Valeriy Romanov for The Saker Blog
This is my first article under the general heading “View from Russia.” I would like to pre-empt it by informing American readers that the leading Russian TV channels regularly have political shows on which there are heated debates on the most pressing issues of world politics. Both Russian and American, Israeli, German, Polish and Ukrainian political scientists participate in the broadcasts, and former and current politicians of various countries speak via video link. Unfortunately, repeated appeals from representatives of the Russians to the Western media have not received positive responses for cooperation and participation. That is why we have decided to eliminate this gap to some extent with a series of articles where we bring to American readers a generalized vision of Russians on various issues of international policy with hope for improving US-Russian relations.
And so, I begin with presenting one of the latest shows called “Evening with Vladimir Solovyov”, which took place on 12.12.2019.
In the last section of the TV show, and it usually goes for 2-4 hours. The issue discussed was a bill on the recognition of Russia as a country that supports terrorism. The bill was introduced by Colorado Senator Cory Gardner who had recently defected from the Democratic to Republican Party.
I will not retell all the controversy but will focus mainly on the point of view held by the representatives in the debate on the Russian side.
The shows host V. Solovyov expressed surprise at the actions of the Senator. He said that representatives of the political elites of the United States do not understand how much grief the residents of Russia experienced at the beginning of the formation of their new state after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The terrorist attacks that occurred in Beslan, in Budennovsk, in Nord-OST, in Moscow apartment buildings, and in other cities greatly shocked Russians. Most of the US Congressmen probably do not know or do not remember these events. It is also forgotten that it was the Russian special services that warned the relevant US services about the upcoming terrorist attack in Boston, but then the American side simply ignored this warning.
The Russian President was the first of the leaders of the world community to call George W. Bush Jr. and express sympathy and condolences to the entire American people in connection with the tragic events of 9.11, and then made a public statement about the tragedy.
At the same time, as the facts indicate, at various times the US government indirectly supported or directly financed the Afghan and Iranian Mujahideen, al-Qaeda, and the Kosovo liberation army, which the US first included in the list of terrorist organizations. Moreover, the US government quietly excluded Ukrainian nationalist military formations which in fact are the successors of the ideology of fascist collaborators during the Second World War. The United States is constantly confused and changing the names of such organizations, calling them the fighters for independence, the insurgents, the rebels, and then terrorists.
It is clear that young Senator Cory Gardner needs to be re-elected in 2020 in some way, and his “Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression (DASKA) Act seeks to increase economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin in response to Russia’s interference in democratic processes abroad, malign influence in Syria, and aggression against Ukraine.” https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/foreign-relations-committee-passes-gardners-hard-hitting-russia-sanctions-package
It is his only initiative during his time in the Senate.
It is clearly not made from a deep understanding of the matter, nor from a greater mind. He is clearly not interested in the consequences of making such a decision, he just needs to be re-elected and this initiative allows at least something to say about himself to the general public, as well as to get a sufficient amount of money for his election campaign from the customers of this provocative initiative.
How can we simultaneously consider such an initiative and immediately talk about expanding economic ties with Russia at the last meeting of foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with Mike Pompeo? How can a member of the UN Security Council be declared a sponsor of terrorism? What evidence can be presented to the Senate to support this?
After all, what can be attributed to the concept of aiding and abetting terrorism? The fact that the weapons used by terrorists almost exclusively come from the United States; they are not captured by them as a result of fighting; not bought from illegal sellers of weapons; they come almost directly from the United States. To do this, the Congress allocates about 500 million dollars to Bulgaria and Ukraine for the purchase of American weapons, and those weapons are forwarded to terrorist organizations. This path is easily traced by the marked numbers on the weapons.
The panelists opined on the need of adopting a legislative act defining the role of the US and its Western accomplices in bringing despair to the peoples of several States of the Middle East, including the loss of state sovereignty of some of them.
Isn’t this open terrorism? Hundreds of thousands of people died from the chaos created by the Americans on the territory of these States. The fact that Ukrainian politicians (in particular, former defense Minister A. Gritsenko, etc.) often talk about the need to organize terrorist acts on the territory of Russia and this threat has real evidence – is it terrorism?
