Russia-US relations may or may not be on the mend - or "reset" - after Barack Obama's visit.
Even I'll admit (and I'm hard to please) there's some genuine goodwill on both sides to repair a relationship that has been out of whack since the end of the Cold War. However, the same goodwill remains a rarity to many in the Western media. For them, the Russian people weren't grateful enough and even didn't deserve Obama's visit.
We are told that the "Great Obama Show" flopped in Russia. America's "commander-in-speech" didn't leave Russians cheering and clamoring for more. Added to this is the assumed reason: it is not Obama's fault - the Russian people should be blamed for not embracing the world's greatest gig on the political stage. This line of thinking is typically Western, particularly American, cultural arrogance. Politics should not be equated with entertainment.
Articles in The New York Times ("In Russia, Obama's Star Power Does Not Translate") and The Washington Post ("In Russia, Obama's Limited Reach") serve as examples of a particular attitude towards Russians: they react to political events and ideas in ways contrary to supposed international norms.
When Obama visited Prague in the spring, he was welcomed as a titan. This shouldn't have surprised anyone - many Czechs are disillusioned with the European Union. Membership of the bloc was supposed to mean affluence, stability and a seat at the adult table with the powerful Western countries. Well, things worked out differently and badly. For the Czechs, Obama appeared to be the long-awaited agent of change. Today the Czech Republic is a second-tier European country that reports to the Brussels bureaucracy and is dead-set against Washington's anti-missile plans for Eastern Europe.
Obama has equivocated on this issue and is a strong supporter of global nuclear disarmament. Thus, the Czechs had a number of reasons to embrace Obama.
In Cairo, the Obama magic worked again. Washington's perceived crusade against the Arab and Muslim world was addressed when he spoke to Egyptian students. Obama's address was truly amazing and historic. He admitted the wrongs committed by the US and its allies against the countries and peoples of the Greater Middle East.
Importantly, he said that the US would again be an honest broker in the region after decades of favoring the Israelis. Whether this will happen or not is anyone's guess, but Obama's admission that American policies had failed and were unjust was reason enough to celebrate him.
In Moscow, things played out differently. Obama's handlers probably thought the string of successes in Prague and Cairo could be replicated here. If he could diverge from the usual Washington script and even utter the word "sorry," then everything would be alright. Well, this didn't go down well here. Forgiveness isn't really the issue for Russians.
Young Russians particularly want much more from the US than the Czechs or the Egyptians do. What the Western media described as Obama's star qualities were never really in play here.
Russia has its politicians and rock stars, but they're not idolized like gods.
Mikhail Gorbachev claimed to know what was best for the Russian people and he failed. Boris Yeltsin claimed to know the same and failed (with a lot of American support). Russia's current political elite is a lot less ambitious. It hopes for the best and admits there are hard days ahead.
America's expectations of leaders is not the international norm, it's a dangerous exception. Obama does indeed have rock star qualities, but he isn't a rock star - he's a politician of hope. The Western media will eventually trip him up and bring him back to earth. In the meantime, Russians will continue to demand a better standard of living and status on the world stage.
All of this is not too sexy, but it's what most Russians want from their leaders. When they want a rock star, they go to a concert or turn on the radio. They're not looking for a political leader from abroad to play that role.
This article was first published in the Moscow News.
Recasting almost 20 years of uneven and bad relations between Moscow and Washington is a daunting task. I am a skeptic to the core but I must admit, for the first time since I devoted myself to Russia watching, I believe that the US White House is something close to sincere when it says it wants to “reset” relations with the Kremlin. It seems to me Medvedev and Obama have taken one small step towards that end.
I covered the Medvedev-Obama presser and my findings are the following:
I didn't expect a breakthrough on anti-missile defense - there was simply too much at stake and prestige. However, Obama made it clear that Russia has a point. I think that we are over the hump - there will be a compromise in the end. As expected, Medvedev made it clear it cannot and will not compromise as things stand now.
We got the expected decision to lower nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles. This is smart - if the US and Russia can't lower their stockpiles then it is only talk about global disarmament.
We can assume possible progress on dealing with Iran and NKor. No details given - in many ways this may have been the most interesting part of the summit (so far). I got the sense there was horse-trading happening behind the scenes.
A new presidential commission is to be established to allow both countries to continually talk about a wide range of issues.
A corridor over Russia to Afghanistan - again expected, but meaningful.
There will be a bilateral commitment to back a global program to stop proliferation of nuclear materials, something that is long overdue. Washington is to blame for being so lax about non-proliferation since the end of the Cold War.
Also, Obama appeared to really mean it when he talked about respect and respecting Russia's right to define it own security interests. This is something new coming out of Washington. Or am I being fooled by the “commander-in-speech?”
On the whole, I think the countries could well be on the path to resetting relations.
But don’t forget! Tuesday is Obama's "civil society" part of the summit and, of course, breakfast with VVP.
So far the bad advice given to Obama before his arrival has not been put to use…..much more to come.
13 July, 2009, 15:35
The US has already started new military drills with Georgia. This just 1 week after Obama's fine words of resetting relations. Putin trusted Bush and now he's trusting Obama. I guess he'll learn the hard way...
13 July, 2009, 13:44
Peter I hope you discuss The Grand Chessboard in a future article.
