Bush provoking Russia: newspaper

[AGENDA21]

MOSCOW - An influential Russian newspaper has accused US President George W. Bush's Republican Party of deliberately raising tension with Russia to boost its own sagging popularity ahead of elections.

"Russia's success at the Saint Petersburg G8 summit depends on US domestic politics," the liberal business daily Vedomosti said in a front-page commentary, referring to the Group of Eight nations meeting scheduled for July.

"This unpleasant situation became obvious during the past week" as Bush's Republican administration, looking ahead to autumn congressional elections, continued taking "energetic steps to resurrect its shaky popularity" ratings, the newspaper said.

"One of these steps is to tighten policy on Russia."

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/basket7st/basket7st1145623620.aspx

[PATRICK]

1. A little more precise

In the run-ups to the Gulf War Russia probably paid a twisty double role and in the main aided the Bushes
by their actions on both sides of the curtain.

This time, isolated in extremely dangerous ways by the world at large, the Bushistas are typically laying on the stick(diplomacy never was their hot skill) to really keep the Russians from giving real aid to the Iranians. The Iranians, like every other sap in the Russian circle, probably trust the Russians more than they should. This time they may be right.

I think the entire Russian slapdown is exclusively about Iran and about Russia staying out of the Great Game endgame. IF this article correctly states Russian and Russian government judgment, they are missing the blinding point entirely. American politics could care less about anything happening in Russia, but the Bush political calculation rests completely on succeeding with Iran and war this year.

Don't tell me we have to lecture the KGB too?

A subtle subtext going on MIGHT be the US itching to show the Islamic world how the invaders of Afghanistan sold them out during the Gulf Wars, but they can't do it because this is precisely what they want from the Russians again- in Iran! The spooks are probably boiling over that the Russian protocols on all the equipment and knowledge they have in Iran is necessary to pave the way fro our bombers, but that the Rumsfeld goombahs are claiming they can blow that off anyway. The record shows who the big losers of that kind of arrogant presumption will be, marvelous military and technology supremacy notwithstanding.

[kurth]

2. "I'm a war president"

"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind." - George W. Bush, February 8, 2004

[FloridaPat]

3. One of the people working on Star Wars - the great defense boondoggle

quite it because he found out it was for offensive purposes. Clinton canceled the thing, but * got it back on track the minute he stole the 2000 election. We were always so worried about a nut case running Russia. We never thought we'd have to worry about a nut case in charge of all our nukes.

[glarius]

4. Remember when Bush "looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul?"

And he was best buddies with Fox of Mexico, and Tony Blair was his soul mate?...Hmmmmm....Somehow he doesn't seem able to keep these great loves for very long, does he?

[azurnoir]

6. Hmmmmmmmmmm is right

Does Laura know? Maybe some of his Fundie followers should have prayer meeting for his salvation or something:evilgrin:

[KansDem]

7. Perhaps he's lost his "charm offensive?" (eom)

[KansDem]

5. "...taking 'energetic steps to resurrect its shaky popularity' ratings"

There's nothing "shaky" about Bush's ratings; they're a solid 33%!