Obama condemns killing of Russian opposition figure Nemtsov, calls for impartial investigation

[Jefferson23]

Source: StarTribune

2/27/2015

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is condemning the killing of prominent Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov.

Obama says in a statement that Nemtsov was brutally murdered. He's calling on Russia's government to perform a "prompt, impartial and transparent" investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Nemtsov is a former deputy prime minister who later became a prominent opposition leader and a sharp critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 55-year-old was shot and killed in Moscow just outside of the Kremlin.

Obama is calling Nemtsov a "tireless advocate" for Russia and for the rights of Russian citizens. He's praising Nemtsov for fighting corruption.

Obama and Nemtsov met in Moscow in 2009.

The killing comes as the U.S. and Russia are at odds over Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/294450951.html

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/294450951.html

[Scootaloo]

1. While i get the sentiment...

I'm pretty sure that an "impartial investigation" is exactly the last thing that is going to happen.

[Jefferson23]

2. Yes, it is essential Obama say it, but what we'll see from Putin will be the opposite.

Horrible day for Russia's opposition..I am still in shock over it.

[MBS]

4. " " " " n/t

[cstanleytech]

3. Agreed, it wouldnt surprise me in the least either if Putin ordered someone to

retire the guy.....................permanently.

[Cha]

5. Mahalo President Obama.. thank you, Jefferson.. K&R

[jakeXT]

6. What's that transparent word ? /nt

[awoke_in_2003]

8. I don't know...

I can't see it- too transparent

[nichomachus]

7. And yet

If the neocons managed to murder Edward Snowden, Obama would be totally OK with that. There would be no calls for any kind of an investigation.

[uhnope]

9. wow. Extreme and strange statement.

Care to justify that?

[karynnj]

10. There would be many many calls for an investigation if Snowden had an accident or was murdered

and many here would immediately point to the WH. In fact, I assume the situation Obama would like is that Snowden return to the US and face trial.

As to the neocons, I doubt that Snowden is even high on their list. If Obama gets an Iran deal, the neo cons might well be angrier at him (and Kerry) than at Snowden. The neocons, oddly, might have been happy with the most recent Snowden release, a document that spoke of the British intelligence, Mossad and the CIA spying together on Iran --- put out at a oint where it could have angered Iran. Think about it Snowden working AGAINST Obama to HELP the neo-cons.

Yes, I know the fan club refrain - he is exposing things the government (per them) should not have done - so the consequences of leaking it are not on the leakers, but the government. Note this does not address the impact of leaking - even when it is predictable.

What I noted in the months after the first leak, is that "new leaks" dealing with the country that was to be visited came days before every major meeting that officials like Secretary Kerry made. I regretted this especially in South America, where Kerry's history could have used implicitly to warm the relationship -- even if just a little. That might have been a false hope, but at that point, we now know Kerry spoke of Cuba in discussions before Obama named him and from that he was involved in the decision to get the Pope's help.

What seems clear is that Snowden - and people like Libertarian Glenn Greenwald have a gold mine of somewhat dated intelligence that they can use to make Obama's diplomacy more difficult. If you agree that diplomacy is the answer and that Obama's goals are in the right direction, this is not a good thing.

Now, I realize that Greenwald likely would consider that collateral damage and that the exposure that the US has spied ( which shocks no one) is more important because the people would demand it be stopped. In reality, it is a minority that demand this. (look at the 2nd survey which asks about privacy vs investigating threats - http://www.pollingreport.com/terror.htm )

[treestar]

13. Obama would not be OK with that

He would expect Comrade Eddie to face trial.

[SunSeeker]

11. Putin is going to search for the "real killer" just like OJ did. nt

[Jefferson23]

12. Pretty much, yes..I feel. There are numerous cameras all around the Kremlin and

the area, in general.

