Stiff Right Jab: Out of the rubble - The new Soviet Union

Taras Kuzio, research associate at the Centre for International & Security Studies at York University, writing in the October 4 Christian Science Monitor, confirmed what this column has been warning since the attack on September 11th, that this tragedy would be exploited by the powers that be to raise up, among other things, a new empowered Soviet Union.

Mr. Kuzio warns, "Washington should remain cautious: Moscow is using the terrorist acts of Sept. 11 to further four strategic goals:"

1. Russia is demanding a free hand in dealing with its own "terrorists" in Chechnya. Russia would like the US and international organizations to allow it, in effect, to eradicate "terrorism" from Chechnya. This would lead to even greater human-rights abuses. The US and some of its allies have already begun to change their rhetoric on Chechnya. Russia believes that international outrage over the Sept. 11 attacks provides a good opportunity to influence world opinion that the Chechens are not pursuing a "national-liberation struggle" but are, in reality, simply terrorists. Russian Army Gen. Anatoly Kulikov has offered to share not only Russia's experience in combating Chechen "terrorists," but also Soviet experience in fighting the "nationalist underground" in western Ukraine, western Belarus, and the Baltics after World War II. Many Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Baltic Americans remember what this antiterrorist experience entailed: ethnic cleansing, atrocities, and mass disregard for human rights in their former homelands.
2. Russia wants the US to recognize the territory of the former Soviet Union as a Russian sphere of influence, especially in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Ukraine." Include on that list: "countries that are distrustful of Russia, such as . . . Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Ukraine, . . . [and] Moldova.
3. Russia wants to take the three Baltic ["former" Soviet republics] states off the list of potential members of the second round of NATO enlargement . . . Russia is hoping that, in return for its cooperation against terrorism, the US will agree to respect its Soviet "red line" as a NATO no-go area.
4. Russia wants to use its new alliance with the US to halt Washington's plans for a national missile defense shield.

Kuzio, an expert on "post" Soviet Ukrainian affairs, also reminds his readers of Russia's consistent employment of double standards. He reveals the chilling detail that it was Russian military intelligence in 1992-93 which trained Chechen leader Shamil Basayev, and it was the Russian government which in the early 1990's, "covertly supported separatist movements in Moldova, Georgia, and Azerbaijan."

Russia sends in peacekeeping forces to break up the conflicts they stealthfully caused, under the condition that "it turn its peacekeeping forces into forward military bases, thereby rewarding its support for separatism (or terrorism) and transforming them into geopolitical gains."

Kuzio concludes that we "should not compromise [our] moral ground by agreeing to Russia's four strategic objectives. It would be indeed ironic if, in demanding that the US military response not target civilians, we agreed to accept Russia's offer of expertise in combating terrorism. Russia has been condemned by all international human rights organizations, the US, and other Western governments for its disregard for civilian lives and gross infringement on human rights. . . .[including, the article notes] 80,000 casualties" in Chechnya. (1)

Amen. Mr. Kuzio.

Observation

As Mr. Kuzio illustrated, communists are masters of misdirection and false opposition movements. Lives expended in the process mean little. Remember "the border wars" between Russia and China? If so, remember this, a secret bilateral, multi-billion dollar, hi-tech trade relationship never ceased between the two. Yes, even as they posed as enemies and killed each others citizens, China shared US military technology with Russia, courtesy of George F. Kennan styled aid and educational exchanges.

Terrorism in Spades

There's really nothing new under the sun. The more the United States enrolls Russia and other sponsors of terrorism, the more terrorism will be promoted, and the more vulnerable America will become.

Our new "ally" Russia has already rushed to prove an old point. Hours after the US's allies agreed to tighten down the financial spigots that feed the terrorists, Russia opened the floodgates, and nobody seems to care:

On September 30 Kyoto News reports: "Iraq and Russia have signed a package deal covering more than 70 projects to be implemented by Russian firms at a cost of about $40 billion, the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported Sunday." (2)

Two days later, AP reported that Russia and Iran came to an agreement on an 8 billion dollar arms deal. What will anti-American, anti-Israeli Iran get?

"The Iranians are believed to be interested in a range of Russian weapons systems, including air defense missiles and fighter jets . . .

[and] especially interested in acquiring long-range S-300 air defense missiles to protect the Bushehr nuclear power plant and other strategic facilities [from Israel], medium-range Buk M1 and Tor M1 air defense missiles and Su-27 fighter jets.

"Iran also would like to buy supersonic Yakhont anti-ship missiles which have a range of 186 miles, Iskander-E tactical ground-to-ground missiles with a range of 174 miles and 550 BMP-3 armored infantry vehicles." (3)

Finally, terrorist sponsor Iran will help terrorist sponsor Russia, arm the anti-Taliban forces. And what will the anti-Taliban forces then do? Shoot down jets with Israelis on board?

77 Israeli's Gunned Down Over Soviet Airspace

It's possible. Think about it. America, under the leadership of "conservative" President Bush trembles before mother Russia, fearing to offend them. What other explanation is there for a Bush Administration who leaps to Russia's defense, giving them an instant out when a Russian Airliner loaded with Israeli's was shot down yesterday?

An accident? One of the most technologically advanced militaries, with one of the most centralized command structures in the world, shoots down a civilian jet liner filled with Israelis, during the heat of a crisis which focuses on hatred for an American/Israeli alliance - and it's an accident! Doesn't Russia, like the Mafia, have a somewhat unusual reputation for "accidents?"

Can you spell KAL 007? Can we not hear again the voice of Grigory Yavlinski, regarding Vladimir Putin's ways: "Comrades, there might be explosions soon, so take this into account." (4)

Russia and Freedom of the Press

The Russian government was not too happy about the Washington Times revelation that the Russian Mafia has been supplying Usama bin Laden with components for chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.

From the Moscow Times:

"The [Russian] Foreign Ministry said Thursday that the report raises a question: "Why should such information be splashed out on newspaper pages instead of discussing it through the channels existing between our countries, including confidential ones?"

"One may get the impression that some in the United States oppose the positive tendency in Russian-American relations that has made itself felt recently," the ministry said in a statement carried by Interfax."

Considering the instant support factor from the Bush Administration following the "accidental" killing of 77 Israeli's on Thursday, it seems that Russia has taught the United States a thing or two about working through "proper channels," in order to insure the people get the truth.

A Russian Joke

Speaking of the truth, a Russian immigrant and educator related to us the following. "In Moscow there are two newspapers. Pravda, and Izvestia. Pravda," he said, "means ‘the truth.' Izvestia, ‘the news.'" He continued, "The saying goes in Moscow, there is no Pravda in the Izvestia, and no Izvestia in the Pravda!"

It seems the common Russian citizen knows more about Russia, our "ally" than our President does.

Contact Steve & Steve at StiffRightJab@aol.com. If you haven't already, read Part 6 of Steve Farrell's Democrats in Drag and Part 9 of Missing the Mark With Religion. Missed a Stiff Right Jab? Visit our NewsMax archives

Footnotes

1. Beware Russia's motives, The Christian Science Monitor, October 4, 2001 Return
2. Iraq, Russia strike project deal worth $40 billion, Kyodo News, Sept. 30, 2001 Return
3. World: Russian, Iranian officials discuss U.S. retaliation, arms deal, Associated Press, October 2, 2001 Return
4. As quoted by the Center for Defense Information, Jan. 23, 2000, from an interview that appeared in RFE/RL Russian Service, Jan. 22, 2000. Return

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