Thursday, October 18, 2007

The First Law of Russian Foreign Policy Dominates ALL


Anything which hurts the USA and its people -
is good for Russia
in the big zero sum great game that doesn't exist.
EVEN IF that means a nuclear detonation in Israel
or the USA
since they have judged
that a full scale nuclear war will not break out.

Oil motive in Iraq, Putin says
MOSCOW, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said the motives for U.S.-led operations in Iraq centered on control over the country's oil reserves.

“In my opinion, one of the goals, of course, was to put that country’s oil under control,” Putin said in a call-in interview with Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency.

Putin said there was speculation over similar motives regarding Russia’s oil reserves but noted the situation in Iraq cast a shadow over such motives, Interfax said.


US should set a date for Iraq withdrawal: Putin
The United States should set a date for its final pull-out from Iraq to force the war-torn country's leadership to build up its security forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"The Americans say you should not name a date for withdrawal. I think this should be done because unless it is done the Iraqi leadership feels under a US umbrella and won't rush to build up its own security forces," Putin said during a televised question-and-answer session.

He warned Washington against striking Iran, whose nuclear programme has been the subject of United Nations sanctions.

Touching on Washington's plans for a missile defence shield in Europe and Asia, which have angered Russia, Putin said the United States was trying to address Moscow's concerns.

But he said Russia may decide to re-deploy its weapons if its interests were not heeded sufficiently.

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