During the fighting with the Donetsk and Luhansk self-proclaimed republics, 14 thousand people were killed, the vast majority of these were civilians. In this regard it was questioned why Turkey firmly and consistently declares that it will not allow anyone to kill in Syria Turkomans, and Russia has been allowing Russians to be killed on the territory of Ukraine for many years. It should be borne in mind that before the revolution, Crimea and some other regions were inhabited mainly by Russians and their territories historically were Russian provinces, and Ukraine itself was part of Russia. Only part of Western Ukraine was annexed after the Second World War.
When the panelists moved on to define what could be called terrorism, Forbes columnist Ariel Cohen suggested a definition, describing it as the murder of children and women (I would correct – civilians) for political purposes. He cited the example of the Soviet Union’s assistance to terrorist organizations. To which the show host countered that the Soviet Union supported national liberation movements from colonial regimes. This ended in 1990, but the United States supported and still continues to support such bloody regimes as the Pinochet regime, armed conflict in Nicaragua (Iran-contra), death squads in El Salvador, the Syrian free army, and others. The CIA and the Pentagon took out the leaders of terrorist organizations by helicopters and trucks from Raki.
During the discussion, a question arose to the representatives of the United States – Who in America determines foreign policy? To which Ariel Cohen stammered, under the laughter of the audience, that in the United States according to the Constitution, foreign policy should be determined by the President. But since the country is currently embroiled with impeachment and accusations of bribery in foreign policy, it is determined on the one hand by the President of the country, on the other by the Senate and Congress and foreign policy agencies, including the state Department, the Ministry of defense, and the intelligence services.
The host of the show, agreeing with the description of the situation, recalled the satirical interlude of Arcady Rayikin “Who made the suit? “When the measurement of the client and the sewing of one suit were entrusted to several masters, as a result of whom the buttons were sewn firmly, the seams were smooth, but the sleeves and legs of the suit were different in length, and the material of different parts of the suit was different.” As a result, there was no one responsible for the sewn suit. This is also the case in the country’s foreign policy. In the international arena, no one will understand who to negotiate with, who makes the final decision, who to trust, and how, in the United States, there is little trust between the branches of government and between departments.
Russian political scientist Dmitry Drobnitsky expressed confidence that the responsibilities for foreign policy in the country, to a greater extent, are political think tanks. Recalling that the idea of recognizing Russia as a supporter of terrorism arose 10 years ago at the Brooklyn Institute. He added that the United States itself has created a “marketplace” (in real terms, “lobby”) to which a representative of literally any country can apply and pay for the initiation of any law in the United States.
Cory Gardner probably got an order from these political circles to initiate this law. Trump came and decided to break down the mechanisms of this old machine, to eliminate the obvious channels of bribery apparently in the interests of the state. Trump is trying to hurt their livelihood by threatening the additional personal enrichment of many lawmakers.
Yakov Kedmi, an Israeli public figure, said that the main threat to the United States is the complete degradation of the Executive power and its deepest systemic political crisis. The policy that is carried out today by the power elites causes irreparable damage, first of all, to their country. And everyone knows about it. The process, when the state goes against the interests of its own country, leads to huge damage. The breakdown of normal relations with China, Russia, Europe, as well as with Turkey and other countries is already leading to isolationist relations. We well remember where isolationism led in the Soviet Union.
V. Solovyov said that, if earlier in the West all the troubles could be blamed on the Jews, in the 21st century they were replaced by Russians. Now if something bad happens in the world, the Russians are blamed for everything.
Nikolai Zlobin, an American citizen, journalist, and historian, expressed his confidence that such a law as Gardner proposes would not be adopted. And this law is aimed at restraining the foreign policy of one branch of government, as it does not like the other. This is an internal, applied US law against Trump’s policy towards Russia.
The question of the host of the show – After all, this law will be directed to all sides of foreign economic, humanitarian, political actions of Russia, including trade in gas, oil, rocket engines, titanium, disconnection from SWIFT, termination of all scientific, cultural, socio-political exchange, etc. the result is clear-WAR. Is someone calculating this?
