The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Putin says Russia to get new nuclear weapons

Vladimir Putin boasted of developing new nuclear weapons to strengthen Russia’s military power today and warned the United States not to ignore Moscow's objections to a planned missile defence shield in Europe. President Putin pledged to counter the shield unless the US and Europe took account of Russia's concerns. He also called on the US to set a date for withdrawal of troops from Iraq, adding that the 2003 invasion had been an attempt to secure control of its oil reserves. In a live televised question-and-answer programme with members of the public, Mr Putin made clear that he was determined to restore Russia’s military prestige by using the vast income from its own oil and gas resources. He said that Russia had a “grandiose” plan to strengthen the armed forces after years of decline following the collapse of the Soviet Union. "We will develop missile technology including completely new strategic (nuclear) complexes, completely new. Work is continuing and continuing successfully," Mr Putin said. He gave no details about the new nuclear weapon, but went on: "We have plans that are not only big, but grandiose, and they are fully realistic. Our armed forces will be more compact but more effective and better ensure Russia defence.”

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle2687252.ece

Putin says Russia will defend natural resources in Siberia

President Vladimir Putin vowed Thursday that Russia would defend its vast natural resources in Siberia, saying Russia was 'not Iraq' and would not allow outsiders to gain control of its resources. "Thank God Russia is not Iraq. Russia has the strength and the means to defend itself," Putin said during a live television question-and-answer session with Russians from around the country. He dismissed talk of any outside country getting direct control over Russia's abundant natural resources in Siberia and contrasted the situation with that in Iraq. "The best example are the events in Iraq, a country which was challenged in defending itself and which had enormous oil reserves. And everyone has seen what happened there. They learned to shoot at each other. But so far, establishing order has not really worked out." He was responding to a question from a resident of the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, who had asked him to comment on a remark by a former US official suggesting that Russia should share the natural wealth of Siberia. "I know you are worried about this,' Putin said. 'I know that these kinds of ideas are circulating in the minds of some politicians,' he added, without elaborating. Putin said Russia was working on strengthening and modernising its army and navy as was its 'right' and added that 'we will continue to do this."

Source: http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/...fx4233392.html

Putin says Iraq shows need for strong Russia army

Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the U.S.-led war in Iraq on Thursday, saying that experience showed the need for resource-rich countries like Russia to build up their armed forces to defend themselves. "Thank God Russia is not Iraq," Putin said during a live televised national question-and-answer session. "It is strong enough to protect its interests within the national territory and, by the way, in other regions of the world." Answering a questioner who asked about supposed U.S. intentions to gain control over Russia's huge, resource-rich interior, Putin said: "I know that such ideas are brewing in the heads of some politicians. I think it is a sort of political eroticism which maybe gives someone pleasure but will hardly lead anywhere and the best example of that is Iraq." "... What we are doing to increase our defense capability is the correct choice and we will continue to do that," Putin added. Putin, who faces parliamentary elections in December, hailed Russia's continued strong economic growth and rising living standards during exchanges with questioners connected live from different Russian cities. He admitted that inflation, which at 8.5 percent in the year to date has already exceeded the government's target for the whole year, was a problem but blamed global economic factors such as cuts in European agricultural subsidies and demand for biofuels. Putin also claimed that Russia's demographic crisis was easing, with the birthrate reaching a 15-year high and the death rate falling to its lowest level since 1999.

Source: http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/new...-PUTIN-COL.XML

Putin: Russia to develop both strategic and conventional weapons

Russia will develop strategic and conventional weapons in a bid to strengthen the country's defense, President Vladimir Putin said at an annual live question-and-answer TV and radio program Thursday. "We will attach significance not only to the nuclear triad – I mean the Strategic Rocket Forces, strategic aviation, and nuclear submarine fleet -- but also other types of weapons," Putin said in reply to a question by a serviceman from the Plesetsk military space center. Russia is pursuing a government armament program designed for the period up to 2015, which envisions the development of all types and services of the armed forces, he said. "Our plans are not simply considerable, but huge. At the same time, they are absolutely realistic... Our armed forces will be compact and very efficient, and they will reliably guarantee this country's security for years to come," Putin said. The Russian Air Force has started to receive the advanced Sukhoi Su-34 fighters and the new generation of fighters will be built by 2012-2015, Putin said, adding that Ground Forces have started to be armed with Iskander-M missile systems. Another strategic submarine will also be built next year, said the president.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_6903512.htm