12 July, 2009, 17:04
Obama guy good speeches while in Moscow but now his senior adviser and Biden are saying assurances Obama gave Medvedev and Putin are non-guarantees and there still going to be pushing ahead with NATO expansion with Georgia and Ukraine, Missile shield, military exercises, increased arm shipments to Georgia, etc. so that pretty much means anything Obama said is meaningless just like all post Cold War guarantees Reagan gave to Gorbachev.
And Russia signing a joint nuclear arms reduction is insane as they don’t have a workable military and this is there only security guarantee they have from a political agenda of dismemberment of Russia as a country.
And why does no one talk about The Grand Chessboard?
10 July, 2009, 16:22
I will believe Obama is serious about a "reset" if he changes some of his advisors. That probably will not happen this summer, but it may by the end of the year or next year. Meanwhile his voice is drowned out by the hawks.
10 July, 2009, 15:15
Bianca is very accurate in what she writes. There is no great excitement in this visit, there are fine words, and I think we all hope for the best. However, the US isn't just one administration; behind this administration is a huge unchanged institutional US. This institutional US is the thing that needs to change, many think it can't, others hope that at least Obama can start to nudge it in the right direction, allowing some gravity or chain reaction to begin and bring about subsequent real change. But remember it can all fail, and the institution can elect again a son of Bush. Russia realises this, so we will procede slowly, taking note of real deeds over many administrations. We look to build a relationship, not have a one night stand. Obama has much to do to conquer his own instituttional US stereotypes. If he is sincere, I wish him well with it. We will see how he gets on. Regardless of his success or failure, Russia will continue on its course of bilateral relations, and the relationship attempt with the US now, can be seen simply as part of that strategy, and nothing else. Russia's strtaegy for quite some time has been to court bilateral relations with many nations of the world, the one in this summit, is just part of that, offering opportunities for Russia, and complimentary opportunities for the US to become part of a big club of equal nations.
For Russia, in terms of foreign policy we are set, so now we can turn to domestic issues with relish, and here, there is tons to do, we are in a second phase, real business hampered by corruption is the order of the day, gone are the thieving western controlled Oligarchs like Khodorkovsky ( he was the Madoff to the poor, 150 years is too little for him) and now arriving on the scene are the innovators, the ones who with their own capital are thriving on the opportunities available. Building out opportunities, leveraging on networks of international partners and capital. Russia is at the toddler stage in terms of a diversified economy, that's why its so exciting to watch and be part of, it is a second life, full of excitement. This rollercoaster, has some twists and turns to go, but we are on it till the end, because it makes business sense. From these businesses coupled with the huge existing enterprises, a full portfolio can and will emerge, an economic base for Russia going forward. This will make peoples lives better, there is no doubt, but we need manage the accompanying economic bubble. Russia has to look after its people, and avoid the mistakes of the west, this may mean the benefits are slower for many to feel. However, what we must avoid at all cost is the drug trade in consumer credit, which is the enemy, make no mistake about it. This is something polluting our space, and which we should turn away from through legislation. It is the heroin of the west. we need build firm foundations, not a party ballon to go pop, accompanied by a cheap meal that leaves you with a bad belly.
09 July, 2009, 18:15
And yet, I remain unconvinced. Based on the content of many comments, it looks like the discussion is drifting all over the place, but no passions are stirred by this summit. In fact, American media noticed a distinct lack of Obamamania in Russia. Obama was not himself. He participated in the structured and terribly confined event. He is not a man in charge, and is looking over his shoulders for the approval/disapproval by the rulling elites. It is bad enough that he had to outsource his foreign policy to Clinton-era elites; but it is even worse when these presumably Democratic Party insiders get the cheerleading from the republican neocons. Poor Obama. Now he is surrounded by the neocons in both parties, and knows it. There is no change to policy towards Russia. None whatsoever. Russian leadership did a good job at creating an open atmosphere, and letting Obama be Obama. But Russia is not Egypt. There, the false hopes still move the masses. Russia's population has been traumatized, and will not fall for false hopes easily again.
Obama's overture to the NGO's and opposition have fallen flat. Neocons in Washington (of both parties) still live in nineties where Russian population was easily manipulable by the simple formula: your regime is bad --- let us help you. The continued play on the legendary Russian naive nature, and even more legendary lack of self-esteem, is no longer giving results. Expecting Russians to feel bad about their leaders, country and economy in todays world, is not just cold war thinking. It is delusionary thinking.
Clearly, the problems in Russia are manyfold. But if one remembers that in a short span of time since 2000, Russia managed to extracate itself from the clutches of super-oligarchs that were selling the country down the river. And in the process, manage to ramp up its energy sector to repay public debts and put aside a sizeable reserves. Nobody would have predicted that --- nobody. Granted, this speed left many a problem swept aside. The standard of living while noticeably improved, did not benefit some of those mostly in need. And the productive capacities are still stuck in Soviet era models. While new direct foreign investments changed Russia's outlook for the future, reforming its own industries remains a high priority. It is hard to believe, but many in their haste to enjoy Russia's economic problems, failed to notice that substantial reforms are carried out by Putin's government in the climate of crisis. Crisis has created opportunities, and reforms are aplenty.
