Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The Unfree Nations still: Fred Hiatt: Obama’s broken commitment to human rights in Russia
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Friday, July 12, 2013
Snowden allows himself to become a propaganda tool in Russian hands
Mike Nova comments: How could he get his security job and how could he get his clearance in a first place?! Ah?!
» Edward Snowden Letter: US Blocking Asylum
12/07/13 10:56 from Sky News | World News | First For Breaking News
The fugitive whistleblower's claims are reportedly made in a letter ahead of a meeting with rights groups at a Moscow airport.
» Fugitive Snowden to meet with human rights groups
12/07/13 12:10 from Reuters: International
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former intelligence agency contractor Edward Snowden asked to meet human rights groups at a Moscow airport on Friday to discuss what he called "threatening behaviour" by the United States to prevent him gaining asylum.
» Snowden to Meet with Human Rights Groups
12/07/13 08:55 from Voice of America
Human rights groups and Russian lawyers have confirmed that former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden will hold a meeting at the Moscow airport where he has been confined for three weeks while trying to find a country to grant him ..
» Edward Snowden Letter: US Blocking Asylum
12/07/13 10:56 from Sky News | World News | First For Breaking News
The fugitive whistleblower's claims are reportedly made in a letter ahead of a meeting with rights groups at a Moscow airport.
» Fugitive Snowden to meet with human rights groups
12/07/13 12:10 from Reuters: International
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former intelligence agency contractor Edward Snowden asked to meet human rights groups at a Moscow airport on Friday to discuss what he called "threatening behaviour" by the United States to prevent him gaining asylum.
» Snowden to Meet with Human Rights Groups
12/07/13 08:55 from Voice of America
Human rights groups and Russian lawyers have confirmed that former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden will hold a meeting at the Moscow airport where he has been confined for three weeks while trying to find a country to grant him ..
Boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi!
Boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi!
Like in 1980. Russia did not change in a third of a century. Everything is the same.
Let them get the message! This is the most logical and appropriate way to deal with this situation.
Like in 1980. Russia did not change in a third of a century. Everything is the same.
Let them get the message! This is the most logical and appropriate way to deal with this situation.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Putinisation of Russia (and the World?)
"The revival of the czarist, 19th-century ideological trifecta of Russian Orthodoxy, autocracy, and populism—aggravated by rabid anti-Americanism—is bad news for the security interests of the United States and Europe", writes Ariel Cohen, expressing the opinion that "the Russian “reset” policy was doomed to failure from the beginning."
V. Putin, shaped by the Soviet Russia as a man and as a politician, lends his image, personality, character and worldviews ("second-rate spy" cynicism) to the millions of post-Soviet (or pseudopostsoviet and pseudopoststalinist) Russian eyes and ears, playing up to them and playing them up; manipulating them in an exciting fit of the world political drama turning into a soap opera (future Mosfilm productions will follow, no doubt), and in the process, unburdening them from the unneeded sensations of logs in their eyes and plugs in their ears and trying to turn the attention instead to some foreign "straws" in the others' eyes, to some "foreign bodies" and foreign "agents" and to their horrible listening devices. And, also in the process, as Senator Schumer observed, Putin never missed a chance to poke America in the eye, as if trying to get a sadistic pleasure out of it. Putin compared Snowden to the famous Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov and proposed to give a Nobel Peace Prize to a treacherous narcissistic punk "hacker", at the same time tacitly encouraging him to the further "scandalous" disclosures and revelations by observing that Snowden as an exemplary ideological warrior will never accept his condition for asylum in Russia: to keep his mouth shut.
Why not give Snowden a Golden Star of the Hero of Postsoviet Disunion or, which might be even better and more dramatic: a new Order of Raymond Mercader, first degree?
What a sweet revenge, what a triumph, forty years later: now post(?!)-Soviet Russia has her own, "American Andrei Sakharov", now Putin can fight an "enemy" with his "enemy's" own ideological weapon. Maybe those were "the sweet dreams of revenge", among many other "sweet dreams", that twenty years old Volodya Putin had then?
Thousands of newly minted, happily converted, "enlightened" and zombified world putinoids (gradually morphing into putinistas) track their eyes from one corner of the screen to another, viewing the theatrical images of RT and the "wise, fare and uncompromising" posture of the Russian leader. And ain't it a coup, eh? Almost like in good old Stalinist days. The only thing distinctly missing appears to be the fat strings of cockroachy mustache, but they might grow too, in time, considering all the bio and other technologies.
The recent chain of events creates the impression of some carefully pre-thought, and possibly, to a certain degree, prefabricated (planned and proactively organised) actions. They might be the expressions and the elements of relatively new, more aggressive and expansionist, after a period of contraction, Russia, as formulated in "Putin-3" foreign and domestic ("tightening of the screws") doctrines.