Putin Says Russia Has `Grandiose Plans' for Military Buildup

President Vladimir Putin said Russia has "grandiose plans'' to continue the country's largest military build-up since the end of the Cold War. "We have plans, not simply big, but grandiose plans,'' Putin said today in his annual call-in television program with Russians spread across 11 time zones. "And they are completely realizable.'' Putin was responding to a question from soldiers stationed at a military base in Plesetk, site of a successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier today. Russia, the world's biggest energy supplier, last year earmarked 6 trillion rubles ($240 billion) for military spending through 2015 as Putin uses revenue from high commodity prices to restore the country's might. The military struggled after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 as funding dried up and morale was sapped by incidents such as failed missile tests and the sinking of the Kursk submarine. The military last month tested the world's most powerful air-delivered vacuum bomb and today the Strategic Missile Forces said an RC-12M Topol missile traveled 5,500 kilometers (3,400 miles) to hit its designated target on the Kamchatka Peninsula near the Pacific Ocean. Putin said Russia is "successfully'' enhancing its nuclear arsenal, including the highly maneuverable, multiheaded Topol-M. ``Completely new'' systems are being developed, Putin said, without elaborating. The Navy will start construction of a new class of nuclear submarine next year, strategic bombers are being modernized and ``a new generation warplane'' will be ready by 2015, Putin said. "Russia, thank God, is not Iraq, and Russia has enough forces and funds to defend itself and its interests both on its own territory and in other parts of the world,'' Putin said.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p....NI&refer=home

Commander: Russian navy to build up presence in Atlantic, Mediterranean

Russia will build up its presence in the strategic areas of the world, including the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, navy commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said on Sunday. "We'll do all we can to build up our presence where Russia has strategic interests," RIA news agency quoted the senior officer assaying at the Northern Fleet's base Severomorsk, in the Arctic Circle. "What is important is that we have appeared (in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean) at a scheduled time and not just that we appeared there," he said while commenting a joint Air Force and Navy exercise in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic. The 12-day war game and two-month maneuver was the first large-scale Russian navy exercise in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean in 15 years. Russia's naval task force in the drill comprised the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the Udaloy-Class destroyers Admiral Levchenko and Admiral Chabanenko, as well as support vessels. The flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva cruiser, joined up with the other warships in the Mediterranean on Jan. 18 to participate in the maneuvers in the Atlantic that ended on Saturday. Russia will carry out similar missions once every six months, Vysotsky said.

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_7562444.htm[/QUOTE]

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Russia's resurgent military

Fueled by billions in oil wealth, it looks to reclaim the USSR's status as a global military power. As a newly self-confident, oil-rich Russia teams up with China in joint military exercises Friday, it is moving to reclaim the former Soviet Union's status as a global military power. A seven-year, $200-billion rearmament plan signed by President Vladimir Putin earlier this year will purchase new generations of missiles, planes, and perhaps aircraft carriers to rebuild Russia's arsenal. Already, the new military posture is on display: This summer, Russian bombers have extended their patrol ranges far into the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, forcing US and NATO interceptors to scramble for the first time since the cold war's end. "Diplomacy between Russia and the West is increasingly being overshadowed by military gestures," says Sergei Strokan, a foreign-policy expert with the independent daily Kommersant. "It's clear that the Kremlin is listening more and more to the generals and giving them more of what they want."