However, US policies are stuck in the past. Will Obama be able to reshufle his foreign policy team down the road, as the problems multiply in the world? Remains to be seen. Perhaps, he could take a page from Putin, and change the crisis into an opportunity. However, for now, US is making sure Russia knows that US sfere of interests includes Ukraine and Georgia. Obama looked nearly clownish while talking about the nations' rights to their own foreign policy, selecting their leaders and the right to their soveregnity. Every American is aware of 800+ miltary bases around the world that interfere with internal affairs of those countries, and of disregard for sovergnity as witnessed by the millions of refugees coming out of Pakistani Northern Territories. And the lament for Georgian sovereignty rings truly clownish in the face of utter disregard for the Serbian Kosovo. And what can Obama do really? Not much. The sprawling NATO (US) base Camp Bondsteel has been built in Kosovo during the time when UN was presumably keeping peace in this Serbian province. And even today, this sprawling base is not on the official list of foreign bases. The imperial practice, and the enlightened worlds --- are jaring to senses and insult whatever intelligence we are allowed to posses.
As someone who still holds out hope for Obama administration, I recognize that his path will be tough. He will either undermine the corrupt establishment in Washington with the support of those who voted for him, or he will end up like LYndon Johnson. With problems getting bigger by the day, he may not have a chance for a second term. In the meantime, the furious elite that cannot still stomach the loss of US power to ram down global solutions at will, may find a way to marginalize Obama, and push its ideas through Clinton/Biden proven entities.
Many of us are wishing Obama luck, and are being patient. But if nothing changes, the demoralized public will give way to apathy. As always, the application of force for the domestic --- money making --- reasons will make America and the world downright dangerous place.
09 July, 2009, 15:35
In all Mr Obama gave a good performance/speeches when in Russia.
He outlined Russia concerns and what US expectations were in regards to relationship with Russia.
He even spoke about negotiating the lifting of the Jackson-Vanik amendment which should have been lifted at the end of the USSR.
I thought it was funny though about his speech on state sovereignty and empirical ambitions when US overtly and covertly for the past 2 decades has waged more war and supported separatist faction including Russia then any other country in the world apart from Britain.
09 July, 2009, 11:15
@Sasha
The Russian economy is in a bad state although it has vastly improved under Putin because Soros and his Harvard cronies like Summers and Sachs who made a personal fortune from the privatisation of Russia during the 90’s engineered the Shatilan plan and Harvard economic shock therapy which they were able to implement under Yeltsin were Russian economy was put under the control of a few western aligned mafia Oligarchs looted and plundered were senior political bought a shares in these companies at fire sale prices like Rothschild and Kissinger buying up shares at low prices. Rothschild even transferred the funds to Khoderkovsky to run the privatisation auction to create the Yukos oil company and helped launder money out of the country from various small private backs to offshore accounts like the Menatep bank with Yukos to the Isle of Man.
Russia was in a serious state of decline because these Oligarchs who weren’t even ethnic Russians and citizens of another country plundered the country for nearly a decade.
Things only started to improve when Putin came to power and the people like Soros, Berezovsky, etc and western think tanks and intelligence fronts and the mass media have done every thing in the power to get Putin out of power.
If they are so concerned about the Russian economy then the trillion dollars laundered out of the country during the 90’s should be returned to Russia.
@Irie
How is Putin courting Nationalism he has hardly said a critical thing about the US.
It is the US and EU as well as think tanks and the mass media that have come up with various theories, constant nearly daily attacks in the media and financing groups inside Russia and the near abroad in these Soros/CIA colour revolutions with two nationalist blowhards in Ukraine and Georgia as well and terrorism and organised crime so they can annex the Southern regions to get the Caspian oil reserves.
08 July, 2009, 22:29
I have been watching your analysis, but frankly it lacks objectivity. As a journalist you seem to side with Russia all the time.
08 July, 2009, 19:30
Absolute rubbish
08 July, 2009, 09:27
Hey Cash Count,
100% in agreement and your quote "True US expats come to Russia, and find it is a land of opportunity," Is Right on...
I have been in Russia for 3 years now and everything that you talk about is true from Russia to the USA.
I would like to add to the "5. People are orderly in US, no one will push or shove or be rude to you while standing in line;" Do not forget to mention many Americans kill, maim and run over each other to get Christmas gifts at Wal-Mart.... (and other stores)
Kyle
To Sasha - I was upper management in the Service industry in America for many many years. I have spent years in Canada training employees. Canadian employees are no saints!!!!!
"I could keep going on and on and on.... and I don't think anyone can refute anything I have written. "
Well Kyle uses Russian medical services and lives in a one room flat and drives an old 1986 Volga 24 and I will live here the rest of my life with my Russian wife who had a choice to come to America. My wife came twice to America and she was so distraught at what America was, that she asked me to live in Russia. She did not want to leave Russia and that was the greatest thing that ever happened to me...
I will be caught dead here in Russia because it is one of the most interesting and free countries that I have ever lived in. "I refute what you have said in full" Money and material things are not what makes life go around. The people, heart and soul make life go around.
Russians have heart and soul...
Kyle Keeton
Just search my name in Google and find my websites. I have thousands of posts on Russia and plan on thousands more.
08 July, 2009, 05:12
Count Cash -- EXCELLENT POST. I just returned from a 1 night visit to the US where I traveled to a handful of cities and now I am fully equipped with my deep knowledge of America. I could not agree more with your insights! Americans are wonderful people and love their country -- but, .. they have a "mandatory" military service (because for many of them this is the only way to pay their debts).
Sasha, I am not going to argue with you about how tough life in Russia is. Yes, it is. No doubts. It is, really, not for everyone. Though, I would hardly agree with you on any item from your list. This list sounds more like a mix of reality and some bad emotional experience which was transformed to the extreme and distorted conclusions and absurd statements. You said that after half a year living in Russia it becomes very tiring. I admit, that it is quite possible. And that is understandable, as well.
