Putin the Boot In
Whilst enjoying watching the occasional Europa Champions League match on TV of late it has not escaped my attention that the competition is sponsored by Gazprom, the Russian gas production company with a majority stake held by the Russian government. It has always struck me as a symbol of Western Europe’s strategically insane over-dependence of Russian gas and energy supplies, a product of politicians who think in sound-bites rather than the long-term strategic interests of their countries, and who have no memory or appreciation of history. I found it particularly and deliciously ironic in a week in which once again Soviet (oops) Russian heavy bombers had another foray along the Channel, in an act of old style Cold War menace. Such flights are incredibly irresponsible and dangerous, not necessarily because they risk an altercation, but because the bombers fly without lights or transponders, and as such pose a terrible risk to civil aircraft. Apparently they received an escort from two RAF Typhoon fighter jets. After recent cuts I am amazed we have any working. I wonder if they had any rockets? Perhaps the pilots could hold up home-made placards saying: “Russians Go Home”?!
Because politicians are stupid, they assumed that after the collapse of the Soviet Empire, Russia was either a friend, or economically broken and no longer a threat. But Russia is what it always has been: a powerful entity, with a strong and often aggressive sense of nationalism and imperialism, and without anything more than the most superficial adherence to democratic values. True, economically it was on its knees at the end of the Cold War; but it might have been rather more sensible if the West had in fact taken the time to think this through, and calculate the resentments that it might engender. A more positive engagement might, perhaps, have fostered more trust now. Now Russia’s fortunes have been revived to a degree by its wealth in natural resources, allowing its military to recover and rebuild, but at the same time collapsing oil prices, mismanagement, corruption and sanctions have threatened that new-found wealth. That is a recipe for trouble.
Putin comes from a ruthless KGB atmosphere, but whether you look at him as another, slightly better dressed reincarnation of Soviet totalitarian mannequin, or as simply a nationalist and hard man dictator with little interest in the rule of law, it does not matter. What matters is what the end result is. A couple of years ago I watched a documentary on summer camps being organised by the youth wing of Putin’s political faction. It was disturbing stuff. All the usual paraphernalia of the dictator were present: the giant portraits of Putin looking glamorously “strong”: jaw jutting and eyes blazing; lectures about the injustices of the West; the hair shirt, healthy, outdoor life and exercise. We have seen it all before, somewhere.
NATO and our Dear Leaders need not ponder for too long what Putin wants. I will tell them. He will take what he can get, but first of all he would like a bit of external military adventure to boost popularity at home. Second he wants to re-assert Russian influence over Ukraine to act as a buffer to what he sees as aggressive EU expansion. But in an ideal world, he would redraw the map of Europe by establishing Russian overlordship of Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, back to the Cold War days. This plays well with large sections of the Russian public, who hanker back to the old certainties of the Soviet Days. Life may have been drab, they say, but we had certainty and full employment and we were strong, and respected and feared in the world! The perceived humiliation of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the harsh economic circumstances which followed for many bred deep-seated resentments. Putin taps into this, and feeds off it. Modern Russia was created as a Great Power by Peter the Great, and although he advocated some aspects of the Enlightenment, democratic values were not really on the agenda. He was a totalitarian and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. The soil of Russia has never been deeply sowed with the seeds of democracy.
Putin plays the role much admired by the Russians, and others with no ingrained democratic instincts: the “Strong Man”. Men like Putin do not respect standards which we would like to think leaders of a modern industrial state should adhere to. They do things like poisoning opponents in foreign capitals, and arrest awkward lawyers on trumped-up charges. Men like Putin have no problem with external war as a good diversion from economic and political problems at home. He is perfectly willing to ignore the truth and lie, and to ignore that body of liberal convention which we call International Law. He is not, in my book, a mere bully. Bullies are normally physical cowards, and I do not ascribe that description to Putin. But he is a man who willing to bully to get what he wants if he calculates that he can get away with it.
I will cut Putin some slack. The EU’s rush to expand eastwards and fill in the void left by the Soviet Union was in many ways naïve and insensitive. In particular, wooing the Ukraine with such vigour was highly unwise. From the Russian point of view it would be easy to form a picture of an expanding economic empire with NATO as its armed wing. An incorrect assessment at least in terms of NATO’s role, but it can be seen how that perception can come about. It was a ghastly diplomatic miscalculation. You may not want to attack the bear, but it is a bad idea to walk in the woods without a gun and then shit right outside its cave. Ukraine is not, of course, a member of NATO. The Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are, and Putin would like them back under the Russian sphere of influence, just as they were in Soviet days. NATO’s military and diplomatic creed and obligation is clear: an attack on one is an attack on all, and must be responded to with overwhelming military force. NATO must hold to that doctrine. If it was abandoned NATO would collapse, and chaos would inevitably ensue as states were picked off, one by one. War would follow anyway, but on the aggressor’s terms.