Economic bloc ups military teamwork

On Friday, Mr. Putin will join leaders of China and other members of the six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Russia's Chelyabinsk region to view the final stage of the group's most ambitious joint military maneuvers yet, to include 6,500 troops and over 100 aircraft. Also on hand will be leaders of SCO observer states and prospective members, among them India, Pakistan, Iran, and Mongolia. At an SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan Thursday, Putin stressed that while Russia is not seeking to build a cold war-style "military bloc," he does see the SCO expanding from its original purpose as an economic association to take on a greater military role.

"Year by year, the SCO is becoming a more substantial factor in ensuring security in the region," he said. "Russia, like other SCO states, favors strengthening the multipolar international system providing equal security and development potential for all countries. Any attempts to solve global and regional problems unilaterally have no future," he added. The SCO, founded in 2001, is often referred to as a "club of dictators" due to less-than-democratic ex-Soviet members such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. The group has been holding joint war games since 2005, when it also demanded that the US vacate military bases it had acquired after 9/11 in former Soviet Central Asia, whose oil and gas reserves are garnering increased attention from the West. "The SCO clearly wants the US to leave Central Asia; that's a basic political demand," says Ivan Safranchuk, Moscow director of the independent World Security Institute. "That's one reason why the SCO is holding military exercises, to demonstrate its capability to take responsibility for stability in Central Asia after the US leaves."

New naval base, long-range missiles

Moscow's growing military footprint – and the apprehensions of others about it – is evident in a spate of recent news events.

• Last week the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia accused Russian warplanes of invading its airspace and firing a missile, which failed to explode, at a radio station. Russian officials denied the allegation and suggested that Georgian leaders fabricated the incident. Tensions have been high between Russia and Georgia over Moscow's support for two breakaway Georgian regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are protected by Russian "peacekeeping" troops.

• Russian naval chief Admiral Vladimir Masorin announced this month that Russia may reclaim a naval base at Tartus, in Syria, from which Soviet warships used to keep tabs on US ships. "The Mediterranean is an important theater of operations for the Russian Black Sea Fleet," he said. "We must restore a permanent presence of the Russian Navy in this region."

• In July, amid worsening relations between Russia and Britain over the still unsolved poisoning death of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko, two Russian Tu-95 bombers flew deep into NATO territory for the first time since the cold war's end and, according to Britain's defense ministry, briefly entered British airspace before being escorted away by British fighter planes.

Last week, in another post-Soviet first, Russian bombers "revived the tradition of our long-range aviation to fly far into the ocean, to meet US aircraft carriers and greet US pilots visually," ending up near the American Pacific base of Guam, Russian Air Force Maj. Gen. Pavel Androsov told Russian media. He added that the pilots on both sides "exchanged grins."

• Russia has recently conducted tests of new land- and sea-based intercontinental missiles, which are expected to soon replace the country's aging Soviet-era nuclear deterrent. As a partial response to US missile defense plans, Russia will develop a missile defense "project that will include not only air defense systems but also antiballistic missile and space defense systems" to protect Moscow and other Russian centers, Russian Air Force chief Col. Gen. Alexandr Zelin told Russian media last week. Critics are skeptical that, despite major Putin-era infusions of cash, Russia's weak industrial base can deliver on the Kremlin's ambitions to restore a global military presence. "Now our military leaders have enough money to create a kind of caricature of the Soviet armed forces, and they want to do a lot of the same old things," says Alexander Goltz, military expert with the independent online magazine Yezhednevny Zhurnal. "But their plans are a confused mixture of realistic goals and unworkable Soviet-style symbolism," says Mr. Goltz.

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0817/p01s06-woeu.htm

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Putin vows more cash for Russia's nuclear defences

PM Putin maps Russia's future: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw1bqOESnTo

New Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised on Thursday to pay higher wages to members of the nuclear and air defense forces -- the pillars of national security -- and to create a special fund to finance it. Military analysts say Russia badly needs to increase support for its intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, nuclear submarines to ensure proper combat readiness, at a time when conventional forces are in a deep crisis. "We must admit: the existing system of financial allowances ... does not let us honorably pay those carrying out their military duties in the most responsible jobs," Putin said in a speech to parliament after his nomination as prime minister. "... those on duty in submarines and strategic bombers, in air defences and in strategic nuclear missile forces, those on duty in units play a key role in our defense capacity." Putin, who handed over the Russian presidency to his successor Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday, proposed creating a system of "special material incentives" for strategic forces. "In 2009, no less than 25 billion roubles ($1.05 billion) will be channeled for these purposes," he said to the rapturous applause of the State Duma lower house of parliament, heavily dominated by his United Russia party. Putin, who had held office since 2000, said Russia's army had received more than 300 types of new weapons since 2001. "But this is not enough," he said. "In the future, support for the army and navy will remain our indisputable priority." Putin's critics and independent analysts say that most of the military equipment rolled out while he was in power was designed in the 1970s and 1980s during the Soviet era.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsM...89255120080508

Putin: Support for Army, Fleet Is Absolute Priority

Government support for the army and fleet will be the absolute priority, said Vladimir Putin, whom President Dmitry Medvedev proposed as the country’s prime minister to the State Duma yesterday and on whose endorsement in this office the State Duma will vote today. “Only the battle-worthy, well-equipped Armed Forces with high moral spirit will be able to defend sovereignty and integrity of the country,” Vladimir Putin told the State Duma Thursday. “Starting from 2001, over 300 new items of combat hardware have passed into service, but it isn’t enough yet… Support for the army and fleet will remain the absolute priority for us from now on,” Putin emphasized. The funds required to provide permanent housing to the military and the people discharged from the military service by 2010 will be set forth in the budget in whole, Putin said. “The Service Housing Fund will be finally established by late 2012,” he specified.

Source: http://www.kommersant.com/p-12493/Armed_forced_support/

In other news:

Russia Expels Two U.S. Military Attaches From Country

Russia has expelled two U.S. military attaches from the country, State Department spokeswoman Jessica Simon said. "We object to this action but will comply with the Russian government's request,'' Simon said. She said she didn't know when the attaches were expelled, or whether they have returned to the U.S., and she referred any further questions to the Russian government. A Kremlin spokesman said he had no information on the expulsions and referred questions to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry, which previously declined to comment to the state-run news service RIA Novosti, couldn't immediately be reached by Bloomberg News. In Washington, the press attache at the Russian Embassy to the U.S., Yevgeniy Khorishko, declined to comment. "We never give any comment on such kinds of issues,'' he said. Two Russian diplomats were earlier expelled from the U.S., one in November and another last month, according to the Associated Press. Russia yesterday began a political transition, with Dmitry Medvedev assuming the presidency and former President Vladimir Putin becoming prime minister. Russia tomorrow celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II with a military parade through Red Square in central Moscow.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...E&refer=europe

U.S. promises cannot be trusted - Gorbachev

Promises made by U.S. leaders cannot be trusted, former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph published on Wednesday. "The Americans promised that NATO wouldn't move beyond the boundaries of Germany after the Cold War, but now half of central and eastern Europe are members, so what happened to their promises? It shows they cannot be trusted," he said in Paris. He also said that Washington's claims that a missile defense system it is planning to build in central Europe was aimed exclusively at countering the threat from so-called rogue states could not be believed either. The Pentagon's missile shield deployment plans continue to be a major bone of contention in relations between the U.S. and Russia. Moscow considers the project a threat to its national security. Gorbachev said the missile shield plan jeopardized world peace and could lead to a new Cold War. He continued that that "erecting elements of missile defense is taking the arms race to the next level. It is a very dangerous step". "I sometimes have a feeling that the United States is going to wage war against the entire world," the former Soviet leader said. "The United States cannot tolerate anyone acting independently. Every U.S. president has to have a war," he concluded, also saying that the world had squandered the chance in the decade after the Cold War to "build a new world order."

Source: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080507/106798164.html

[Angessa]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I think we need to get more aggressive and build up a militery and navy fleet in south America. I am sure Venezuelan would not mind having a Russian navy base in there nation. If they try building more missile shields and bases close to are border we do the same with Cuba. Also does Dmitry Medvedev brother anyone else's becuase I really do not like him?