"Snowden’s defection, announced after a week in Moscow, may be not an impulsive act but a thoroughly pre-planned operation... the Snowden–Russian connection needs to be explored in depth."
Psychological roots of Russian anti-Americanism run deep, long and tortuous. However, the latest bout or exacerbation of this chronic infectious disease is related to and caused by Putin himself directly and deliberately as a part of his third term campaign and now more than ever "imperial" presidency, which is viewed by many observers as illegitimate. The image of a "threatening enemy" obviously serves his political aims of consolidating the Russian society (or its most conservative, least educated, lacking independent thinking and pro nationalist part) but mostly the aims of personal political self-preservation and survival. What is somewhat surprising is the intensity and the pitch of his rhetoric and the length of his genuine hostility, which exceeds even the obsessional hysterics of the Soviet times.
"Over the last few months, Putin has been scrambling to build a case for himself to be president for at least another six years in the face of a welling restlessness among the Russian people. His tactic of choice has been a shameless anti-American campaign that has been noticeably stepped up since November 2011 with actions that have been at times crude and just plain weird."
It would not be out of place to pose a question: to what degree and the extent does Putin's illness, apparently chronic, severe and potentially debilitating, although its precise nature is not known to us (possibly Lupus Erythematosus, or one of the related syndromes) affect his thinking, his emotional state and his decision making capacities? Without a doubt, the leadership in Russia is collective, and there is always a balance between the collective part and Putin's personal power component in it. The role of Sergei Ivanov, Putin's chief of staff, was described by some observers as a "de facto acting "Regent". The recent assertive actions by Medvedev might indicate some subtle shifts within the power structure and arrangements and the possibility that "siloviki" are somewhat on a defensive at the given moment due to some undesired side effects of their "irrational exuberance".
In this regard, the reports (if they are true or have some element of truth in them) on Putin's "extreme outrage" about "bee apocalypse" leading "most certainly" to "world war" as a reason for "refusing to meet with Kerry for three hours" are puzzling, almost bizarre and add to the concerns.
Putin's increasing political (and possibly emotional) isolation might be one of the factors in his reactions and behavior, although the true extent of it is difficult to determine.
One of the liberal journalists, commenting on the rejection of Putin and his kleptocratic circle by the "world elite", noted: "This is a very painful disappointment. That is why Putin now is extremely dangerous. He is a very painfully wounded beast." ("Это очень болезненное разочарование. Поэтому Путин сейчас чрезвычайно опасен. Это очень больно раненый зверь.")
D. Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, predicts that "Putin’s fourth foreign policy [in the third term - M.N.] will be markedly different from the previous three", noting that "Russia seems to have gotten temporarily allergic to further integration in the world economy" and the relationship with the West is de-prioritised.
"An analysis of the latest version of the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, approved by the president in February 2013, as well as policies actually put into practice, shows that first on the agenda was promoting integration within the CIS.
The second priority was increasing the role of relations with Asia; the third – cutting back economic ties with the EU and de-prioritizing cooperation with NATO and other Western institutions. The fourth is to maintain an arms-length relationship with the United States."
According to A. Shleifer, a Harvard economist with a certain experience in Russia, "the economy of Russia is obviously slowing down. It's almost inconceivable that it's going to have the same economic performance in the next decade as it did in the previous decade." Putin is "going to need to find alternative ways of staying in power; that is to say, popularity for economic growth is not going to keep him popular." And with all that, the basic geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics, realities and factors remain the same: "Russia is interested in high energy prices, which means at least to me that it has a very keen interest in instability in the world. And in that respect, its basic interest, political interest, economic interests are either orthogonal or opposed to the interests of the United States. They like instability because instability helps oil prices, because it prevents U.S. dominance, and it makes Russia more central."
Ben Judah, in his recently published book, "Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin", describes Russia as "a vegetating catastrophe".
"Mr Judah’s portrait of Mr Putin is devastating. For his "second-rate spy" cynicism, he says, is a world view. Mr Putin is convinced that he combines the best of Czarist and Soviet Russia, and his self-image was boosted by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who called him "a miracle of God".
Under Mr Putin, the Kremlin has become a court, where favourites strain to please, and the price of a minister’s post is $10m. Meanwhile, with 350,000 employees, the KGB’s successor, the FSB, has grown bigger than some European armies."
Russia's long term problems and the issues of her political and economic development will not be solved by theatrical displays, TV images and anti-American propaganda.
Thousands of newly minted, happily converted, "enlightened" and zombified world putinoids (gradually morphing into putinistas) track their eyes from one corner of the screen to another, viewing the theatrical images of RT and the "wise, fare and uncompromising" posture of the Russian leader. And ain't it a coup, eh? Almost like in good old Stalinist days. The only thing distinctly missing appears to be the fat strings of cockroachy mustache, but they might grow too, in time, considering all the bio and other technologies.