There are signs that NATO and our politicians have at last woken up to the danger that Putin and Russia pose. Perhaps a bit late, but there we go. I understand attempts are being made to cut back the dependency on Russian gas. Good luck with that, but it was a foolish, almost criminally foolish, miscalculation in the first place. In the short-term, NATO’s military posture must be made significantly but subtly stronger in the east, particularly in and around the Baltic States. I am not advocating a wholesale arms race, but a proportionate and clear state of intent. This is our red line. At the same time, further economic sanctions must be considered. This is a delicate area, because I can see the argument that it might force a beleaguered Russia into yet more precipitate actions if sanctions bit deep. Well, that is true, but there needs to be a significant statement of intent that the annexation of parts of the Ukraine will not go without consequences.
These are dangerous times. Europe faces threats on at least two fronts: the chaos on the Middle East, creating monstrous and aggressive groups like Islamic State; and the ever ominous rumblings from Russia. Possibly three, if you count the threat from terrorism at home. Political mismanagement – and political correctness – has helped to spawn all of these. Europe is going to have to up its game; and the endless cuts in defence are going to have to be looked at. As one general recently observed, David Cameron has achieved the exact opposite of the Roosevelt’ old aphorism, speak softly, but carry a big stick. He is a man who shouts a lot but carries a pea shooter. For the safety of Europe, it must be made quite clear that interference by Russia in the Baltic States will not be tolerated. Putin will smell any weakness, lack of resolve or indecision. Putin knows that it comes to all out war, he faces defeat. Extortion and destabilization are more the name of the game.
Beyond this, it still seems a shame to me that we are in this position. As I have written before, it in my view if you take a step back, both Western Europe and Russia have much more interests in working together, with differences but with mutual cooperation, than eying each other up along the barrel of a gun. In particular it seems to me that the rise of radical and aggressive Islam is a matter where there is a common security interest. I would rather we were working together to suffocate this ghastly agenda.
NATO is still a powerful organization, but it needs to display new resolve, new commitment. At the same time, there has to be diplomacy, conducted by those who understand Russia and its history, not place men from the EU who appear to be concerned only with the size of their empire and pensions. But most of all, we need some more tanks and planes.
Gildas the Monk
-
February 24, 2015 at 9:51 am -
“there has to be diplomacy, conducted by those who understand Russia and its history,”
and that, dear Gildas, is what bugs me about your otherwise excellent post. Astute geo-political commentary is not hard to find, nor balanced views (ie ‘cut Putin some slack’). But your special talent, Gildas, is to show us both the history and the ‘soul’ of a situation or how and why the Russians are who they are and do what they do…and, if I’m honest, this post didn’t overly enlighten.
….Catherine the Great had a dildo that was also a knife.
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:01 am -
Ho hum! One tries! One does not always succeed!
-
February 24, 2015 at 2:56 pm -
It is to be hoped that Catherine the Great got it the right way round in the dark.
-
February 24, 2015 at 3:15 pm -
“It is to be hoped that Catherine the Great got it the right way round in the dark.”
Indeed, although my point was that the *longest reigning ruler of all the Russias* felt the need to ALWAYS have a knife to hand, even in the privacy of her own 4 poster….and I’ve looked at a photo of that dil-dife (or more aptly a ‘sheath knife’) and it is a serious bit of killing kit.
One can but wonder if perhaps Putin’s blow up doll is infact filled with cyanide gas or his ‘Flesh light’ (dear god, just GOOGLE!) chambers 9mm rounds.
-
February 24, 2015 at 8:57 pm -
Catherine the Great didn’t do badly for a German (Prussian) born princess. Aside from her mainly reformist agenda, she could have given Machiavelli a masterclass in low animal cunning.
The main cause of the Ukrainian issue, on top of EU eastward expansion, which always makes the Russkies nervous, is that certain Ukrainian politicians were, and possibly still are skimming gas revenues while looking westward for the next free lunch. The Russian shows of ‘strength’ (One cold war era bomber, really?) are a reminder that they haven’t forgotten Napoleon, Hitler, and that little kerfuffle over the Crimea in the 1850’s. They don’t trust us.
-
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:07 am -
Amazing thing, the power of media propaganda.
So far as I can tell everyone was fine with the Russkies until they were perceived as nasty to the Gays, and a bit censorious about the charmingly-named Pussy Riot. All this territorial greed nonsense is utterly bonkers. It’s twice the size of the nearest other in size. It borders 14 other countries.
http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/what-is-the-largest-country-in-the-world-
February 24, 2015 at 3:29 pm -
“and a bit censorious about the charmingly-named Pussy Riot”
It amused me to learn from Radio4 that to the average Russian ‘Poo-Say Ryy-OTT’ means….*absolutely nothing whatsoever*. Says a lot about the neon balaclavaskis and to which country’s MSM they were hoping to appeal to.
The Orthodox priest who commented that the girls should not be imprisoned because: “They have been punished enough already for God saw fit to take away their Common Sense” was right.
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:14 am -
Meanwhile, on an altogether different note, I watched Channel 4’s “Despatches” last night, with its “sting” operation in respect of Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind. I am still frothing in apoplectic rage. Back in the day the Catholic Church used to sell salvation for money: you’ve kicked the beggar? Forgiven for a chicken. You stabbed the neighbour? Perhaps a cow. It was a practice which has often been described as venal.