Peter, somehow you didn't mention at all about one of the biggest outcomes of the Obama's meetings with Medvedev and Putin -- the green light for more tight economical cooperation between two countries. At least, the initial buzz about it sounds optimistically... and not only for Russia (which may seem more apparent for the Western observer), but these day, I think, the US is more desperate to get this economical corridor. Especially, considering the fact that the price for oil is slowly rising and Russian market once again getting more attractive for foreign investors
...
07 July, 2009, 17:26
When I consider how many election promises he's broken, watch out.
07 July, 2009, 15:40
Sasha - As I got a little board drinking my Vodka, eating my cucumbers and selling my vegetables kneeling at the side of the road, being abused by the passers by. I thought despite your confusion, and your tender flower image, and even though you neither know what country you live in or what thread you post on. I thought I would add a few comments.
Because of your confusion, I will return the conversation back to the US, Canadians being a completely different breed of people, my time was great in Canada, but US is something different and within the US, as all large countries there are huge differences between coasts, states, cities..... so sweeping generalisations that you make are useless. However just to take your silly list, and play a little, because these anlaysis can never be serious,
1. I can go to any hospital in US, and I am guaranteed an excellent standard of care, unlike in Russia where only the rich can afford good care, and the other poor people end up more sick after visiting a hospital;
Wrong, try going to any US hospital without medical insurance. In contrast for a few thousand roubles, I can get any scan or treatment I need, from an excellent doctor that isn't a representative of a pharmaceutical company, trying to foist any tablet or test they can on me. In both countries if you are poor you are dead. But please notice the number of mal-practice suits in the US. Are they getting good treatment, or are they getting expensive un-needed treatment.
2. I never had to bribe my university professors in order to "secure" a good mark;
Neither did I, and our standards are far higher than the US, with their multiple choice question degrees. But you got it the wrong way around, you bribe the professor to get a good grade if you are lazy, or can't do the work. In the US if you are lazy and can't do the work, they give you the qualification 'for free' you just pay those nice tuition fee bribes.
3. I can be assured that no cops will pull me over for no reason except to get a bribe from me;
Correct, the cops get their bribes straight from major crime syndicates in the US, they don't need to take meagre traffic 'fines' Although stopping and beating blacks is more for fun, so they like to do that. US police sport. Additionally if you are a juvenile, they bump you off to local correction, to get a kick back for the judge and correction facility owner.
4. I can walk in any grocery store or department store or restaurant and no "babushka" or rude server will yell at me simply for wanting to buy something;
Wow you are delicate, never had a bad service in a US restaurant, never had a black mama screaming at you, never really been to a US earthy city have you. never really lived outside a village. Did you actually speak to them in Russian when you were in Russia.
5. People are orderly in US, no one will push or shove or be rude to you while standing in line;
You really haven't stood in line for anything in the US when the pressure gets going, try getting out more. Its not all village faits everywhere in the world. Have you ever been to any major US city. You just can't cut it when you have to fend for yourself a bit, you have been so wrapped up in cotton wool, you just say please and thankyou, whilst avoiding the ones standing in line at the soup kitchen.
6. My education is worth something and I can go anywhere in the world and be recognized for the professional I am (not many can say this in Russia);
Look at the research departments in the west, especially in science, they are becoming dominated by ex-Russian space academics. Go listen in the lounges to the Russian. You really have no clue how the academic system works. Of course the west operates a closed shop for some professions, to corruptly look after their own, but this is well known, as institutional corruption is ther speciality.
7. Yes, I have a mortgage and a car payment, but I have a large enough salary to live very well. Russians don't have mortgages because they can't afford it, interest rates are high, inflation is crazy and life isn't stable. If I lived in Russia, I wouldn't want a mortgage either! In US interest rates are low, salaries are great, what else would anyone want??
Maybe not to be foreclosed on, not to live in a tent, maybe to own their own home, instead of the bank. No the truth is the average US citizen is too poor to own their house, which is unlike in Russia. So they have to get the bank to buy it and then rent it from the bank. It is truly laughable to claim that I can afford to have a huge debt, try to turn on the TV and look what caused that little financial crisis we are in.
8. My grandmother drives a car, has a nice home, a good retirement pension and does not have to sell vegatables on the street for the rest of her life;
Mine has a driver instead, so what is the deal. Are you so small in your outlook that this is a huge success. Also please note many pensioners in the US do a job justt to survive, and maybe its a good thing, at the moment the west is heading for a huge pension black hole. Why should people be forced into retirment. BTW the vegetables are much better in Russia, how many pounds did you put on, eating the junk food available to you. Still fit the wedding dress?
9. My kids will never have to serve in the army, whereas poor Russians have to serve in the Russian army which usually terms them into invalids.
Neither will mine unless they want to. Money makes the world go around. But I think it is quite good to have some army training. I don't know when you were in Russia, but it must have been some time ago, In the US though, the army can be the only job opportunity available to scrape a living and avoid the food stamps. The drawback is that they have to go and rape and torture and destroy other peoples living standards in other countries.
