The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Armenian]

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

Once in a while, when political and/or economic factors reveal themselves in a certain way, as we saw with the OSCE report regarding last August's war between Russia and Georgia, we get to see sober/accurate analysis by western sources about various topics of concern, in this case Russia. I highly recommend this new BBC video report on Russia.

Good job, BBC... for a change.

Armenian

*****************************

Should we be Scared of Russia?

PANORAMA: Should we be Scared of Russia (part 1): http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=BvnutD4WIYA

PANORAMA: Should we be Scared of Russia (part 2): http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z_xCO...eature=related

PANORAMA: Should we be Scared of Russia (part 3): http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=toi6fa...eature=related

Panorama reporter Mark Franchetti investigates the growing gulf between Russia and the West The sight in August of old people and children cramming onto tractors and into carts to flee from Russian tanks has rekindled notions of Russia as aggressor and oppressor. The short war between Russia and Georgia began when Georgia invaded its Moscow-backed breakaway republic of South Ossetia last summer. Russian troops stationed there were killed and Russia retaliated by invading Georgia. Hundreds of deaths and widespread destruction followed and relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated to levels not seen since the Cold War. From the West's point of view, this looked like Russia flexing its muscles in Georgia, that the Kremlin is slipping back into its old expansionist ways, and is on the march again. Georgia was just the beginning, according to some in the West. Indeed, Britain's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, has warned of the threat of a new Cold War. But Russia views everything entirely differently. Russia's new President, Dmitry Medvedev, says he does not want a new Cold War, but is not afraid of one either.

Russian psyche

So how concerned should we be? Could the current tensions really degenerate into a new Cold War or even violent confrontation? In Panorama: Should we be scared of Russia? Sunday Times Moscow correspondent Mark Franchetti tries to answer those questions. The key to understanding whether the former superpower really is a threat is understanding how its inhabitants see themselves now, years on from the collapse of the Soviet Union. In Should we be Scared of Russia? Franchetti seeks to uncover the current Russian mood -speaking to people living in the country's vibrant capital of Moscow, to its rural poor, and to ethnic Russians who, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, find themselves living outside of the motherland. And in doing finds that far from seeing themselves as aggressors, the majority of Russians say that in fact it is Russia which is under attack.

Nato flashpoint

Fuelling the idea of a Russia under siege is the belief that the West is trying to encircle the country, particularly through US plans for a European-based missile defence shield and the eastward expansion of Nato, which has seen both Georgia and Ukraine promised membership. Panorama travels to a flashpoint of Russian concern over Nato's eastward shift, the Crimean port city of Sevastopol - a little piece of Russia, sitting on the Ukrainian coast. Despite being in Ukraine, Sevastopol is still home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet and has been so for more than 200 years. But there is a problem - Russia only leases its base from the Ukrainian government and the lease runs out in 2017. Our reporter sees first-hand the tensions in the city, where the majority of the population view themselves as Russia - even if they lack Russian citizenship - and talks to Russian nationalists who say they will fight to keep the fleet in Crimea and Ukraine out of Nato. In Russia itself, Franchetti examines the changing face of Moscow, which has been transformed from a city of Soviet austerity to a place something more akin to Dallas - where Moscow's beautiful people go to see and be seen at glamorous parties, such as the one to celebrate the first Russian edition of the society magazine Tatler, to which Panorama was invited. But even there, where the guests are educated, sophisticated and travel abroad, people complain that the West doesn't understand Russia, a feeling which our reporter discovers goes all the way up to the highest echelons of power.

'Dignity returned'

Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister, Sergei Ivanov - a close associate of the man who is still the most powerful in Russia, Vladimir Putin - tells the programme that the West does not believe that Russia is a European country, sharing European moral, historic, religious values, sharing market economy principles: "If we disagree on this or that point, they say: 'Oh, Russia is a special country, it is still not European, it is an Asian country, we should not trust Russia'," Mr Ivanov says. And, as our reporter finds, nowhere is the gap of misunderstanding between Russia and the West more apparent than in their opposing views of president-turned-prime-minister Mr Putin. In the West, Mr Putin is vilified as a thuggish bully, surrounded by a cadre of fellow ex-KGB agents who, like him, have little concern for human rights. But, as Panorama finds, despite crushing opposition voices, cancelling regional elections and clamping down on the media, a staggering 90% of Russians approve of his leadership according to recent polls. In fact, most Russians wanted Mr Putin to change the constitution to stay on for a third term as president. According to Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov, a close friend of Mr Putin, the strongman's appeal lies in the fact that he has "given Russia her dignity back".

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ma/7648564.stm

[jgk3]

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

Wow, it's a big step on the part of the BBC to say this and to mention details like:

But, as Panorama finds, despite crushing opposition voices, cancelling regional elections and clamping down on the media, a staggering 90% of Russians approve of his leadership according to recent polls. In fact, most Russians wanted Mr Putin to change the constitution to stay on for a third term as president. According to Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov, a close friend of Mr Putin, the strongman's appeal lies in the fact that he has "given Russia her dignity back".

for a change.