But we don’t need the Church to give us examples of venality when we have these two mercenaries gadding about. The unseemly haste with which they got round to the subject of money (£5-8,000 a day seemed to be the going rate) made me vomit. Each has has a hugely long and profitable Parliamentary career with all the little and not so little perks that go with it. I believe each will get a massive Golden Goodbye and a Gold Plated pension. But they want more, and were not too shy about it either. Each appeared willing to grovel and promise influence and favour in return for yet more loot.
Venal. I couldnt tell which was worse. Rifkind for his obsequiousness or Straw for his smug hints about an upcoming Peerage.
Well, I hope that fox is shot.
What ghastly people our Lords and Masters are.-
February 24, 2015 at 10:20 am -
” Catholic Church used to sell salvation for money”
Don’t think the Church ever sold ‘salvation’ but rather ‘remission’ (ie Get Out Of Purgatory Free cards). However I will stand correction.
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:29 am -
You’re probably right. I am just venting!
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:49 am -
Pleniary Indulgences, basically your get out of jail card, remission of sins for money. The offence of selling them is called Simony* and there is a special place in Hell for those who did it. Yeah, I went to a Catholic school for a bit, those Nuns are heavy handed bitches.
* The crime is selling for money that which God gives for free, namely forgivness. The punishment is wearing a suit of solid gold, very heavy, that glows red hot if you try to stop walking for a rest; Dante had a wicked imagination on him!
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:58 am -
I had an old missal once that listed how many Indulgences I could be awarded for saying certain prayers. A bit like Green Shield Stamps perhaps…
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:30 am -
This is News? Am I living in Punxsutawney?
“”I’m a bit like a sort of cab for hire,” Stephen Byers explained to the fake lobbyist whom he had never met before and whose credentials he had not checked. “I still get a lot of confidential information because I’m still linked to No 10,” he boasted. His fee, the former transport secretary explained, was “usually between £3,000 and £5,000 a day”. He had a particular “trump card” to offer clients in the shape of his friendship with Lord Mandelson. He had also, he pointed out, done serious business for a major client with Lord Adonis at the transport department – “We sort of worked together, basically the way he was comfortable doing it.” If that was not enough and if his clients were interested, “we could have a word with Tony”.
Mr Byers was not alone in his unguarded enthusiasm when the pretend lobbyists called out of the blue. Patricia Hewitt explained that, for a fee of £3,000 a day, she could help “a client who needs a particular regulation removed, then we can often package that up”. Geoff Hoon, saying he was “looking forward to … something that, frankly, makes money”, agreed that he would sit on an advisory board for £3,000 a day too. Other MPs and peers also answered the invitation, including the Labour MP Margaret Moran, who last year had to pay back £22,500 in falsely claimed expenses but who now offered to start work “within a couple of weeks”. The Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride, however, thought the lobbyists did not seem genuine – she should know, since her MP husband now is one – and pulled out of her appointment, warning the Tory whips about what was going on. Smart woman.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/mar/22/stephen-byers-editorial -
February 24, 2015 at 3:03 pm -
Fortunately this may have headed Slippy Straw’s peerage off at the pass.
Part of the ‘administrative delay’ of the Chilcott Report was undoubtedly to stall its cutting criticism of Straw (amongst others) until after he had been granted his anticipated post-MP peerage. With luck, this latest example of him behaving to type will undo all that pre-work in delaying Chilcott. Delighted – couldn’t happen to a slippier fellow. Apart from Rifkind, who’s just another malleable member.
They should both disappear from view for ever, ideally sans-pension, but that may be hoping for too much.
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:39 am -
I have found myself wondering of late just how ‘real’ Putin is – are the perceptions of him as some kind of all-powerful grim-faced ‘Iron Man’ something of a Western Propaganda construct? He can surely only be what he is – a front. The acceptable face of Russian politics, something that appeared to have crumbled along with the Soviet Union during the 1990s and needed to reinvent itself in the eyes of the world – whilst Good Ol’ America has itself a nice coffee-coloured, Selfie-Stick totin’ griining ‘face’ to appease the idiots of the west whilst they invade and bomb the rest of the world, the Russian oligarchs have themselves a seemingly-impenetrable Pokerface.
It seems more to be that the world is being fooled – Russia is the blueprint for the west, whilst everybody is being distracted with fairy stories society is being deconstructed with tales of fame, rags-to-riches wealth, equality, radical feminism and other pie-in-the-sky, we’ll all end up in a big(ger) Russia – where the poor are very poor, the rich are very rich, democracy is a complete illusion and there is only black & white – no more fifty shades of grey. And once that’s done, just imagine the Russia v Afghanistan war being played out on a global basis.-
February 24, 2015 at 10:54 am -
Critics argue that Russian authorities are using the law to target domestic NGOs and activists who share documentation of human rights abuses – including open source information – with foreign governments; intergovernmental organizations, such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe; and international organizations. “Russia is tightening the noose around groups that are critical of the government, propose reforms, and promote human rights,” asserted Human Rights Watch Europe
http://thediplomat.com/2015/02/the-china-russia-ngo-crackdown/Don’t mention the Chinese!