So Sash, you don't love Russia, you hate it, you only love Russia, if you can transform it into something you love, something you can control that is middle class, full of credit, corrupt, ignoring the people and pretending the poor don't exist, which is the US. But that is a typical US visitors attitude. True US expats come to Russia, and find it is a land of opportunity, you are free to do what you can do, the pioneers are here, the dead wood is back in the US. Yes its a different system, but the rewards are huge here, the people are not in debt, they actually own their homes, not the bank (although sadly that is changing) They are largely credit free. Think US domiciled people have to borrow, just to put a roof over their head. They are the impoverished of the world, bouyed up with a credit card, mortgage, loan and a food stamp. The USA is held up by a deck of plastic cards and finacial instruments, soon to come tumbling down. So don't talk your rubbish about living standards, go and live in a few cities, and get out after 9pm. Russia is a far better place than the US in terms of real living standards and opportunity, not credit living standards. You just couldn't cut it here.
07 July, 2009, 15:12
Sasha -- EXCELLENT POST. I just returned from a 3 week visit to Russia and traveled to a handful of cities. I could not agree more with you insight! Russians are wondefuld people and love their country -- but, in the same breath, more than a few asked me if I could help them find jobs/come to America. And in terms of mandatory military service, I was shocked that for the right price, people can keep their sons out -- something like $15,000USD I think paid to some mysterious government agency.
Yeah, Putin is nothing more than a blow hard -- trying to make the Russian people forget about their daily problems through the use of blatant nationalism. He is not even remotely in the same league as Obama -- far less intelligent ... and well, it was interesting how intimidated Putin appeared when the two stood up and Obama towered over him. Putin tried to use the old eye contact intimidation routine during their meeting, but it seemed to suggest more about his Soviet era, backwards mentality than anything else -- very obvious and very contrived.
07 July, 2009, 10:49
Sasha said on a different thread "However - I agree with many of you, the US is not perfect and never will be, but no one in the world can deny that people live much better in US than Russia... ".
Now Sasha talks about Canada - hey Sasha sorry to disapoint your confused mind, but Canada is not part of the US. Neither is this thread part of the one with the orignal post.
07 July, 2009, 10:47
Sasha this is all fine what you say. But you need to know there is no miracle in America.
Look at the web site http://********nat-debt/debt-nat.htm. Sooner or later that will hit you and your good living. The better things in lives of ordinary citizens come at the cost of debt.
No doubt there is plenty to improve in Russia and this is being done. For the record, Russia is the fourth largest investor in America.
07 July, 2009, 07:25
Obama sounds like a good and sincere leader and speaker but the problem is he has some of the worst people advising him especially his senior foreign policy advisor who has in several books laid out a US foreign policy towards Russia and it isn’t a co-operative one.
Most of Obama’s staff members were at the forefront of the US’s disastrous foreign policy in the Balkans during the 90’s covertly aiding forces like Iran and Middle Eastern terrorist groups and post Soviet organised crime to establish a base in the Balkans to operate creating an axis of organised crime networks in Europe which NATO also aided which has a direct effect on Russia.
In fact most of Obama’s staff members and advisors have been involved in European affairs for the past 2 decades which include Brezinski, Albright, Holbrooke, Biden, Emanuel and Soros and Larry Summers who was involved in the privatisation scheme of Russia’s post Soviet economy during the 90’s.
Michel Chossudovsky Global Reasearch has been keeping track and doing good coverage on NATO who are doing more exercises, increased its members to include Croatia and Albania and talk about moving key NATO military components closer to Russia.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=theme&themeId=1
I suspect like Britain in the Civil war they are positioning Naval and army forces to assist separatist force and intervene on there behalf if necessary or probably block of Naval corridors to Russian ships and smuggle supplies and arms even logistics to militants and other subversive elements.
And why is climate change a premier issue?
The economy and the value of the dollar should be the primary issue which should be 90% of the discussion which Russia as well as China has a personal stake in as the have invested billions of dollars in these US institutions like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which are becoming useless.
07 July, 2009, 06:03
Peter, talk about global disarmament can only succeed once the USA commits itself to globally recognized civilized behavior. That requires to drop US colonial ambitions and gangster style invasions of other countries. Once the US conducts itself in a civilized manner other countries will have less reason for arming themselves.
Prosecution of those responsible for the lies, deception and invasion of Iraq could be a good signal to the world that the US means business.
07 July, 2009, 02:01
@ Count Cash
As a matter of fact, I was "lucky" enough to live in your beloved Russia for 2 years. First off, I would like to say that I think you are the only Russian who lived in the US and returned to Russia, not a very smart move on your part! Unless, that is, you are a millionnaire, or you are receiving a "western" salary from a "western" owned business.
I live in Canada, but I know that the US and Canada are similar in nature and standard of living (except for the credit crisis, Canada has a much better regulated banking and financial sector). So, here are some of the differences between our two countries that I have noticed making Canada a MUCH better country:
1. I can go to any hospital in Canada, and I am guaranteed an excellent standard of care, unlike in Russia where only the rich can afford good care, and the other poor people end up more sick after visiting a hospital;
2. I never had to bribe my university professors in order to "secure" a good mark;
3. I can be assured that no cops will pull me over for no reason except to get a bribe from me;
4. I can walk in any grocery store or department store or restaurant and no "babushka" or rude server will yell at me simply for wanting to buy something;
5. People are orderly in Canada, no one will push or shove or be rude to you while standing in line;
6. My education is worth something and I can go anywhere in the world and be recognized for the professional I am (not many can say this in Russia);
7. Yes, I have a mortgage and a car payment, but I have a large enough salary to live very well. Russians don't have mortgages because they can't afford it, interest rates are high, inflation is crazy and life isn't stable. If I lived in Russia, I wouldn't want a mortgage either! In Canada interest rates are low, salaries are great, what else would anyone want??