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I think we need to get more aggressive and build up a militery and navy fleet in south America. I am sure Venezuelan would not mind having a Russian navy base in there nation. If they try building more missile shields and bases close to are border we do the same with Cuba. Also does Dmitry Medvedev brother anyone else's becuase I really do not like him?

I would much rather have seen Lavrov or Ivanov as president of the Russian Federation. However, we more-or-less know why Medevev was favored by Putin. While individuals like Putin, Lavrov and Ivanov make government policy behind closed doors Medvedev is the 'soft' face Russia wants to show the West. Its basically good international public relations. Nevertheless, Medvedev is a capable man, its just that he is not a Putin. However, we should not be using Putin as a presidential standard, men like Putin come around every several hundred years. I am sure Medvedev will do well, he has the entire state apparatus behind him. I also agree with the Russian Federation setting up military bases in Latin America. For obvious reasons, Venezuela would be an ideal location. I am sure this has been discussed by the Kremlin. And I'm use that if such a thing does happen most of Latin America will be delighted. The following are news articles related to this topic:

Venezuela’s Chavez plans to bury old empire of USA

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez harshly criticized the US administration again after the unauthorized passing of the USS George Washington along the coast of the Latin American country. Chavez promised to bury the USA in the 21st century. “When Americans appear near our shores with their navy, the George Washington aircraft carrier, one should not forget that it happens at the time when we together with Brazil are creating the Defense Council of South America,” Chavez said in a speech that was broadcast by all TV and radio channels of Venezuela. “In this century we will bury the old empire of the USA and will live with the American nation like with a brotherly nation, because over 40 million of its citizens live below the poverty line,” the Venezuelan leader said. Chavez also said that Latin America entered the new era that was marked with the creation of a bloc of leftist forces – Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Chile and Brazil. “There are two women standing behind us: Cristina Kirchner in Argentina and Michelle Bachelet in Chile. We have in our bloc a worker from Brazil – Lula – and three revolutionaries – Fidel and Raul in Cuba and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua. There is a soldier from Venezuela there too (Hugo Chavez). Now with the victory of a former bishop at the presidential election in Paraguay, we have a priest in our ranks,” Chavez said. The rhetoric between Chavez and Bush has been hostile. In response to the Bush administrations anti Chavez rhetoric (he has been called a tyrant, populist dictator and drug trafficker), Chavez once referred to U.S. President George W. Bush as a pendejo (xxxxxxx), and refers to him as Mister Danger. In a later speech, he made personal remarks regarding Condoleezza Rice, referring to her as a "complete illiterate" when it comes to comprehending Latin America. On September 20, 2006 Chávez called Bush "the devil". After Hurricane Katrina battered the United States’ Gulf Coast in late 2005, the Chavez administration was the first foreign government to offer aid to the devastated regions. The Bush administration opted to refuse this aid. Later during the winter of 2005, various officials in the Northeastern United States signed an agreement with Venezuela to provide discounted heating oil to low income families.