-
February 24, 2015 at 11:21 am -
“The drive of the Rockefellers and their allies is to create a one-world government combining supercapitalism and Communism under the same tent, all under their control… Do I mean conspiracy? Yes, I do. I am convinced there is such a plot, international in scope, generations old in planning, and incredibly evil in intent. ” [Congressman Larry MacDonald, killed in the Korean Airlines 747 that was shot down by the Soviets.]
“The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.” [Benjamin Disraeli, in his novel Coningsby]
“There is in Italy a power which we seldom mention in this House … I mean the secret societies…. It is useless to deny, because it is impossible to conceal, that a great part of Europe — the whole of Italy and France and a great portion of Germany, to say nothing of other countries — is covered with a network of these secret societies, just as the superficies of the earth is now being covered with railroads. And what are their objects? They do not attempt to conceal them. They do not want constitutional government; they do not want ameliorated institutions … they want to change the tenure of land, to drive out the present owners of the soil and to put an end to ecclesiastical establishments. Some of them may go further… ” [Benjamin Disraeli, in a speech in the House of Commons (14 July 1856)]
-
February 24, 2015 at 11:41 am -
Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.
(Julius Caesar)-
February 24, 2015 at 12:02 pm -
“The Ides of March are come, Senna”
“Aye Caesar, but not GONE”
-
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 11:50 am -
It seems that from this summation, Gildas, certain words and acronyms are missing: USA, IMF, Yeltsin, Bush. There is a lot of concentration on EU which, agreed, should have known better. It is understandable that those freed from the Russian sphere post 1989 should run to the welcoming arms of an economic block that would apparently improve the standards of living of its citizens and at the same time seek the protection of a military treaty too. But when do any of them stand up to the power of the mighty$?
I find it odd that USA itself took exception to Russian missiles in Cuba in 1962 (agreed of a higher magnitude than currently based in countries bordering Russia), but 50 years later seeks to encircle Russia itself all the way around its western flank. Some might see that as a form of bullying/threatening too. This is not to excuse anything about Putin, but an attempt to understand why he might act the way he does.
-
February 24, 2015 at 11:54 am -
There is a great deal of propaganda from ‘our’ side as well. When Michael Khodorkovsky basically pinched a large quantity of Russia’s gas and oil and Putin decided to steal them back, Putin was regarded as totally in the wrong. No doubt Putin didn’t play fair, but no head of state could sit back and ignore the fact that hundreds of billions of dollars of wealth had been stolen.
Russia was humiliated in the nineties by that pissed up arsehole Boris Yeltsin, and Putin is trying to get Russia back to the top table in world affairs by the simplest method – successfully invading another country.
-
February 24, 2015 at 12:03 pm -
The Crimea was gifted to Ukraine as recently as 1954 by a power bloc that never envisaged things would change. As recently as three or four years ago, there was no attempt to snatch anything, and that was almost a quarter century after the collapse of western Communism. The EU has been utterly naive and foolish but which democracy ever gave the EU the right to run Foreign Policy? Hopefully the Germans are doing something to pull everyone else’s balls out the fire. I sometimes think democratic Politics are so bereft of direction they look to recreating a comfortable past, like adults seeking the safety of cosy childhood.
-
February 24, 2015 at 2:25 pm -
It is interesting to note the result of the Ukrainian Independence referendum of 1991, in which 54% of Crimeans voted for independence from the USSR. 55% of ethnic Russians in Ukraine as a whole voted for independence. The question of whether they preferred to be Russian or Ukrainian wasn’t asked of course, and maybe that result would be different. Since independence, the ordinary people of the country have been bitterly let down by the crooks running the place.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_independence_referendum,_1991-
February 24, 2015 at 7:26 pm -
“…the ordinary people of the country have been bitterly let down by the crooks running the place…”
Can you name a country where that isn’t the case?
-
February 24, 2015 at 9:00 pm -
February 24, 2015 at 9:37 pm -
Sicily?
-
February 25, 2015 at 7:32 am -
Go to Catania. Read the graffiti: “Mafia = Nazis”. The Mafia is the de facto government there. Any southern Italian/Sccilian who wants to join the carabinieri is posted north because of the risks of corruption. Still a fantastic place to visit though.
-
-
-
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 1:39 pm -
No Russian leader counts his (or her) j0b done unless and until the borders of the predecessor have been recovered and established. A warm-water port is naturally essential (Vladivostock does not count, as being too far from Europe), so Sevastopol is a basic.
The baseline is 1721, (Nystadt) followed by 1809, (Tilsit) which gave them semi-control of Finland. But they had to fight hard to keep that and even then, they lost it, in 1917 and, failed to repossess it in 1940.
Russian Foreign policy is both a complex and straightforward matter and not easily described in response to any given situation. Do they want the Isle of Wight? Of course not. Would they like the Aalands? Probably. Would they like to stabilise Ukraine? Naturally. Would they like to secure more influence in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania? Well, of course. Plenty of dispossessed Russians there. Would they fight for that? No.