The BBC is known for the tactic of bashing certain countries like Russia or Venezuela by biased spotlights on their dissidents during interviews. It has made me want to puke in the past.

Thanks Armenian.

[ZORAVAR]

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

Thank you friend, I do not have a fiance anymore but a husband. I am also pregnant and have morning sickness everyday now. He is still in Syria till they build a fully operational military base and unit there. Thank you for asking and your concern. I hope your family and friends are in the greatest of health. May god bless the great and noble people of Armenia.

Here is an interesting British news report on Russia. With some Russian interviews.

part 1 http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=BvnutD...eature=related

part 2 http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z_xCO...eature=related

part 3 http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=toi6fa...eature=related

( I like the director words at 7:52-8:30. Short, sweet, strong and full of emotion.)

Congratulations Angessa and thank you very much for the BBC Panorama Video links.

[SweetAngessa]

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

Congratulations Angessa and thank you very much for the BBC Panorama Video links.

Thank you for your kind words. Here is an Russian documentary on Georgia war with South Ossetia. Very anti-American.

http://www.war080808.com/

[Armenian]

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

Orthodoxy gets foothold in Cuba

Orthodoxy gets foothold in Cuba: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50ebTO8tlPk

Cuba has opened its first Orthodox church, a decade and a half after the communist island lifted a ban on religion. Hundreds of people, including the country’s leader Raul Castro turned out to watch the consecration. Russian Metropolitan Kirill blessed the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral, which took two and a half years to build. The opening is a victory for Russian Orthodoxy, which finally has a church in the Caribbean. It comes as Cuba is about to celebrate 50 years of communism. The country eased restrictions on religion in 1992, and since then numerous Catholic cathedrals, synagogues and even a Muslim prayer room have opened. Many Cubans see no conflict between communism and relgion. ”A communist or not, a believer or not, Fidel ordered all to come and greet the Pope in 1998, since then we started feeling comfortable when gathering for Bible readings,” a local resident said. But for many Russian-Cubans, the sight of Raul Castro standing next to Metropolitan Kirill is almost unbelievable. Apart from the domes and bells, the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral was built entirely by the Cuban government. “Cuba isn't the richest state in the world, but they built this church for us and the Cubans are thankful for what Russia has done for Cuba,” Metropolitan Kirill said. Many in Havana are citing its symbolic value, calling it a tribute to shared the history between Russia and Cuba. “This church is part of my origin, I'm an Orthodox, like my mother, and now I have a place to talk to my God here in Havana,” another local Russian-Cuban said. During a month-long tour, the Russian delegation will visit seven countries in Latin America, as part of efforts to promote religious and cultural ties with them. And Cuba is their top priority. “Cuba is more stable, more developed, more tolerant, we have great ongoing relations with this country, as well as new joint projects,” the Russian Ambassador to Cuba, Mikhail Kamynin, said.

Source: http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/32098

[jgk3]

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

That's a pretty spectacular development. Are there many Russians interested in Cuba for tourism?

[skhara]

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

Thank you for your kind words. Here is an Russian documentary on Georgia war with South Ossetia. Very anti-American.

http://www.war080808.com/

Excellent Documentary!

[Armenian]

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

Obama seems to be getting some intersting political advice from "experts"...

******************************

Obama And Russia

The men behind Barack Obama part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MouUJNG8f2k

The men behind Barack Obama part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-KJC...eature=related

David Satter

One of the most serious challenges facing Barack Obama will be finding a way to keep an aggressive Russia under control. Internal developments in Russia are extremely worrying. The Russian economy is beginning to unravel under the impact of collapsing oil prices, and changes to the Russian Constitution are planned that will probably return Vladimir Putin to office and make him president for life. At the same time, Russia is threatening to target American anti-missile installations in Eastern Europe with short-range missiles and, more important, to interfere with them electronically, which is unquestionably the action of a hostile power. Under these circumstances, President Obama, in dealing with Russia, must try to avoid traditional American mistakes. In most cases, the learning curve for an American president in relation to Russia takes up his entire term in office. Obama may not have that luxury. The following are some basic principles for dealing with Russia that can help to cut the learning period short.

1. Don't treat the Russian leader as a "friend." U.S. policy toward Russia must be based on principles, not personalities. It is not possible to "charm" Russian leaders into ignoring what they regard as Russia's national interest, and the attempt to do so at the expense of our principles will destroy our moral capital with the Russian people. Under President Clinton, the emphasis on Boris Yeltsin as the symbol of "democracy" led the U.S. to ignore Russia's complete criminalization--and to become complicit in it, in the eyes of Russians. President Bush's supposed friendship with Putin freed Putin to build an authoritarian regime and pursue a genocidal war in Chechnya without fear of U.S. political pressure or moral censure.

