigms – put simply looping the loop:
http://commons.commondreams.org/t/the-us-language-of-terror-and-a-history-of-preemptive-aggression/16317/8
Evaluation criteria and methods if based on paradigms condition ends as some of the opponents realise – the catalysts of realisation including but not being limited to “surprises”.
More soldiers sent home after their 3 year long being seiged at Kweires air base.
SAA soldiers from #Kweires returning to #Latakia last night
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/675254445333217280
One of the terrorists who was right in the center of the strike actually ran faster than a sprinter after the strike.. Just shows what being high on drugs can do to zombies..
#Iraqi Chinese armed combat drone CH-4B conduct a precise strike against #DAESH terrorists gathered to unloading arms. #iraq #ISIS
https://twitter.com/Hamosh84/status/675089269879386116
The women in the photo are waving red PDPA flags. PDPA is the same pro-Soviet party USA was arming the “mujahideen” against. @USEmbassyKabul
When this photo was taken; you were funding, training & arming the “mujahideen” who took away all their rights.
https://twitter.com/LinaArabii/status/675072449306865668
I say kill them all first.. Let god sort out who is moderate and who is a terrorist.
Syria opposition groups say ready for talks with Assad
Syria’s main opposition groups agreed at unprecedented talks Thursday to negotiate with President Bashar al-Assad’s regime but insisted he must step down at the start of a political transition.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/contents/afp/2015/12/syria-conflict-opposition-saudi-assad.html
President al-Assad: Russia’s policy towards Syria is based on values and interests, the West is not serious in fighting terrorists
Damascus, SANA – President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to the Spanish EFE news agency in which he stressed that the Russians’ values and interests in their policy towards Syria are not in contradiction, noting that as long as the US is not serious in fighting the terrorists, the West won’t be serious.
The following is the full text of the interview:
President Assad: Actually, you cannot shoot yourself in the foot. Now the whole war in Syria, since the beginning of the conflict, was about who is going to bring more Syrians to his side. That was the war from the very beginning. How can you shoot the people and get their support? This is impossible. But at the same time, there is no good war; every war is a bad war. So whenever you have a war – something you should avoid but you cannot avoid – any war, will have civilian casualties, will have innocent casualties. This is a very bad and dangerous aspect in any war. That is why we have to end the war. While to say that the government attacked the civilians, what is the point, what do you get from attacking the civilians? Actually, the reality if you want to go around in Syria, you will be surprised that most of the families of the militants, they don’t live with them, they live under the umbrella of the government, and they get the support of the government, which is another proof that we don’t work against the civilians or kill them, otherwise they would not come to the government’s side. So, those allegations are false allegations.
http://sana.sy/en/?p=63857
So ashley said he would embed US special forces to support terrorists to attack the Syrian government..
Putin’s answer…
#Russia #Putin says Russian military will ‘destroy’ anyone who threatens its forces and assets in #Syria (#Turkey) https://t.co/DbnDRcdAcx
Russia: #Kremlin spokesman: the future of #Syrian President Bashar al-#Assad determined by the Syrian people and not Russia #Syria24
Check out the latest piece surveying the rebel factions of north Latakia, from FSA-brand to jihadist, written by a biased writer full of imperial propaganda.. They are ALL terrorists but you get an idea of the bunch…
http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/the-factions-of-north-latakia/
Seriously.. wooooooow…
Why Russian military vehicles are awesome..
https://twitter.com/Souria4Syrians/status/675035765949210624
Assad lied and his people died!!!!!
S300 in Syria..
https://twitter.com/2Rook14/status/675307915838889984
The advanced civilization that emerged in the Soviet Union, including their superior educational system, will spread all over the world very soon. Anthropological studies of the civilizational process demonstrate that this is inevitable.
First get back to natural, healthy, racial religion which was rejected by inside Enemies. Internal enemi is infinitelly more dangerous than external because he is not recognisable.
Fake, anti national – anti Racial cults aka “religious are mortal enemies!
1000 years of christianity followed with 100 of bolshevism, (bolshevism==christianity without mask of religion) are doing its long run job of exterminating WHOLE Slavic race, not only Russians. See what they did to Poles and Ukraininas, Brain damage ireparable!
May be, just may be, Russians by using lightenings of Nikola Tesla (aka TESLINE MUNJE) can find final solution?
Putin, the chess master’s moves in Ukraine were brilliant.
The Anglo-Zionist empire attempted to create an anti-Russia in Ukraine but was foiled by Putin creating an ant-Ukraine in Donbass!
His sanctions on EU agriculture were similarly brilliant as EU farmers have a lot of political clout.
His entry, and its timing, in Syria was also top-class and so was the daily achievements of his navy and air force.
Is there any country in the world that doesn’t want him as their president?