Putin has the job of picking up the pieces of a system which collapsed in a welter of blood, snot and pain; the inheritance of what was essentially a gangster mode of government. It is also the system under which he grew up and prospered. Relatively.
‘Russia’ is essentially a geographic expression , now.
Understand the need, and you understand the actions…
-
February 24, 2015 at 2:14 pm -
“rush to expand eastwards and fill in the void left by the Soviet Union was in many ways naïve and insensitive” or as I would say, rattling the bear’s cage is the act of a fool or a madman. So thanks to Clinton, W, and Obama, and their tools in NATO and the EU, we now have rather a nasty situation. Meantime I keep reading about “Russian bombers” which are (I assume) not bombers but reconnaissance planes. I must say that admitting the Baltic states into NATO with their large minority Russian populations was pretty rash; even to contemplate recruiting Ukraine was utterly reckless.
-
February 24, 2015 at 2:38 pm -
No, those Tupolev ‘Bears’ are indeed bombers, whether they carry anything more offensive than Putin’s attitude is a moot point. This is all just a big ‘look at me!!!’ to show us he’s still in the game.
-
February 24, 2015 at 3:12 pm -
Vladimir would do it with his shirt off …
http://newsbusters7.s3.amazonaws.com/images/2011/July/Slim%20Pickens_0.png -
February 25, 2015 at 8:35 am -
They carry cruise missiles
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 2:18 pm -
There is a telling quote by Gladstone, I think, which I’m afraid I’ll have to paraphrase. It went something along the lines of Britain and Russia should always be allies because being situated at opposite ends of Europe gives them a unique opportunity to maintain the balance of European power between them; if they’re not allies, that leaves a strong Germany in the centre of Europe dictating all.
-
February 24, 2015 at 2:55 pm -
Nice one! I can think of a couple of other telling quotes from Gladstone…
-
February 24, 2015 at 3:05 pm -
This is a good one: “If Germany is to become a colonising power, all I say is, God speed her! She becomes our ally and partner in the execution of the great purposes of Providence for the advantage of mankind.” That’s 19th Century lieberalism for ya!
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 3:06 pm -
Putin fights not only with bombs and bullets.
You don’t need to look too far beneath the surface of the Green and Anti-Fracking lobbies to see the old KBH hand stealthily at work to achieve the economic objectives too.-
February 24, 2015 at 3:30 pm -
See – the KGB’s even stopped my keyboard working properly. KBH indeed.
-
February 24, 2015 at 3:39 pm -
Interesting that Indians seem to have opposite viewpoints. Voxpops from article reference earlier:
Anjaan Aadmi • a day ago
India must learn from China and Russia … the people of India must wake up to this real danger to India’s internal security from these foreign educated, foreign trained and foreign aided individuals, rights activists and NGOs that are agents of the British and the Americans … on their payroll … and work round the clock to undermine and destroy India from within, all in the garb of democracy and secularism … the systematic onslaught of a section of the media, political establishment, NGOs and rights activists against rise of nationalism in India, is a clear example of continuation of a British conspiracy to keep India divided and weak … Nehru was the agent and the lynchpin of this conspiracy … !!arun Anjaan Aadmi • a day ago
I agree with you.Greenpeace is currently stalling indias economic progress by opposing coal mines,mega thermal powerstations and nuclear power plants particularly russian built ones in kudankulam.Similarly many foreign funded NGOs were busy defaming Modi for gujrat riots during lok sabha election campaigns eventhough indian supreme court found no evidence against modi.Bjp was projected as a fascist organisation and hindu nationalists as Nazis by these western media.President obama also violated indian soverignity by warning india about religious intolarance which is an internal issue of republic of india at a time when temples and synagogues are being vandalised in usa by Neo-nazis and christian fundamentalists.India should immediately ban all these NGOS and foreign funded christian missionaries which are stalling indias economic progress and creating communal tensions!! These western countries are not our allies and we should maintain our relations with them like china!! -
February 24, 2015 at 4:00 pm -
Nope, they really do think like that in the Green Party.
-
February 24, 2015 at 9:07 pm -
The Green and Anti-Fracking lobbies here in Canada take a lot of backhanders from US based trusts and organisations, not to mention arch manipulators like Soros and his Tides Foundation. I think the Chinese are players on the other side of the fence and the Russians chuck a few dollars their way to keep those pesky Canadian tar sands off the energy table.
See Vivien Krause’s worthy little web site for some well-researched proofs.
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:14 pm -
This Canada-only idea surfaced in the days after Obama’s surprise Nov. 10, 2011, phone call informing Prime Minister Harper that Keystone was on hold. Harper, who had vowed to turn his nation into an energy superpower, responded with a two-track strategy: Get in Obama’s face on Keystone and identify other ways out for Canada’s land-locked oil sands, which, at 168 billion proven barrels, contain the third-largest reserves in the world.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-08/keystone-be-darned-canada-finds-oil-route-around-obama
Keystone remains bogged down, awaiting the outcome of litigation in Nebraska. Last year, Obama gave a speech at Georgetown University and said he wouldn’t approve Keystone if it would significantly exacerbate carbon dioxide emissions.-
February 25, 2015 at 12:51 am -
Please explain how a pipeline contributes to increased carbon monoxide emissions, when presently the oil is transported by rail? Also how it is a Canada-only project when the majority of the line is to be built in the USA for US benefit.