Source: http://newsfromrussia.com/world/amer...05004-chavez-0

Russian arms help Chavez launch guerrilla warfare against USA

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged soldiers to prepare for a guerrilla-style war against the United States. He said the US government is using psychological and economic warfare as part of an unconventional campaign aimed at derailing his government. Dressed in olive green fatigues and a red beret, Chavez spoke yesterday inside Tiuna Fort – Venezuela’s military nerve-centre – before hundreds of uniformed soldiers standing alongside armoured vehicles and tanks decorated with banners reading: “Fatherland, Socialism, or Death! We will triumph!” “We must continue developing the resistance war, that’s the anti-imperialist weapon. We must think and prepare for the resistance war everyday,” said Chavez, who has repeatedly warned that American soldiers could invade Venezuela to seize control of the South American nation’s immense oil reserves. US officials reject claims that Washington is considering a military attack. But the US government has expressed concern over what it perceives as a significant arms built-up here, irishexaminer.com reports. Under Chavez, Venezuela has recently purchased some $3 billion worth of arms from Russia, including 53 military helicopters, 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 24 SU-30 Sukhoi fighter jets. Last week, Chavez said he is considering arms purchases, including submarines and a missile-equipped air defense system, as he prepares for a tour of Russia, Belarus and Iran. “We are strengthening Venezuela's military power precisely to avoid imperial aggressions and assure peace, not to attack anybody,” he said Sunday. Opposition leader Julio Borges condemned the president's interest in acquiring weapons, saying the government should focus on reducing violent crime in Venezuela, which has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America, the AP reports. Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez travels this week to Iran, Russia and Belarus -- all countries which have found themselves at loggerheads recently with the United States, his longtime nemesis. Chavez departs Tuesday for his week-long tour, from June 26 to July 3, defiantly insisting that he will purchase Russian submarines and possibly an air defense system from Belarus, despite vocal objections from Washington. Chavez, who views himself as Bush's arch-enemy, will be cultivating relations with each of the regimes, in an apparent bid to drive an even deeper wedge with between the United States and its adversaries. Each of the countries on Chavez's itinerary has locked horns with Washington in recent weeks over conflicts that have yet to be resolved. Chavez has said he hopes to put the "finishing touches" on an agreement to purchase from Belarus an integrated air defense system with a 200-300-kilometer range (125-200 miles). Earlier this month, US President George W. Bush renewed sanctions against hard-line Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and nine others deemed obstacles to democracy in Belarus.

Source: http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/93950-1/

Iran's influence in Latin America worries U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran is making allies in Latin America to counter Washington's traditional influence in the region and could use them to threaten U.S. security, a top U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday. "We are worried that in the event of a conflict with Iran, that it would attempt to use its presence in the region to conduct such activities against us," Thomas Shannon, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, told Reuters. Left-wing governments in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia have all become allies of Iran in recent years, and other countries in Latin America have diplomatic ties with the Islamic republic. Shannon said Iran wants to ease its international isolation by showing it is able to win friends in Latin America, which has been historically in the United States' "sphere of influence". Washington accuses Iran of supporting terrorist groups and secretly trying to produce nuclear bombs, and is concerned by its courting of allies in Latin America. Shannon urged the region's governments to respect U.N.-backed sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program and recalled accusations that Iran was involved in attacks on the Israeli embassy and a xxxish community center in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires during the 1990s. "We urge our friends and partners in the region to be vigilant," he said, adding that those attacks show Iran is able "to conduct terrorist operations within the Americas". Iran has denied any involvement in the Buenos Aires attacks, which killed well over 100 people.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...29088020080507

In related news:

US Navy resurrects Fourth Fleet to police Latin America

Washington announced at the end of last month that it is resurrecting the long-ago moth-balled Fourth Fleet to reassert US power in the Caribbean and Latin America. Created at the time of World War II to combat German submarines attacking merchant shipping convoys in the South Atlantic, the Fourth Fleet was seen as no longer necessary after the Second World War and was disbanded in 1950. The Pentagon’s a statement on the revival of the fleet gave a far vaguer indication of its new duties, saying it would “conduct varying missions including a range of contingency operations, counter narco-terrorism, and theater security cooperation activities.” “Rear Admiral James Stevenson, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, said the re-establishment of the Fourth Fleet will send a message to the entire region, not just Venezuela,” AHN news reported. The “message” began to be transmitted just weeks after Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia came into sharp conflict over a border provocation caused by the Colombian military’s bombardment of an encampment of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) guerrillas inside Ecuadorian territory.