8. My grandmother drives a car, has a nice home, a good retirement pension and does not have to sell vegatables on the street for the rest of her life;
9. My kids will never have to serve in the army, whereas poor Russians have to serve in the Russian army which usually terms them into invalids.
I could keep going on and on and on.... and I don't think anyone can refute anything I have written. Even Humble Peter, if he wasn't making his "western" salary in Russia, wouldn't be caught dead there, just like all other US or CDN citizens.
At first, all of the above were amusing, for the first 6 months, after that, it became very tiring very quickly. I guarantee that the majority of Russians, if they could, would move out of there in a second. I am not critizing "Russia" itself, I love the country, the culture and the people (da, ja dazhe ponimaju i govorju po-russki!). But, I do not like what the government does to its people, the rich remain rich, the poor remain poor. Keep defending your wonderful Putin, and the majority of Russians will remain in poverty.
Just don't give me that "rubbish" that Russia is such a great place to live.... been there, done that.
Speaking with the Associated Press before his departure for Russia; US President Barack Obama gave every impression that he intends to play Russia President Dmitry Medvedev off against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. This is naive and very dangerous. Moreover, such an approach will not result in “resetting” Russia-US relations.
Either Obama believes he has already mastered Russian politics (assuming that is even possible among us who are hardcore Russia-watchers) or he is being given some very bad advice.
Irrespective of which, the US president never should have said the following in public:
“…Prime Minister Putin still has a lot of sway in Russia, and I think that it's important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, that Putin understands that the old Cold War approaches to U.S.-Russian relations is outdated, that it's time to move forward in a different direction. I think Medvedev understands that. I think Putin has one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new. And to the extent that we can provide him and the Russian people a clear sense that the U.S. is not seeking an antagonistic relationship, but wants cooperation on nuclear nonproliferation, fighting terrorism, energy issues - that we'll end up having a stronger partner overall in this process.”
In Russia today, it is simply impossible to play Medvedev off against Putin. Both represent the same policy approaches, including foreign policies, but in different ways. As I have stated in the past, both are modernizers, with Medvedev taking more of a liberal trajectory and Putin more of a statist. At this point in time, both approaches need the other be to effective. Obama can in no way divide the two.
I still find it odd the western mainstream continues to see what they want to see in Medvedev and Putin. Medvedev is liked because he isn’t Putin. This has nothing to do with politics and policy – just simply misplaced perceptions that are only self-serving. (It needs to be remembered that a great deal of Medvedev’s popularity at home comes from the trust Putin has in him).
Additionally, no one in Russia’s political elite would ever think about “choosing” one member of the tandem over the other when it comes to foreign policy, and to please the leader of another country.
As far as where the tandem has its feet, I can only say they are on solid ground remembering the past and moving forward.
I certainly hope the upcoming summit will proceed better than Obama’s initial remarks would indicate. He needs better advice than he’s getting at the moment.
10 July, 2009, 07:01
@lolo,
The reason RON PAUL and CYNTHIA McKINNEY were not allowed to debate is that they didn't garner any meaningful (more than 1 or 2 percent) nationwide support and thus to put them on TV with the main candidates would be an absolute WASTE OF TIME and a clown show. TV debates are for serious and VIABLE candidates and not for everyone who decides to run for president (and trust me, there are many of them).
07 July, 2009, 13:36
Lolo- You mean Cynthi McKinney. She is a self important crackpot conspiracy theorist that appeals to the frighteningly large population of paranoid minorities and uneducated here in the USA. She is only interviewed when the media need a snippet for their "odd news" page.
06 July, 2009, 15:59
@Lolo, agree with you. If we were really serious about "spreading democracy", we would have done a "regime change" in Zimbabwe years ago. Maybe so many people would not have starved to death. Maybe we could have done it for only $1 million rather than $1 trillion that we are spending in Iraq . . .
Of course, there is no oil in Zimbabwe.
06 July, 2009, 14:37
I agree completely with the person who said Obama is intimidated by Putin! Even Wild Bill Hickock George Bush was never really at ease with Putin, probably because you can never know what he’s thinking; he talks very little, smiles twice a year…
BUT to assume that Medvedev is easier to deal with is just pure *** and a sign of desperation.
To the Americans on this forum: how do you explain America’s support of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who have zero democracy? Did you notice that in Iran there are 4 main candidates for presidency, and all of them are allowed to debate on national television? Do you know that Ron Paul was not allowed to debate on American television, because he’s views are different to those of the Democrats and the Republicans? And that black lady, I forget her name, (Cynthia?) is NEVER interviewed by American media, what kind of democracy is this? Don’t you ever wonder why there are no new parties with different ideas there, don’t you care to find out why these people’s views are suppressed?
Why is it that a black man (Obama) supports an apartheid regime like Israel, against black people of Gaza?
06 July, 2009, 11:29
It is simply not polite to criticize a person whom you are going to visit with such a word as "your one foot is in the old ways of doing business and the other is in the new".
To go further with this pattern of " two feet" one can say that the USA is currently standing firmly on two feet "in the old ways of doing business": in BMD deployment in Europe, NATO expansion further East with potential (not canceled yet) admission of Georgia and Ukraine, tactical and conventional NATO and the USA weapons in Europe, the Jackson-Vanick amendment, weaponization of outer space, etc.