Obama believes in bio-diesel,windmills and solar power all of which have proved inefficient and costly even in the southern deserts of USA. He is a fool.
-
February 25, 2015 at 9:15 am -
Hardly a fool. He had US Shale Oil Developers to canvass for, so the less Canadian competition the better.
Now of course he has the Saudi OPEC price cartel’s crude price-fixing to contend with. That’s rather buggered Plan A.
But whereas Oil Shale development relies on the Market, the windmills only need the Subsidy.-
February 26, 2015 at 8:46 pm -
So, please explain how shale-oil use reduces carbon monoxide generation as well as addressing my original question?
The USA needs the heavy crude to blend with other products at their Louisiana refineries, hence the use of railcars.
Actually the windmills and solar plants need massive subsidy plus backup generation facilities. Obama is a serial fool.
-
-
-
-
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 5:00 pm -
“bombers fly without lights or transponders” just as do those of NATO. Normally Moor I enjoy your posts but this is a complete load of balls. Putin is no threat to us unless the yankee makes problems for him.
JOHN SIMPSON, BBC: Western countries almost universally now believe that there’s a new Cold War and that you, frankly, have decided to create that. We see, almost daily, Russian aircraft taking sometimes quite dangerous manoeuvres towards western airspace. That must be done on your orders; you’re the Commander-in-Chief. It must have been your orders that sent Russian troops into the territory of a sovereign country – Crimea first, and then whatever it is that’s going on in Eastern Ukraine. Now you’ve got a big problem with the currency of Russia, and you’re going to need help and support and understanding from outside countries, particularly from the West. So can I say to you, can I ask you now, would you care to take this opportunity to say to people from the West that you have no desire to carry on with the new Cold War, and that you will do whatever you can to sort out the problems in Ukraine? Thank you!
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Thank you very much for your question. About our exercises, manoeuvres and the development of our armed forces. You said that Russia, to a certain extent, contributed to the tension that we are now seeing in the world. Russia did contribute but only insofar as it is more and more firmly protecting its national interests. We are not attacking in the political sense of the word. We are not attacking anyone. We are only protecting our interests. Our Western partners – and especially our US partners – are displeased with us for doing exactly that, not because we are allowing security-related activity that provokes tension.
Let me explain. You are talking about our aircraft, including strategic aviation operations. Do you know that in the early 1990s, Russia completely stopped strategic aviation flights in remote surveillance areas as the Soviet Union previously did? We completely stopped, while flights of US strategic aircraft carrying nuclear weapons continued. Why? Against whom? Who was threatened?
So we didn’t make flights for many years and only a couple of years ago we resumed them. So are we really the ones doing the provoking? So, in fact, we only have two bases outside Russia, and both are in areas where terrorist activity is high. One is in Kyrgyzstan, and was deployed there upon request of the Kyrgyz authorities, President Akayev, after it was raided by Afghan militants. The other is in Tajikistan, which also borders on Afghanistan. I would guess you are interested in peace and stability there too. Our presence is justified and clearly understandable.
Now, US bases are scattered around the globe – and you’re telling me Russia is behaving aggressively? Do you have any common sense at all? What are US armed forces doing in Europe, also with tactical nuclear weapons? What are they doing there?
Listen, Russia has increased its military spending for 2015, if I am not mistaken, it is around 50 billion in dollar equivalent. The Pentagon’s budget is ten times that amount, $575 billion, I think, recently approved by the Congress. And you’re telling me we are pursuing an aggressive policy? Is there any common sense in this?
Are we moving our forces to the borders of the United States or other countries? Who is moving NATO bases and other military infrastructure towards us? We aren’t. Is anyone listening to us? Is anyone engaging in some dialogue with us about it? No. No dialogue at all. All we hear is “that’s none of your business. Every country has the right to choose its way to ensure its own security.” All right, but we have the right to do so too. Why can’t we?
Finally, the ABM system – something I mentioned in my Address to the Federal Assembly. Who was it that withdrew unilaterally from the ABM Treaty, one of the cornerstones of the global security system? Was it Russia? No, it wasn’t. The United States did this, unilaterally. They are creating threats for us, they are deploying their strategic missile defence components not just in Alaska, but in Europe as well – in Romania and Poland, very close to us. And you’re telling me we are pursuing an aggressive policy?
If the question is whether we want law-based relations, the answer is yes, but only if our national economic and security interests are absolutely respected.
We negotiated WTO accession for 19 years or so, and consented to compromise on many issues, assuming that we are concluding cast-iron agreements. And then… I will not discuss who’s right and who’s wrong (I already said on many occasions that I believe Russia behaved the right way in the Ukrainian crisis, and the West was wrong, but let us put this aside for now). Still, we joined the WTO. That organisation has rules. And yet, sanctions were imposed on Russia in violation of the WTO rules, the international law and the UN Charter – again unilaterally and illegitimately. Are we in the wrong again?