The Fourth Fleet will begin operations on the first day of July out of the Mayport US Naval Station, a nuclear facility in the state of Florida. The fleet, which will operate as part of the Pentagon’s Southern Command, will be comprised of various ships, including aircraft carriers and submarines, and will operate from the Caribbean to the southern tip of South America. While the new naval unit does not yet possess large numbers of arms and personnel, it will be equipped and granted similar importance as the Fifth Fleet, now deployed in the Persian Gulf, and the Sixth, operating in the Mediterranean. The thrust of this decision is to give the US Navy a far broader role than it currently plays in Latin America. While Washington can point to no imminent military threat in the region, the reactivation of the Fourth Fleet has a powerful symbolic significance, indicating a return to gunboat diplomacy. It is a demonstration of US intentions to maintain absolute military dominance over the region, and in particular over those countries with large reserves of petroleum and natural gas, including those that are governed by supposed enemies of Washington, like the governments of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and Evo Morales in Bolivia.

The central objective of the Fourth Fleet will be to further the military and political “security and stability” of the region, according to the commander of naval forces for US Southern Command, Vice Admiral James Stevenson. The fleet will “certainly bring a lot more stature to the area and increase our ability to get things done,” Stevenson told reporters. “This change increases our emphasis in the region on employing naval forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests,” said Admiral Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations. According to the official statement issued by the Pentagon, the reactivation of the Fourth Fleet “demonstrates US commitment to regional partners,” among which Colombia stands out, given the billions of dollars of US aid granted its right-wing government to conduct the so-called “war on drugs” as well as its counterinsurgency campaign against the FARC, an organization that the US classifies as “terrorist,” on the same level as Al-Qaeda.

[...]

Source: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/ma...navy-m07.shtml

[Armanen]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I don't know how accurate this report is but I do more-or-less agree with its assessment of Armenia, especially regarding the decline of the Russian language in the Republic. The Russian language is slowly dying in Armenia, and this comes at a time when Armenia needs it the most. When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s all Russian language schools were shut down in haste to make way for emphasis on better Armenian schools. However, the emphasis on the Armenian language never materialized, instead what happened was the rise of English in the country. In essence, English filled the vacuum left by the shutting down of Russian language schools. Minister of education at the time, Ashot Bleyan, was the architect of this foolish and counterproductive move. Today, English has taken over much of Armenia. From restaurant menus to billboards to street signs, most are in Armenian and English. What's more, there are many western funded Armenian NGOs that conduct their activities primarily in English. And of course there are large numbers of American volunteers teaching English to villagers and city dwellers alike. There is a danger in this. Needless to say, English today is being used by the political/financial elite in the West as a political tool to disseminate western propaganda and draw sentiments westward. At this pace, English will one day become the most popular second language in Armenia overtaking Russian. In my opinion, the further spread of English in Armenia is a national security issue, not to mention detrimental to Armenia's economic health which is very integrated to the Russian Federation.

Armenian

That article is more or less bs. During levins time Russian was in decline but since the early 2000s its being taught again at many, if not all, schools. My 13 year old cousin who didn't know any Russian before his family moved back to Armenia, picked it up within a year, and he goes to a public school. From what my relatives have told me Russian is required, while English is an option. I think Armenians for the long run must learn Russian, but also another langauge, it would be ideal for all Armenians to at least know 3 languages. As for Russian speakers not being treated well, first off there are not many Russians in Armenia, second the Molokan sect has been in Armenia for over 150 years and they are treated just fine, in fact in all that time they have not learned Armenian, in what other country do you find this? Hayastanci's for the most part have a favorable attitude towards Russians and Russian culture, so it seems very odd that someone would claim that Russians are discriminated against in Armenia, don't get us started on Russian xenophobia, just the other day a 16 year old Russian girl stabbed an Armenian girl. Anyways, any article that praises azerbaijan one should be leary of believeing it.

[HayotzAmrotz]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I can't stop admiring Putin. Another very clever move by the master of the "gentle way" (Judo) Sensei Vladimir. Watch how he is going to strike his enemies full on because now he has created the perfect game plan, which is called: Good Cop, Bad Cop. Medvedev is going to be the Good Cop and he is going to be the Super Bad One. Go Vova, bless your heart!