Nikolai Zlobin tried to answer, saying that he himself was critical of the situation. After World War II, a very closed and influential foreign policy elite was formed in the United States. These elite practically monopolized the development of the country’s foreign policy. The host asked, “You’ve been saying for a long time that Russia is a gas station, a country torn to shreds, the economy of which is not visible in the microscope, etc. Why don’t you leave Russia alone? We have proposed that you jointly investigate any evidence of interference in your election. But your country refused.
Moreover, you at one time in fact brought B. Yeltsin to power, approved the killing of the building of the Supreme legislative body and you were the first ones that B. Yeltsin called about signing the document on the dissolution of the USSR.
And remember how a citizen of your country announced the candidacies of the President, Prime Minister of Ukraine and mayor of Kiev. She also pointed out where Europe should go at the same time? And then you accuse Russia of all its sins.
Dmitry Evstafiev, a Russian political scientist in particular noted that the political life of the United States has always put forward such people as Barry Goldwater, John McCain and Cory Gardner. The ideas that they had put forward and now put forward again, decent people would never do, but in the US, war, the death of people is abstract or even humorous. At the moment, we clearly see that common sense is leaving the American elite.
Many participants in the discussion, one way or another expressed the opinion that the West is waging an undeclared war with Russia, primarily economic and propaganda based. Russia should make serious efforts to strengthen its economic independence and finally completely get off the dollar needle, develop a detailed concept of countering this unprecedented and unjustified pressure from the United States and its supporters.
Vladimir Solovyov concluded this section of the political show by saying that if two powerful countries such as the United States and Russia worked together on existing problems related to terrorism, poverty, hunger, lack of water, and the development of science and technology, many of them could be removed from the agenda forever, and the world community would achieve incredible breakthrough technological solutions.
I think that in this brief article I have quite fully outlined the view from Russia on the problem of world terrorism and the situation in relations between the United States and Russia. As a normal person, I cannot accept the fact that the United States – the country of which I am a citizen – and Russia- the place of my birth have today such a high level of contradictions that at any moment they can slide into a pit of hopeless war and mutual civilizational destruction. Russians and Americans are more alike in many ways than different. We equally love and care about our families, relatives and friends, we love our home, native land, we do not want to destroy our fragile little world in which each of us lives his own, unique life. We equally want to enjoy the sunrise, peaceful sky, clean air, green trees and grasses, singing birds.
We, the people, have already done a lot for the happy life of our children and grandchildren. We can do even more if we learn to just talk to each other like good neighbors and help each other.
Therefore, I am happy to take on the role of some kind of parliamentarian mutually interested conversation. For several months now, I have been running a column on the popular Russian Internet portal “View from America”, which is of great interest among Russian readers. I think that the View from Russia will be interesting to my fellow Americans as well.
One man’s terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. The MIC here has been out of control for a long time. Warmongers like John Songbird McCain & Lyndsey Grahmnesty are always been fomenting for the next war.
You got that from Tom Luongo.
Just sayin.
Love the idea of this View from Russia feature and look forward to reading more of them
“[Russians and Americans] equally love and care about our families, relatives and friends, we love our home, native land, we do not want to destroy our fragile little world in which each of us lives his own, unique life. We equally want to enjoy the sunrise, peaceful sky, clean air, green trees and grasses, singing birds.”
I don’t think these statements describe many people living in a liberal state. Most people in North America use their own laundry detergent to toxify the air. They ignore gas releases in their own towns and cities. They don’t care about land, they want more box stores, less forest. Family – the going attitude is each to his own, “my family is not my business.” A new store is the only thing most want. That, a cell phone, and a new car. A woman will have a child and immediately try to make it her new best friend. What world are you living in Valerie?
Hopefully, you have found some people not made demonic by the spirit of the age. You certainly haven’t accurately described the spirit of the age though.
Exactly… I read your comment and I must agree with your vision.
Thank you for express it so clearly.