We want to develop normal relations in the security sphere, in fighting terrorism. We will work together on nuclear non-proliferation. We will work together on other threats, including drugs, organised crime and grave infections, such as Ebola. We will do all this jointly, and we will cooperate in the economic sphere, if our partners want this.-
February 24, 2015 at 7:02 pm -
Erm – all those Russian military personnel without I/D markings active in Ukraine, are they all still ‘on holiday’? Those Russian heavy weapons deployed in Ukraine, did they get there by accident? That polonium in Mr Litvinenko’s tea, did it come from Ebay?
Methinks Mr Putin talks a clean game, but commits the occasional ‘professional foul’.
-
February 25, 2015 at 8:40 am -
Nicely summed up I trust the Russians more than the yanks or french
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 5:06 pm -
It was not Moor Larkin but Gildas the Monk who wrote the article.
-
February 24, 2015 at 6:40 pm -
Yes, thank you; we already knew that Gildas had written it.
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 7:57 pm -
‘…I watched a documentary on summer camps being organised by the youth wing of Putin’s political faction. It was disturbing stuff. All the usual paraphernalia of the dictator were present: the giant portraits of Putin looking glamorously “strong”: jaw jutting and eyes blazing; lectures about the injustices of the West; the hair shirt, healthy, outdoor life and exercise. We have seen it all before, somewhere.’
And, as last time, when these shores were directly threatened (in 1939) we are ill prepared… This man is nothing less than another Stalin/Hitler and our political masters have recklessly weakened our armed forces, to the point where we could no more stand tough against Putin and his hordes if push came to shove. Imagine trying to get that lot of European wet lettuces to stand together against something as powerful as that – even if they had the firepower to act as a credible deterrent (short of the ‘N’ option).
Why, oh why did I spend some of my best years as part of what was British Forces (Germany) in the ‘Cold War’ when 25 years later there isn’t anything left in the cupboard and the wolf is at the door scratching again…
We are severely f%&$*^%…
-
February 24, 2015 at 9:43 pm -
The only big wars Russia ever fights are when folk invade THEM.
Their general policy is to give ground, wait for winter and then kick Johnny Frozen Foreigner out again…
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 8:43 pm -
What does Putin want? To quote the peerless Mel Brooks:
I don’t want war. All I want is peace. Peace. Peace!
Aaaaa little piece of Poland, a little piece of France
A little piece of Portugal, and Austria perchance
A little slice of Turkey, and all that that entails
Und then a piece of England, Scotland, lreland and Wales-
February 24, 2015 at 9:48 pm -
Alaska would be the easiest target. The Russkies appear to have a sense of humour at least:
A petition for the “secession of Alaska from the U.S. and joining Russia” appeared on the “We the People” section of the White House’s website on March 21 and had garnered more than 35,000 signatures as of Monday evening.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/after-crimea-russians-say-they-want-alaska-back/497154.html
In an appearance on a BBC talk show last month, Vladimir Chizhov, Russia’s permanent representative to the European Union, made perhaps the most direct hint at this goal of any official, suggesting that U.S. Senator John McCain should “watch over Alaska.” Comic takes on Alaska’s Russian past have also emerged on Russian social media. Humor websites published a photoshopped picture of penguins from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party holding signs saying, “Crimea is ours,” “Alaska is next!” and “Only Putin!”
-
-
February 24, 2015 at 8:47 pm -
Putin hardly wants to ‘take over eastern Europe’. I think Gildas is running away with himself there again. Putin likes to play up his strongman image for domestic consumption but I seriously doubt he has anything more in mind that attempting to defend Russian minorities in Ukraine and the Baltic States, a not unreasonable aim. Gildas is following nothing more than the line of blowhard pundits (often too chummy with the PR people of defense industry companies) and journalistic sensationalism which wants to keep hysteria levels constantly up. The real danger is of overreaction on NATO’s part to Russia pursuing quite limited goals in its region leading to something more serious. If we could all calm down a little that is what is needed most.
-
February 24, 2015 at 9:28 pm -
@ Henry the horse… l’ будете напоминать вам об этом нонсенс, когда товарищи пьют водку в Уайтхолле !!
-
February 24, 2015 at 10:31 pm -
в отличие от Белгравия ?
-
-
February 25, 2015 at 12:10 am -
Does Russia have the benefits of multiculturism, feminism , diversity, uk education and self hate?
Bound to lose then. -
February 25, 2015 at 12:41 am -
Oh dear! Where to start? One of our better researchers seems to have succumbed to the Alice in Wonderland reportage in the European press regarding Ukraine.
Might I suggest that our readers cast their eyes once more over some of the landlady’s comments on Ukraine, I would suggest :
Uk-raine Terrain 6 March 2014,
Kiev chickens coming home to roost 26 March 2014,
Bitter legacy of Western Ukraine 12 May 2014,
Catherine of Arrogant 10 May 2014.To summarize what is said therein-you are being played for fools by the EU, camoron, Merkel and Hollande to establish a government that is suitable to them and yto place scoundrelss at its head, they have foolishly ignored legitimate anxieties of Russia, and have exacerbated the issue by starting an economic war. Frankly I am astonished by the forebearance Russia has shown knowing it could cut natural gas supplies to Europe tomorrow and plunge you into a crisis.