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Putin confirmed as new Russian PM

Who is Mr Putin? (Russia Today Video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO7oPQDeJhk&feature=user

Russia's parliament has overwhelmingly approved former President Vladimir Putin as the new prime minister. He handed over to Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday - his chosen successor, who was elected president in March. The State Duma (lower house) voted 392-56 in favour of Mr Putin. His United Russia bloc dominates the house. In a speech just before the vote, Mr Putin told parliament that he would strive for "single-digit inflation within a few years". He said Russia could overtake the UK in terms of GDP this year, becoming the world's sixth-largest economy. Reducing the tax burden and widening the shareholder class were further priorities, he said. Within hours of being sworn in on Wednesday, Mr Medvedev had nominated Mr Putin, his mentor, as prime minister. Analysts say the powers of the prime minister will expand under Mr Putin, and he may in effect govern Russia jointly with the president. Mr Medvedev told the deputies: "I don't think anyone doubts that our tandem, our co-operation will only strengthen."

Economic ambitions

Mr Putin, a 55-year-old former KGB agent, was barred by the constitution from running for a third consecutive presidential term in the March elections. The question of who wields the real power in the Kremlin will continue to fascinate, puzzle and perplex, the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says. Mr Putin will remain Russia's most popular politician for the foreseeable future, which will give him huge influence over the man he mentored as his successor, our correspondent says. In his speech to the Duma on Thursday, Mr Putin said that "to stimulate an increase in production and refining of oil, it is time to cut the tax burden in that sector". He said Russia must rank with the world's leading nations on key indicators such as levels of income and social welfare, quality of education, health and life expectancy. He also spoke of the need to create "a real mass class of investors", saying even people on modest incomes should be able to hold shares.

Reform battles

But the BBC's Russia analyst Steven Eke says Mr Putin's tasks will be difficult and politically fraught. On the eve of Victory Day - which marks the Soviet triumph in World War II - he promised decent housing for the dwindling numbers of war veterans. But previous attempts to reform social benefits have led to anti-government demonstrations, which prompted Mr Putin to postpone some unpopular economic decisions, our analyst writes. According to international lawyer Robert Amsterdam, who defended jailed Yukos boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky, President Medvedev may still have some tough battles to fight in the Kremlin. "There is a clan contest going on at the highest levels in Russia, there are different groups that control various aspects of Russian policy... there are hardline groups challenging Mr Medvedev even at this point," he told the BBC News website. Mr Medvedev will seek to improve Russia's image abroad, he predicted, as "there is a tremendous need that many in the elite see to move closer to the West". One motivating factor is a desire to accumulate Western assets, he added.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7389248.stm

Victory Day Military Parade on Red Square

Military parade on Red Square - full version!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0VU3KXJaRU

The bristling Red Square parade, once a Soviet standard, enjoyed a revival Friday as phalanxes of hardware, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, rumbled noisily over paving stones to deliver a loud message: The bear is back. Moscow hasn't seen a show like this since 1990 when the Soviets last commemorated the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Within a year the Soviet Union was no more. In the mid-1990s, Russians began to celebrate victory in World War II with a parade on May 9. But the festivities were stripped of displays of weaponry until this year, the 63rd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Eight thousand goose-stepping troops, glamorous in their newly-designed uniforms, as well as tanks, armored vehicles and missiles crossed the square Friday. Overhead, strategic bombers and fighter planes roared across the sky. President Dmitry Medvedev, presiding over his first public ceremony, said Russia's military is "gaining in strength and power like all of Russia."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...=moreheadlines

[HayotzAmrotz]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Military parade on Red Square - full version!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0VU3KXJaRU[/CENTER]

This video brought back great memories. The Victory Day Parade is the greatest military and patriotic fest in the world, and I was fortunate enough to witness it live in Moscow when I was a teenager and a citizen of the greatest country in the world, the USSR. But watch this space because the New Russia is going to be even better than the USSR ever was. The New Russia is free of communist propaganda and idol worshiping, God is back in Russia!

[skhara]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

A Pentagon spokesman earlier this week derisively dismissed the display of military power. "If they wish to take out their old equipment and take it for a spin and check it out, they're more than welcome to do so,"