The recent chain of events creates the impression of some carefully pre-thought, and possibly, to a certain degree, prefabricated (planned and proactively organised) actions. They might be the expressions and the elements of relatively new, more aggressive and expansionist, after a period of contraction, Russia, as formulated in "Putin-3" foreign and domestic ("tightening of the screws") doctrines.
"Snowden’s defection, announced after a week in Moscow, may be not an impulsive act but a thoroughly pre-planned operation... the Snowden–Russian connection needs to be explored in depth."
Psychological roots of Russian anti-Americanism run deep, long and tortuous. However, the latest bout or exacerbation of this chronic infectious disease is related to and caused by Putin himself directly and deliberately as a part of his third term campaign and now more than ever "imperial" presidency, which is viewed by many observers as illegitimate. The image of a "threatening enemy" obviously serves his political aims of consolidating the Russian society (or its most conservative, least educated, lacking independent thinking and pro nationalist part) but mostly the aims of personal political self-preservation and survival. What is somewhat surprising is the intensity and the pitch of his rhetoric and the length of his genuine hostility, which exceeds even the obsessional hysterics of the Soviet times.
"Over the last few months, Putin has been scrambling to build a case for himself to be president for at least another six years in the face of a welling restlessness among the Russian people. His tactic of choice has been a shameless anti-American campaign that has been noticeably stepped up since November 2011 with actions that have been at times crude and just plain weird."
It would not be out of place to pose a question: to what degree and the extent does Putin's illness, apparently chronic, severe and potentially debilitating, although its precise nature is not known to us (possibly Lupus Erythematosus, or one of the related syndromes) affect his thinking, his emotional state and his decision making capacities? Without a doubt, the leadership in Russia is collective, and there is always a balance between the collective part and Putin's personal power component in it. The role of Sergei Ivanov, Putin's chief of staff, was described by some observers as a "de facto acting "Regent". The recent assertive actions by Medvedev might indicate some subtle shifts within the power structure and arrangements and the possibility that "siloviki" are somewhat on a defensive at the given moment due to some undesired side effects of their "irrational exuberance".
In this regard, the reports (if they are true or have some element of truth in them) on Putin's "extreme outrage" about "bee apocalypse" leading "most certainly" to "world war" as a reason for "refusing to meet with Kerry for three hours" are puzzling, almost bizarre and add to the concerns.
Putin's increasing political (and possibly emotional) isolation might be one of the factors in his reactions and behavior, although the true extent of it is difficult to determine.
One of the liberal journalists, commenting on the rejection of Putin and his kleptocratic circle by the "world elite", noted: "This is a very painful disappointment. That is why Putin now is extremely dangerous. He is a very painfully wounded beast." ("Это очень болезненное разочарование. Поэтому Путин сейчас чрезвычайно опасен. Это очень больно раненый зверь.")
D. Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, predicts that "Putin’s fourth foreign policy [in the third term - M.N.] will be markedly different from the previous three", noting that "Russia seems to have gotten temporarily allergic to further integration in the world economy" and the relationship with the West is de-prioritised.
"An analysis of the latest version of the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, approved by the president in February 2013, as well as policies actually put into practice, shows that first on the agenda was promoting integration within the CIS.
The second priority was increasing the role of relations with Asia; the third – cutting back economic ties with the EU and de-prioritizing cooperation with NATO and other Western institutions. The fourth is to maintain an arms-length relationship with the United States."
According to A. Shleifer, a Harvard economist with a certain experience in Russia, "the economy of Russia is obviously slowing down. It's almost inconceivable that it's going to have the same economic performance in the next decade as it did in the previous decade." Putin is "going to need to find alternative ways of staying in power; that is to say, popularity for economic growth is not going to keep him popular." And with all that, the basic geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics, realities and factors remain the same: "Russia is interested in high energy prices, which means at least to me that it has a very keen interest in instability in the world. And in that respect, its basic interest, political interest, economic interests are either orthogonal or opposed to the interests of the United States. They like instability because instability helps oil prices, because it prevents U.S. dominance, and it makes Russia more central."
Ben Judah, in his recently published book, "Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin", describes Russia as "a vegetating catastrophe".
"Mr Judah’s portrait of Mr Putin is devastating. For his "second-rate spy" cynicism, he says, is a world view. Mr Putin is convinced that he combines the best of Czarist and Soviet Russia, and his self-image was boosted by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who called him "a miracle of God".
Under Mr Putin, the Kremlin has become a court, where favourites strain to please, and the price of a minister’s post is $10m. Meanwhile, with 350,000 employees, the KGB’s successor, the FSB, has grown bigger than some European armies."
Russia's long term problems and the issues of her political and economic development will not be solved by theatrical displays, TV images and anti-American propaganda.