06 July, 2009, 08:09
@David Wood, In 2002 media magnate Robert Murdoch wanted to buy another TV channel in the US. The White House blocked the transaction. After Murdoch outlined his support for Iraq invasion the White house dropped its objections. If you think the US media are free you are living in fools paradise.
Why two party political system should be better than one party system? I will start to believe the US believes in democracy once democracy is delivered to Saudi Arabia.
In the US there is no difference between the republicans and democrats. Both both parties represent the owners of the capital. It does not matter who wins elections that is why only about 50% voters bother to vote.
06 July, 2009, 06:23
I've watched Medvedev and Putin and I like what I see and hear. Both are intelligent, logical leaders who have much more integrity that US leadership. Both men seem to be working for the people of Russia and world peace. On the other hand, Obama doesn't have a clue as to what he is doing. With no military experience to speak of he is being seriously misled by the military and the neo-cons in has admisitration. These pschopaths love war and stealing other peoples money. Obama is nothing but a front man and a chump for the status quo.
06 July, 2009, 04:48
sasha - try coming and living in Russia, I have lived in the US and am now back in Russia and I can tell you, the comparison you make of Living standards in the USA are better, are a load of Rubbish, yes if you compare how many have a computer, or IPod, then you will get the sort of picture you have, but if you compare how fulfilling peoples lives are, or you compare the up and coming young adults, then it is completely differnt. Also remember the USA is credit driven, is that really a massive living standard, to be up to your eyeballs in debt and subsequent tax. In Russia, only now this credit monster is being unleashed on the people. So please don't make such sweeping generalisations. There is good and bad living standards in all countries! We don't sell our souls in Russia, like they do in the US. How big is the average US mortgage! How big is the average Russian mortgage!
06 July, 2009, 02:30
Obama is a typical Western politicians such as Sarcozy, and Merkel who hate Russia, who want to dominate the world, that is the old type imperialists. It should be pointed out that Obama tries to have an appearance of a moderate democratic politician but in reality he has both his feets in the old imperialist mentality.
06 July, 2009, 01:23
John, you're right on the money, man. There is no such thing as freedom of press in America...or the entire western hemisphere. It is the mother Russia that proudly occupies its place as the very beacon of freedom of press around the world. One can only hope that organizations like CNN, Router, AP, BBC, and others would take an example and learn from the unbiased and unabashedly truthful (not to mention world respected) reportings of a fine news outlet such as RT and Pravda. Oh I await eagerly till that day comes.
And the two party political system of the US...don't get me started on that...it's is also total crap. Real manifestation of democracy lies in the one unopposed party system of Russia, where the ones in power hand pick their puppet successors for the purposes of temporarily keeping the seat worm, to be returned to (with a longer tenure) later.
I am truly jealous of you guys. I am. Why was I born so unlucky as to be stuck in this oppressive sham of a Western society when I could've been flourishing in the abundance of political and social freedoms of the beloved mother Russia, China, or North Korea. Damn it! It's just not fair.
05 July, 2009, 23:42
Sierra Nevada,
I been to Georgia multiple times and the people of Georgia are some of the most hospital people in the world. It is not the peoples fault that the president of Georgia is worthless...
Georgia has some of the most fantastic food in the world and it comes from the soul. They know how to cook...
Quote "In response to your statement that it is the people of the former Soviet Union that makes the world go round....Does your statement include Georgians?"
Quote of what I said "What makes the world go round is the people and the people of the old Soviet countries are night and day above the Western people..."
What makes the world go round is the people... (People all over the world)... But people from the old soviet countries are night and day above Western people...
I never said that the people of the former Soviet Union are the only ones that make the world go round...I just said that they are better than their Western counterpart...
Is Georgia part of the old Soviet Union?
Are you saying that Georgians are different in some way that I do not know? Funny question...
They seemed like fantastic people to me...
Kyle
PS: Now if you are talking about Georgians in Georgia located in America then we are in a whole other ballgame.
05 July, 2009, 16:46
"A sphere of influence isn't the point. When the USSR and the Warsaw Pact dissolved why wasn't NATO?"
Why should NATO be dissolved? Even though the CCCP fell and the Warsaw Pact with it, why should NATO? Yes, perhaps it began for a purpose, but why can't it transform into something else? I would rather NATO be on my doorstep than Russia, and I don't think anyone can say otherwise. I am sure many people will agree with me, I would rather live in North America than any other place in the world.... why? stability, freedom, no crazy neighbour countries.... there are thousands and thousands of immigrants coming to North America from Russia, if Russia was such a great place, why would people leave in the first place? If all of you defending Russia on this message board think it is so great, go and live there, see what it is really like. I guarantee that you won't last long, unless you are a millionnaire who can buy everything and everyone.
However, I agree with many of you, the US is not perfect and never will be, but no one in the world can deny that people live much better in US than Russia... and isn't that the whole point?
I have nothing against Russians, I love the country, the culture, but I cannot stand what the politicians do to the people.
05 July, 2009, 11:22
I believe Obama is right in saying that we do not want a return to the cold war antics, but wrong in saying that it is wrong to have one foot in the past. It is right to have a solid grounding in the past, so we can fully remember and move forward with respect.