[SunSeeker]

17. Of course. Putin knows who killed Nemtsov just like OJ knew who killed his wife. nt

[Jefferson23]

20. Not that past history is always a reliable measure,if at all, but it is something to note that

Anna Politkovskaya murder.... people went to prison for that, but it never came to
be known who ordered it. That scenario may repeat itself here.

[Sunlei]

14. 10 February,2015 Nemtsov wrote "I'm afraid Putin will kill me".

The murder happened less than two days before he was due to take part in a peace rally against Russian involvement in the war in Ukraine and the financial crisis in Russia.[34][36] The BBC reported: "In his last tweet, Mr Nemtsov sent out an appeal for Russia's divided opposition to unite at an anti-war march he was planning for Sunday" quoting him as saying "If you support stopping Russia's war with Ukraine, if you support stopping Putin's aggression, come to the Spring March in Maryino on 1 March."[37] Russian journalist Kseniya Sobchak said that Nemtsov was preparing a report proving the presence of Russian military in eastern Ukraine.[38]

The night following the murder of Nemtsov a search was performed in his flat on Malaya Ordynka street. His papers, writings and electronics were confiscated.[39]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Nemtsov


Putin should be jailed & questioned along with the leaders in Putins "Nashi" gangs, similar to 'hitler youth' they had attacked Nemtsov before, and have carried out many attacks under Putins direction.

British journalists Peter Oborne and James Jones examined the activity of Nashi in a documentary produced for Channel 4's foreign affairs series Unreported World. They described it as a movement originally created to prevent the emergence of a colour revolution-style movement in Russia. They claimed that some members of Nashi are explicitly racist, and met with Russian journalist Oleg Kashin, who alleged that Nashi members were most likely responsible for a severe beating he received in late 2010 after writing an article critical of a business associate of Vladimir Putin. Kashin was beaten with iron bars, and was in a coma for three days due to the assault, in which he received two broken legs and a broken jaw, as well as a severed finger. Oborne and Jones accused Nashi of fostering a cult of personality around Putin, redolent of historical leaders such as Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and Joseph Stalin.

[question everything]

15. While Palin wishes that we, too, could handle opposition leaders

in a similar way.

No?

[Jefferson23]

18. If by that you are referring to all the racist red meat she threw out to the crowds while

she was campaigning with McCain? I place her in the camp of reckless idiot, with
no regard for consequences. Putin is a powerful leader who is also in my opinion,
a paranoid control freak and has a history of getting rid of people.

So I don't see them on the same level.

[Blue_Tires]

16. So who will be the first DUer to call this a "false flag?"

???

[Jefferson23]

19. I have not seen that, but I will say there seems to be a grave misunderstanding about

what post-Soviet Russia is really like under Putin for some here.

[Blue_Tires]

23. Actually Greenwald already did it for me

By retweeting this beauty: https://twitter.com/GregDjerejian/status/572014883094441984

[pampango]

21. Investigator focuses on Islamic terrorism, links to Ukraine, personal conflicts and Western

attempts to destabilize Russia, not on Russian government involvement.

Russia’s top investigative body said Saturday it is looking into several possible motives for the killing of prominent opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, including an attempt to destabilize the state, Islamic extremism, Ukraine conflict and his personal life.

A statement from the body, the Investigative Committee, didn’t address the possibility seen as likely by many of Nemtsov’s supporters — that he was killed for being one of President Vladimir
Putin’s most adamant and visible critics.

Nemtsov had been one of Putin’s most visible critics and his death hit other members of the opposition hard. The mourning march on Sunday could serve to galvanize the beleaguered and marginalized opposition, or it could prove to be a brief catharsis after which emotions dissipate. Through the morning, hundreds of people came to the site of Nemtsov’s death to lay flowers.

Nemtsov was working on a report presenting evidence that he believed proved Russia’s direct involvement in the separatist rebellion that has raged in eastern Ukraine since April. Moscow denies backing the rebels with troops and sophisticated weapons.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/02/28/russian-authorities-probe-motives-for-boris-nemstovs-killing.html

[SunSeeker]

22. Right. ISIS did it.