Putinism is a temporary, tactical and reactionary deviation from Russia's historical course and direction of integration with the West. Economic and political stability, which putinism touts as its main achievements, are illusory and in fact, "zastoyni" - "stasis-producing", and its foreign and domestic policies and their objectives appear to be short sighted and at times ill-conceived and almost reckless.
Michael Novakhov
First Published on 7.4.13 Last Update: 7.11.13
Michael Novakhov
First Published on 7.4.13 Last Update: 7.11.13
Friday, July 5, 2013
Russia: the land of second-rate spies: Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin by Ben Judah
Operation "Skyfall"
Purpose:
to shoot down The Big Ear and The Big Eye from the Sky with a new "smart and soft" psychotronic ("mass opinion manipulation and control via mass media") weapon hidden in "Snowden download" files.
A "Sky-fall" or a "Sunrise" ?
Good time to wake up, to smell the coffee and to rise and shine!
Actions speak louder than songs. However, sing, baby, sing! I like it!
Sing Sing Sing! by Benny Goodman - YouTube
skyfall lyrics - YouTube
» Russian Army sings Skyfall - video
24/08/13 11:08 from World news: Russia | guardian.co.uk
Members of Russia's army sing 'Skyfall' on television
Mike Nova comments:
Skyfall (song) - From Wikipedia
"The lyrics closely follow the narrative of the film rather than focusing on romanticism.[3][9] According to Epworth, the song is about "death and rebirth", saying "It's like, when the world ends and everything comes down around your ears, if you've got each other's back, you can conquer anything. From death to triumph, that was definitely something we set out to try and capture".[2] The Daily Telegraph writer Neil McCormick described the lyrics as "slightly sinister" and containing references to a number of Bond tropes and motifs.[17]"
In MVHASPO (My Very Humble And Strictly Personal Opinion),
I have associations that this is a message: jointly from Russian political and military leadership, performed, by the way, by a gayish looking singer (? A tacit acknowledgement of Western concerns with human and gay rights issues), holding a folder with a name of "Morning - 5" in his hands (? "We have all the Snowden files on you! Wake up! Hende hoh!" ?); since "the chorus of the Russian Army" would not dare to emit a note or produce any audible sound without proper approval and command from the "highest leadership".
This message possibly, if it is interpreted by me more or less correctly, contains three main parts.
1). Admission of guilt and celebration of crime: "Yes, we did it, it is a "Skyfall" for you, of major proportions; and it is a retaliation for our previous humiliations and it is our victory which we now celebrate with this show. Catch me if you can!"
Subcomment: We will.
This part of the message also appears to signal a desire to end the current stage of this operation and to take a breather.
2). Claim of unity "in the face of adversity": "Russian political and military leaderships stands united and you are not going to drive a wedge between us (intended or perceived)".
See also Lavrov - Shoigu visit.
3). Plea for truce or "peace": It might be also (again, if it is interpreted by me correctly and if it is not some type of the "wishful thinking" on my part), an offer of truce and/or peace (on the part of the mentioned above "joint Russian leadership") and a tacit acknowledgement of the seriousness of the issues and circumstances involved and the desire to signal the peaceful intentions and offers of cooperation: see the recent developments on Syria: "to stand back to back", "together" "we will stand tall or face it all together at skyfall" as the words in the "Skyfall" song are.
Subcomment: For Russia, to stand firmly and unequivocally within the Western orbit and and to share Western values and interests - is the best she can hope for historically, as a country and as a culture.
The last part sounds good, and, apparently this is the most immediate and sincere reaction to Mr. Obama's cancellation of the planned meeting with Mr. Putin, for whom the subjects of the various statuses and their various symbols are of such a deep importance and who is so sensitive and thin-skinned about what he perceives as "personal snubs", for some possible and interesting onto-genetic reasons. It also signifies, to some degree, the greater range of accessibility, attention and efficiency which, apparently comes with this newly sprouted system of communications, based more on the negative, rather than positive feedback model.
The mentioned above hypothesis can be easily tested by the practical actions, which always speak much louder than the cracklings of "Skyfall operations", words, songs, and "motifs"; and even more than the much beloved by the Russians, James Bond movies themselves, which are, no doubts, a part of the "Western Propaganda's subversive, perverse, and corrupting influence" on some of the Russian intelligence most sensitive and, undeniably and without a doubt also (?), (super?)artistic? fledgling(?) and promising (what, when, how?) minds.
Links and References
skyfall meaning - GS
skyfall as apocalypse - GS
skyfall movie - GS
skyfall movie online - GS
Skyfall movie - From Wikipedia
sunrise songs - GS
Lavrov, Shoigu to meet with US counterparts in 2+2 format
sergun igor - GS
игорь дмитриевич сергун - GS
главное разведывательное управление - GS
glavnoye razvedyvatel'noye upravleniye gru - GS
Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye - From Wikipedia
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