-
February 25, 2015 at 7:59 am -
If Russia cut it’s natural gas exports to Europe tomorrow, it’s income would drop substantially. It’s already ‘economically compromised’. True, it could find other markets, but putting in place means of getting the gas to it’s destination would take time they don’t have, and use money they don’t have.
If Putin really wants Russia to be respected on the world stage, his best bet would have been to repair it’s shattered economy. That he has chosen instead to take more bellicose actions demonstrates the nature of the man.
-
February 25, 2015 at 4:08 pm -
You are correct, and of course I would think Putin rather enjoys watching EU and the IMF-that would be Engineer, Moor Larkin, Gildas and all others here paying Ukraine’s gas bills. He has already taken possession of most of Ukraines gold in payment and Russian gold reserves are curiously increasing rapidly, I suspect Russia is refusing payment in euros and demanding gold just to embarrass EU.
The shattered economy you refer to is an embarassment which is why I suspect Putin has ramped up overflights of the Bear bombers to embarrass and expose Europe and the USA (NATO). I see camoron is once again expounding the use of military power which he does not have, the fool is a menace.
Should these juvenile fools-Kerry, and before him clinton, nuland , camoron and obama and the EU cabal-push this too far I believe they will sincerely regret their stupidity. It would not be the first time that they make fools of themselves in opposition to Putin then reverse themselves to support his cause-think Syria.-
February 25, 2015 at 5:36 pm -
I’m beginning to think that I need to cut back on my Irony budget…
-
February 26, 2015 at 8:52 pm -
Well the money is coming out of your household budget somewhere, if this scenario goes down:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-25/putin-slams-ukraine-decision-cut-gas-east-genocidal
please just reduce the TV tax budget, it would be a shame to suffer a reduction of your ironic output.
-
-
-
-
-
February 25, 2015 at 8:15 am -
This is VERY interesting on the subject:
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/02/ilargi-far-kiev-athens.html -
February 25, 2015 at 8:45 am -
“NATO is still a powerful organization, but it needs to display new resolve, new commitment. At the same time, there has to be diplomacy, conducted by those who understand Russia and its history, not place men from the EU who appear to be concerned only with the size of their empire and pensions. But most of all, we need some more tanks and planes.”
Gildas – I think that sums it up nicely. I forget which politician is responsible for the quote, “Speak softly and carry a big stick” (Kissenger?) but it seems a sound approach to dealing with someone like Putin.
Back in my university days, the Cold War was still ongoing, and CND campaigners were seemingly everywhere. One wag of my acquaintance used to wear a tee-shirt with the word ‘PEACE’ in large letters. Underneath, there was a representation of a rather fearsome automatic pistol, and in small letters the words ‘through superior fire-power’. I think he wore it mainly to wind up the CND crowd, but the message struck me as apposite. You don’t necessarily have to use military power, but there’s a type of world leader who will respect you if you have it – and won’t if you don’t. As Stalin once said, “The Pope! How many divisions has HE got?”
-
February 25, 2015 at 9:02 am -
* “The Pope! How many divisions has HE got?” *
of all the quotes in all the world……
The people responded to John Paul II’s visit with loyalty borne of years of shared suffering—banners with the Communist party slogan “The Party Is for the People” sported the daring addition, “. . . but the People are for the Pope.”John Paul II’s example encouraged other leading church authorities, such as the Czech Cardinal Frantisek Tomasek, to become fierce critics of Communism. His visit also inspired an unemployed electrician named Lech Walesa to form in 1980 the Soviet Union’s first and only trade union—Solidarity—that in the words of French political scientist Alain Besancon gave the Poles back “the private ownership of their tongues.” Soviet authorities feared Solidarity could undermine Soviet power, and the Warsaw Pact planned an invasion and mass arrest of Solidarity’s leaders. John Paul II intervened by writing directly to Soviet president Leonid Brezhnev, giving his support to Solidarity and warning against the consequences of such an action. While this only delayed a crackdown, the pope had set a precedent. In 1989, when Solidarity swept available seats in a semi-free election, no one doubted who to credit for the moral fiber that had held the party together.
On December 1, 1989, Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev visited John Paul II in the Vatican. It marked the extraordinary end to hostilities between Rome and Moscow—and the triumph of Christian faith over Communism.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/nov7.html-
February 25, 2015 at 9:32 am -
Putin, I suspect, is nearer the mindset of Stalin than the mindset of Gorbachev.
-
-
-
February 25, 2015 at 8:46 am -
I think we should see the Russians as our friends and allies, yes they don’t do every thing we like, but who does.
Russia would be great market for British goods.
The Brits need to sit down with the Russians get out a nice bottle of vodka, caviar and enjoy what should be a good life-
February 25, 2015 at 9:44 am -
Yeah, like the Yanks would allow that!
-
{ 69 comments… read them below or add one }