With US legislation being generated to name this or that country and their military forces as “sponsors of terrorism” (almost on an as-needed basis), I think it’s way past time for peaceniks and the ‘alt’ press to remind everyone about NATO’s post-WWII “secret armies” (Gladio, etc.) which were the scourge of Western Europe in the 1970s and ’80s. The Red Brigades, etc. …all state-run terrorism which was then blamed on “the communists”.
NATO and its member countries are the main state sponsors of terrorism in the world today, and have been for over fifty years. Let’s talk about THAT, why don’t we?
Saker, perhaps Swiss historian Daniele Ganser could be persuaded to produce an article or a few on this subject.
USA and UK are the greatest sponsors of terrorism. They are creators and sponsors of terrorist gangs.They created Al Kaeda, ISIL, Al Nusra, they created all those groups that did terrible crimes in Russian Caucasus, Basayev, Mashadov and other scum.
Russia should present to all world all documents and evidence they have about this.
This is a great new column and I look forward to future articles.
such a platform for communication is very necessary for our peoples.
”It is clear that young Senator Cory Gardner needs to be re-elected in 2020 in some way, and his ’Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression (DASKA) Act’ /…/ in response to Russia’s interference in democratic processes abroad, malign influence in Syria, and aggression against Ukraine.”
Astute and witty person, this Senator. Hats off!
I live in the UK and this sort of BS is fed to the herd 24/7,Goebbels propaganda works very well.
Every one with a brain knows and can plainly see that the US is both the greatest sponsor of terrorism and the biggest conveyor of state terror.
Everything they say about Iran, Russia, North Korea or anyone else is just projection. Especially when they say that they wish for any country to behave “like a normal country”. The US/Israel kabal is the furthest thing from normal. The vassals that they hold worldwide are lobotomized eunuchs perverted to the point where pedophilia and cannibalism is openly discussed and will no doubt be a part of the “culture” in max 20 years. Are these normal countries?
The US and it’s retarded political class can go f… themselves with the continued projection. The populace is no better. We all need to accept that those are not normal nations and start treating them as such.
My wife and I occasionally watch these ‘debate’ shows and her term is ‘do you want to watch the chicken house this evening?’. Most of the ‘debaters’ are regulars, paid to attend, and they more than once devolve in to a shouting match. Still and all, sometimes they do have interesting moments.
Now, the gist of the problem. USA fears Russia. Whether this fear is based in any kind of actual knowledge or threat, it is a fact that US, and a lot of her citizens because of the daily, continuous and screaming propaganda, fear Russia. I would aver that this fear and loathing is for the time being an electable trait that sounds good when spewed from the mouths of politicians, but then politicians are by definition the second oldest profession on earth and, as President Reagan said, this profession closely resembles the oldest profession which was a polite way of pronouncing politicians as prostitutes. And most are.
As prostitutes, they will do anything for money right down to selling their very souls, which many politicians do, just witness the spineless amoebae loitering around the halls of ‘power’ in Europe and blithely ignoring their constituents. The true power west of the west borders of Russia and east of the east borders of Russia are in a little piece of swampland between Maryland and Virginia.
Europe was prostrate, destroyed culturally and physically, at the end of the war that in theory started in 1914, but did it really end? In my opinion it did not end, it is still extant, and the two main protagonists, USA and Russia, are still at it albeit not officially shooting at each other….for the moment. However, as payment for the rebuilding of western Europe, the USA was granted overlordship of that end of the continent for it seems all time. To this day, the west Europeans mouth whatever vitriol or platitudes that the little piece of swampland tells them to, and everything that is not all flowers and butterflies is Russia’s fault, Russia did it, Russia’s malignant power is a constant and never ending threat to the ‘western’ way of life.
But is this ‘western way of life’ better than the Russian way of life? Having spent extensive time in USA, west Europe and Russia, I would aver that it is not better, it is simply different. Both populaces in general want the same from life, pleasant living conditions (and cultural definitions of said conditions can differ significantly), peace and some modicum of prosperity. However, being somewhat observant, I have also noticed that, while the bubble of ‘peace and prosperity’ looks good in The West, aka USA and West Europe, it is becoming more and more of a facade as the actual living conditions of significant parts of the populations are slowly deteriorating. Don’t think so? Go to any major, and not so major, city in USA and wander around. You will get an eyeful and I can guaranty you that some areas, sometimes significant areas, of most cities are known as ‘Noah’s Ark’, if you don’t travel in pairs, and preferably armed, you don’t travel. The same can be said of more and more West Europe cities, in particular in UK and France, but the rest of ‘west’ Europe is striving mightily to catch up to their more advanced brethren in UK and La Belle France.
