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US PLANS TO MUSCLE IN ON RUSSIA’S TURF The recent US/Israeli attempt to foment war with Russia in South Ossetia, and the upcoming “testing” of Obama are acts of desperation by a fading global empire. The American era is over. All that remains is the dispensation of America’s remaining nuclear resources in such a way as to reap the greatest advantage for America’s corporate owners in the great repositioning that is now taking place. WRH permalink
Reemergence of Russia as superpower Russia's resurgence as a strategic actor and a new cold war player is widely discussed in the United Kingdom and Asia. Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his presidency made unbelievable economic and military progress. In UK intellectual circle, the resurgence of Russia in the international arena is considered a big issue of the near future. Russia's new policy direction - and particularly its nascent interest in alternative energy - is important because Russia is such a large energy exporter. WRH permalink
From Cold War to Oil War? U.S. & Georgia The Russian invasion of Georgia this summer sparked an international uproar and led many to predict a new Cold War with Russia. WRH permalink
What really happened in South Ossetia? After gaining exclusive access to South Ossetia, Tim Whewell has discovered evidence Georgia may have committed war crimes in its attack on its breakaway region in August. WRH permalink
Russia's Medvedev calls for talks with Obama The Dmitry Medvedev that made his first appearance in the U.S. capital as Russia's president was not the same man Russians usually see at home. He was confident, even charming, in reaching out Saturday in a spirit of cooperation to the incoming administration of Barack Obama. WRH permalink
Sarkozy backs Russian calls for pan-European security pact President Nicolas Sarkozy of France joined Russia in condemning the Pentagon's plans to install missile defence bases in central Europe yesterday and backed President Dmitri Medvedev's previously ignored calls for a new pan-European security pact. Both presidents concluded a Russia-EU summit, in Nice in the south of France, with an agreement to convene a major international conference next summer at which the Americans, Russians and the 27 countries of the EU should come up with a blueprint for new post-cold war "security architecture" in Europe. WRH permalink
Vladimir Putin 'wanted to hang Georgian President Saakashvili by the balls' With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared. Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.” WRH permalink
Russian leader Medvedev heading to Cuba, Venezuela WRH permalink
Russia links arms control treaty to NATO expansion Russia, which is fiercely opposed to NATO's expansion toward its borders, suspended its compliance with the CFE treaty last December but remains a signatory. Moscow says the treaty, designed to limit battlefield weapons, such as tanks and armoured vehicles, on either side of the old Iron Curtain, is a Cold War relic which gives too much scope for an enlarged NATO to beef up its forces. WRH permalink
Russia's role in rescuing Iceland When Iceland announced it was seeking a $6bn (£4bn) loan from Russia to help rescue its crisis-ravaged economy, some in the NATO alliance, of which Iceland is a member, took fright. They suspected that Russia was acting to further its geopolitical interests in the region in the guise of a white knight. Reports of Russia seeking - or even securing - rights to Icelandic fisheries, energy and metal sectors, as well as in tourism, poured fuel on these fears. WRH permalink
U.S. general urges Obama not to cave to Russia Despite objections by Russia, the outgoing head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency urged President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday to stick to the Bush administration's plans to place missile defenses in Eastern Europe. WRH permalink
US says Russia has not responded to missile shield proposals The United States said Wednesday that Russia has not responded to fresh US proposals to try to ease its concerns over US missile shield plans despite reports from Moscow suggesting it rejects them. An unnamed Kremlin official quoted by Russian news agencies said Russia cannot accept the proposals as they contain nothing new and will take up negotiations with the next administration of Barack Obama. However, US arms control negotiator John Rood told AFP that no formal response has been received. WRH permalink
Putin says Russia may scrap Nord Stream pipeline WRH permalink
Cold War hawks nesting with Obama So, Vladimir Putin was right: It was Georgia that started the war with Russia, and once again it was President Bush who got caught in a lie. As the New York Times reported last week, "Newly available accounts by independent military observers of the beginning of the war between Georgia and Russia this summer call into question the long-standing Georgian assertion that it was acting defensively against separatist and Russian aggression." WRH permalink
West’s Readiness to Admit Georgia Launched S.Ossetia War is Step to Reconciliation with Russia Readiness of the West to admit that the August conflict in South Ossetia was started by the Georgian troops, will assist in establishment of relations with Russia, whilst will not change opinion of the Western community on Russia’s disproportionate answer to actions of Georgia. “The problem is whether Russia proportionally or disproportionately responded toward Georgia’s launching military actions,” Leon Aron, an American political scientist, said. WRH permalink
The Russian Question What's Obama's answer? The Obama-oids aren't talking too much about foreign policy these days, although that was their candidate's ticket to the White House. Iraq was the winning issue that gave Obama's primary campaign the oomph it needed to oust the putative front-runner from her perch as the anointed one, but it fails to evoke the interest it once did on account of the rapid deterioration of the economy. It doesn't matter that the costs of the Iraq and Afghan wars amount to at least three more bank bailouts – and you can throw in what's left of the American auto industry for good measure. WRH permalink
Obama denies Poland missile vow US President-elect Barack Obama has not given a commitment to go ahead with plans to build part of a US missile defence system in Poland, an aide says. WRH permalink
Russian companies will drill for oil and natural gas on and off the island of Cuba Russian companies will drill for oil and natural gas on and off the island of Cuba. A standing Russian credit line to Cuba for buying Russian wheat and cars is now extended to until 2011. Russia will build new rail lines on Cuban territory. There will also be joint projects in aircraft- and shipbuilding. WRH permalink
Russia Aims to Be High on Obama’s Agenda To the extent that he focused on Russia at all, Barack Obama’s attention was concentrated primarily on the need to keep Soviet nuclear weapons stockpiles out of the hands of terrorists. WRH permalink
U.S. concedes Georgia attack attack in South Ossetia was a mistake The U.S. State Department said Friday the Georgian attack in South Ossetia last August was a mistake, but that it did not justify Russia's large-scale intervention. The comments follow a critical newspaper assessment of the Tbilisi government's role in the crisis. WRH permalink
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