I think Obama should think about equality with women as being high on his agenda. The policy in Afghanistan which legalises rape of women in Afghan marriage must be axed. And his support of the homosexual community in America just underlines his inaction for bringing about equality. He must put these fundamental building blocks in place first before trying to play the Russians at a game of political chess.
Regards
Anton
05 July, 2009, 07:01
By helping American colonialists in Afghanistan Russia is losing its good name around the world. Those who help to deliver the gun are as guilty as those who pull the trigger.
05 July, 2009, 06:57
Johnx & sasha, all US media are controlled by US government through licensing that is renewable every year. There is no such think like free and independent media in the US and never was. Being privately owned does not mean free. Media owners have no choice but to be the voice for government propaganda or else… there is no license and huge losses.
05 July, 2009, 05:02
Johnx - perfect! hole in one!
05 July, 2009, 05:00
Even though Obama is going to Russia, and he's going to talk to President Medvedev the American press is going to have a field day. First, all of the press here in America will be over how bad Putin is. He's evil, he's a monster, and a Stalin communist. After they are done with Putin they are going to talk about how there is no democracy in Russia. And how Russia wants to create a new Cold War. Just ask Bill O'reilly Sure they're going to talk about how Russia opposes the missile defense system but who cares about that because once we got the America public thinking how bad Russia is it's all good.They're also going to talk about the fact that Russia still supports it's friend the Iranians. No! This is why no wonder so many Americans believe the American media is corrput. Even though Russia and the Russian people will welcome Obama and his Clinton administration/ Bush policies with open arms and RESPECT the media here in the states will play it as if Russia is still communist, has no freedom, Putin is an authoritarian leader, the media is still controlled by Putin, and Putin still threatens everyone in the region. And that's why we have Fox News and CNN. God help us . So the final point is Obama is the new god in the world and everyone loves him and the Russian are still evil.
05 July, 2009, 02:28
I agree with those who say it is hostile for our US President to declare that he finds either Putin or Medvedev more agreeable. However, the US president is in an ackward position, because the western press has blasted Putin so badly (for standing up to the EU and USA), yet now Obama goes to Russia for a summit! Hmm! He may be serious, and if so, he is not very smart, or it may be that he has to feed the right wing dogs here something to eat? We shall see, and soon. Of course, we all hope that the USA and Russia can work something out, because we all want peace, justice and prosperity .
05 July, 2009, 01:40
Kyle,
In response to your statement that it is the people of the former Soviet Union that makes the world go round....Does your statement include Georgians?
04 July, 2009, 22:45
Alt - The problem with you is that you feel you are a missionary, the Westerner, coming to marry the Russian wife, and correct Russia. The tune and the words are well known and sung by many.
All countries have issues with neighbours, it comes with the territory, look at Europe, they were fighting for years between countries, look at the balkans. This is how it is, it is the reality of the world, not a Russian thing that Americans like to pretend exist.
Now if you place on top of this an agitator, both in terms of bribes, because money makes the world go around and also one in terms of political devisiveness, and sometimes even add to this in some cases a Nazi guilt trip. Then you have a potent cocktail.
So Alt, a nice simple analysis by you, but completely wrong. But I suppose the analysis, was never meant to be accurate. It was just a nice rendition of a heartfelt song.
Now again, I hear the missionary advice of diversification of the economy, but you could have heard it form us, as we have been talking about it quite repetitively over the years. We know business very well, but your patronising is well noted. So what else do you offer us, oh high missionary, Maybe some mumbo jumbo about totalitarianism, but hasn't the US supported those type of states over the years, when it suited them. No the only thing you offer, is the little child, who hopefully can grow up unbiased by your missionary advice.
They may learn not to cheat.
16 July, 2009, 04:33
As an internationalist I have watched Obama's rhetoric on Russia closely. he is no rock star, indeed. It was only last autumn he thought Mr. Putin was President!... and he still persists in the irritating "lecturing at" rather than "lecturing to" approach when addressing Russians. He also did not accept that Georgia attacked S. Ossetia and provoked a conflict. In any event as a Canadian I have lived in Russia and seen at first hand how foreign media lies and distorts Russian events. Enough was enough and in 2007 I decided to begin acting and do something. to help address the awful malicious one-sided diatribe from Western media.
15 July, 2009, 02:17
Putin and Medvedev are the GREATEST!
14 July, 2009, 14:33
I don't think Obama has any rock star qualities. Only the real stage rock action can make a rockstar. And you cannot expect any action at all from the person whom Peter rightly titled the "commander-in-speech". Just too many Americans were subconsciously taught by movies to expect an American hero to appear and set the things right at the time of difficulty. Now, when is the time for people to act and unite (which requires only to switch off TV and get to know your family members), they waited for the initial 100 days to see, after which they find out they see nothing, so they wait more, and wait, and wait, and wait... And while they are waiting, the big things are going on outside the media spotlight.
14 July, 2009, 14:06
Thanks! Always a pleasure to read you. Luca
14 July, 2009, 12:48
I couldn't agree more with you Peter, and unfortunately for Obama, the higher the pedestal, the harder the fall. The attention and praise he's getting seems almost staged, especially when you consider that he has done absolutely nothing.
The Egyptians, Czechs, and many other people around the globe, have unreliable leaders so they look to Obama for prosperity and social justice. Compare that to Russia, I’m not sure how any current leader could out-do Putin
14 July, 2009, 09:18
Putin is not idolized in the Russian media!
14 July, 2009, 07:11
Peter Lavelle ,
Really I like you !
Greattings
Alex.