This can not be said of any Russian cities I’ve ever been in. We have friends all over this country and no one is living in fear of anyone. A lot of our friends are ‘dog people’, they are breeders of various marks of dogs, and not a one of them has any fear of walking their dogs at 01:00 in needs be, they are safe 24/7. There is no ‘opiod epidemic’ in Russia. Yes, drugs are here and always have been, but one does not see people nodding off in public. That, and the penalties for drug possession are right stiff, and I’ll qualify that with ‘for the ordinary workers and peasants’. As a result of these stiff penalties, IOW one marijuana cigarette is good for a year in the slammer, two will get you up to five years let alone far more lengthy terms for more addictive drugs, there is not the rampant theft that addicts need to do to support their habit, they steal and prostitute because they can’t work, their addiction is their life and soul.
In USA in many cities and states the possession of ‘personal use’ narcotics is no longer a crime and often not even a misdemeanor, in other words not serious and hardly worth the time of the cops. In my opinion, the gradual degradation of the standard of living is due to a great extent to the ever more gentle coddling of acts that in the not so far past would get someone a stint in the local ‘rehabilitation facility’, aka jail or prison. West, and parts of ‘east’, Europe, are following the leadership of the swampland on the Potomac and as a result are rapidly falling apart. Don’t want to work, offended by someone at work or in public, need ‘therapy’ for life’s small and major ups, downs and catastrophes? Not to worry, The Government, aka our tax money, will take care of you and if you decide you never want to work again, that’s OK, there’s enough tax money…at the moment….to take care of you for the rest of your life.
In Russia there is no real ‘safety net’ for those who won’t or don’t work. If you are able bodied, get to work, if you are crippled, ill, injured, then yes, you will be healed as best as possible…and then get to work. Families are much more close than in ‘the west’ and it is common to see several generations of one family living on the same block or within easy walking distance of each other. Holidays are still the time for family gatherings, and after the holiday it’s back to work. One family member’s disaster is the families disaster and often everyone will pitch in to help. Is Russia perfect? Oh heck no, I can show you dysfunctional families and plenty of them, I can show you people who are not, shall I say, on the up and up and lots more social and societal problems and foibles. They ain’t no Heaven on Earth, and won’t be in my lifetime.
What I’m trying to tell you is Russia is a totally different culture from West Europe, USA and Canada. Oz don’t count, they walk to the beat of their own drummer down there but there’s plenty of quite good folks roaming around that continent. Since anything different is something to fear, it is easy to raise the hew and cry ‘the Russians are coming, the Russians are coming, they are not a normal country’ etc etc etc. What that hew and cry should be saying, and what the politicians should say if they were ‘honest’ (ain’t that a good joke, ‘honest politician’) is ‘Russia will not do what we tell them to do and they keep interfering with what we want to do in their back yard’. As a result of this constant denigration, screaming, threats and outright acts of war, none of which Russia reacts to, The West is now looking at Kinzal, Avangard, Kalibr and other little nasties and a very patriotic army that is willing to fight to protect Mother Russia, operative term being ‘PROTECT’. This mailed fist ready to protect Mat Rossiya is what has the likes of Dunsford, Milley and a whole lot of other folks in that little piece of swampland filling their Depends to the brim and then some. As well they should.
Auslander
Author
Never The Last One, paper back edition. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521849056 A deep look in to Russia, her culture and her Armed Forces, in essence a look at the emergence of Russian Federation.
Sevastopol, The Third Defense, paperback edition. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1698430825 Book 1, A Premonition. Set against a backdrop of real events and real places, the reader is left to filter fact from fiction.
I don’t understand why this is called “view from Russia”” by an American citizen who watched a TV show.