2. Don't assume sincerity. The moral standards Russians cite in political situations don't actually concern them. They defended the right of the Abkhaz and the South Ossetians to secede from Georgia but leveled Grozny when it was a question of Chechnya trying to secede from Russia. They denounce the U.S. anti-ballistic missile system in Eastern Europe while facilitating the threat from Iran against which the systems are intended to defend. As for the passionate denunciations of Western encirclement, Russians understand that NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine poses no military threat but are loath to give their real reason for opposition--which is that the example of democracy in former Soviet republics could inspire demands for democracy in Russia itself. For seven decades, the need to feign belief in Soviet ideology turned Russia into a nation of actors. President Obama should keep this in mind when confronted with Russian "outrage" over some aspect of Western behavior.

3. Don't treat Russia's national interests and the interests of its rulers as identical. Russia's core geopolitical interests are identical to those of the U.S. Like the U.S., Russia is threatened by the rising power of China, Islamic fanaticism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Cooperation with the West, however, is not in the interests of the small group that monopolize Russia's power and wealth. Fearing their own people, they require not friends but enemies. Only with the help of real or imagined enemies can they distract ordinary Russians from the massive corruption that is all around them and organize support for an authoritarian regime. Unfortunately, the enemy of choice is the U.S.

4. Don't listen to "realists." Self-described "realists" have suggested that Russia be given a free hand in the former Soviet republics in return for cooperation on issues that are vital to U.S. and Western security. This call to make a "deal," in addition to its blatant immorality, ignores the fact that it makes sense to reach an understanding only with those who will keep their side of the bargain. The fact that the Russians are seeking to deny the former Soviet republics their rights as sovereign nations is all the indication one needs that an unenforceable "gentleman's agreement" to cooperate with the West will be violated the minute it ceases to be to Russia's advantage. The rejection of a moral framework for relations, meanwhile, will set the stage and help provide the justification for new and more outrageous Russian demands in the future.

5. Base policy on fundamental values. The U.S. needs to defend decent values in its relations with Russia. This means taking a strong stand on such issues as political assassinations (both inside and outside Russia), the squandering of innocent life in hostage situations and the right of former Soviet republics to make their own alliances. Russian leaders try to convince their citizens and themselves that Western leaders have no principles. This is a dangerous illusion because it encourages aggression. The world cannot afford a new round of Russian-inspired conflict. But only if Russia is convinced that the West has principles and is ready to defend them will it hesitate to use force in any situation in which it feels that force can be effective. Defending our principles, because it encourages restraint, is also in Russia's long-term interest. It is the only way to preserve the possibility that Russia will one day take its deserved place as a part of the Western world.

David Satter is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His most recent book is Darkness at Dawn: the Rise of the Russian Criminal State.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/...114satter.html

[skhara]

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

Surely, true experts, even they are anti-Russian cannot be following policy from that standpoint. Every last sentence above is total BS:

For example:

...se of our principles will destroy our moral capital with the Russian people.

You don't have any moral capital with the Russian people. In fact, you don't have any moral capital with any people.

President Bush's supposed friendship with Putin freed Putin to build an authoritarian regime and pursue a genocidal war in Chechnya without fear of U.S. political pressure or moral censure.

Utter non-sence, the course of the Russian leadership was set before Bush, and Russia never amended any stated internal policy because of "pressure", (more like whining) from the west. As if, if Bush was unfriendly to Putin, Putin would have been shackled from doing what he wanted? Is this guy actually buying his own bullcrap?

The moral standards Russians cite in political situations don't actually concern them. They defended the right of the Abkhaz and the South Ossetians to secede from Georgia but leveled Grozny when it was a question of Chechnya trying to secede from Russia.

The moral standards Russians cite in political situations are a direct reflection of the moral standards applied by the west. They warned not to recognize Kosovo while the US led the drive -- US recognized Kosovo and screamed at the top of their lungs about Georgia's "territorial integrity". Like the Russian ambassador to NATO declared: "If we all recognize the territorial integrity of Serbia, then we can all discuss the territorial integrity of Georgia in the same light -- if some of us do not recognize Serbia's territorial integrity, then those some, can shut up about the territorial integrity of Georgia."

They denounce the U.S. anti-ballistic missile system in Eastern Europe while facilitating the threat from Iran against which the systems are intended to defend.

The radar station in the Czech Rep, does not have the potential to see over Iranian sky, but has the potential to see 400 km into Russian airspace. Russia does not see Iran as a missile threat and rightfully so. This guy is either a deluded moron, or simply a propagandist.

Russian leaders try to convince their citizens and themselves that Western leaders have no principles.

Russian leaders do not need to try to convince their citizens of that. Western leaders are doing a fantastic job convincing Russian citizens for themselves. Russia leaders react personally the same that some semi-intelligent Ivan on the street would.

It is the only way to preserve the possibility that Russia will one day take its deserved place as a part of the Western world.

Russia is part of the Western world, she's just not part of the "western world".

[SweetAngessa]

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

Russia is part of the Western world, she's just not part of the "western world".

I agree with everything you said but this. I understand what you are trying to reference in it but I still disagree. Russia will never be west. Russia is own culture and civilization and I pray with all my heart it never becomes western.