As to saying that Americans and Russians are alike – stop with that nonsense.
You have completely different history and experiences.
Russia has different history to the majority of Europe!!!
I am in the UK – America used to be a colony of the British King – but I would never say that the British and the Americans are alike. Not at all.
I have a question, after reading this article…
How much damage the Russians need to suffer to realize that they are not dealing with “normal persons”, but a bunch of cretins, instead..?
Just that.
Many thanks, and Merry Christmas (…to my Orthodox brothers and sisters…)
Merry Christmas Mikhail. Christ is born. Glorify Him.
>The ideas that they had put forward and now put forward again, decent people would never do, but in the US, war, the death of people is abstract or even humorous. At the moment, we clearly see that common sense is leaving the American elite.
> Russians and Americans are more alike in many ways than different. We equally love and care about our families, relatives and friends, we love our home, native land, we do not want to destroy our fragile little world in which each of us lives his own, unique life. We equally want to enjoy the sunrise, peaceful sky, clean air, green trees and grasses, singing birds.
>if two powerful countries such as the United States and Russia worked together on existing problems related to terrorism, poverty, hunger, lack of water, and the development of science and technology, many of them could be removed from the agenda forever, and the world community would achieve incredible breakthrough technological solutions.
Three observations are presented here. First, the activities and thinking of the western elite controllers shows them to be bat shit crazy.
The second is what normal people want in life. I’m afraid there are many in the west who, totally overcome by propaganda, are cheering for the madness. Kill, kill, kill.
Finally, we see what could be if the lunatics got out of the way. Sadly this option can never be permitted in the west and if they have their way it won’t be permitted anywhere on earth. To maintain control they must have everyone else living as servants. In their evil, narcissistic mindset it will never be us AND them. It can only be either us OR them.
Events have been on a slow burn but are about to get very hot.
I will tell a short story that demonstrates the zeitgeist of current American society. I am aware of a youth soccer match where the participants were 6-8 years of age and the referee was a volunteer 12 year old girl. Due to some apparently bad calls by the 12 year old ref, the parents of the losing side began making physical threats. In fact, the threats of physical violence were so serious that the 12 year old girl had to be kept in a building for an hour before she could safely leave. This is not an anomaly. It happens all over the US at youth sporting events. This is your average American. A person willing to attack children over a youth sporting event outcome. Our society is sick beyond comprehension. I am a US citizen and have lived here all my life. I am disgusted to my core by what we have become.
Mine’s a long story, but I’ll shorten it. It was ’72, post Bloody Sunday and Marching Season was upon us. Tensions were high, understatement! We were excited, school was almost over for the year. On the second last day of the year we left the school and boarded our busses. For some reason the busses didn’t leave as usual. Then, as if from nowhere, a large crowd of adult men armed with stones, bats, and iron bars surrounded, then attacked our busses. Not one buss had a window left. We were covered in glass and blood, totatally histerical. Finally, three Brit jeeps with squaddies showed up and dispersed the mob. It was the first and only time I have ever been thankful for Brit soldiers other than the night one pulled my aunt from a blown up pub, cleared her airway and gave her mouth to mouth, cheers to that lad.
Adults attaking kids may be the new norm for you, for those that have experienced it, Palestinians on a daly bases……….same old, same old.
Just came to think of it: The only time that Russia did support terrorism apart from the Libyan fiasco was when Putin called G W Bush to express sympathy and condolences in the wake of 911; especially in view of the Zionazi perpetrators. Anyway, this very, ahem, ’classy’ act elicited zero sympathy among the Pindos. To exceptional and indispensable specimina, few things come across as more anathema than plain gratitude. And it was the same when Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez sold oil cheaply to save Pindos from freezing to death during winter.
An excellent addition. many of the programs are on Youtube with English subtitles. vesti TV.
Hi Saker,
I can’t seem to find the site, “View from America”. Can you help? Thank you.
Peace…Chris
“Is Russia a country which supports terrorism?”
This question is obscene. Russia is victim of terrorism et fight it.
On the contrary the USA and Israel practise it and support it: it is in their genes.