Comments on: “August Syndrome” strikes new Kremlin chief

By: Burca Alice Larisa

Burca Alice Larisa — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:09:00 +0000

The comments here become so complex and also brought new information from diffrent points of view!I am excited to see how russians describe, fell and see the situation on the field!
Sometimes I still notice the confusion betwen international relations and geopolitics!Anyway I thank for all the answers that i got from andrey and ivan also, who was much more diplomatic!My post was direct and provocativ after all!
best regards to you all,it was a pleasure,can\’t wait for next crossing of words
alice

By: Chris Baker (US)

Chris Baker (US) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:10:37 +0000

When Vladimir Putin says the US military was involved in this brutal Georgian attack on South Ossetia, I tend to believe him. Initially Putin said he was “guessing,” but now he’s implying Russia has some solid intelligence about US involvement. We know that earlier this year some US Senators, including Joe Biden, repeatedly and publicly condemned “Russian aggression” concerning the two breakaway regions.

It’s important to put Putin’s public statements in context. Putin said repeatedly in late 2002 and early 2003 that Iraq had no WMD’s, except SCUD’s which were destroyed before the US invasion. He turned out to be 100% correct. Bush probably intentionally lied to the US public.

Putin later says Iran gave up their nuclear weapon program and soon afterwards the CIA came out with a report saying Iran stopped their nuclear weapon program in 2003. Again Bush proved to be wrong. However recently Putin has said nothing on Iran’s nuclear weapon program, which is quite ominous.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:06:59 +0000

Dear Alice,

I am not against US or any other EU countries. I actually find our countries very similar in many ways. This war in South Osetia was created not by Russia. You have to understand that geopolitical interest of US and NATO are complitely opposite to Russians. And if in 90 Russia could not do anything about NATO or US, now it can. As for goverment, i find our goverment democratic and logical. That is my opinion, based on my personal life and experience.

By: Burca Alice Larisa

Burca Alice Larisa — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:15:53 +0000

and about democracy about Russia like is in US!why everybody wants to compare youre gov with theirs, when it comes to this!i do not understand , just becouse there is a rival betwen them?but let\’s be serious they could never be the same , this american democratic sistem does not feet any area or culutre!i see the EU with the same problem , they aplyy and impose the same politics all over!
is this world in apolitical crisis when it comes to values and strategy about it?or globalization is a distructiv machine from all points of wiew?!
i am alittle confuse, this world is craczy now,suprficial come against strong culuture,and many time we can see the first one wins!
I am so curios to see the external politics from US about Iran starting with the new gov.

By: Burca Alice Larisa

Burca Alice Larisa — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:02:39 +0000

dear ivan thank you very much for youre answer and also info in it!
i read pravda-ru everyday and even i expose news form that newspaper, but i read the news with the budget problems on jane’s d like i wrote up there, i would like very much to have a real wiew about Russia!
I like Russia, but i don’t like the goverment, it’s the same story as US problems.It’;s true that i don’t know so much about Russia, but i do know something , after all they are our neibours.I would like to speak russian ,then i could read a lot more in youre journales,but pravda has an english version.
I know that is not 90′s anymore, and that’s why i asked my self why russia did not brought to light much more then human resources and strategy!I don’t like Putin , but i have all the respect in the world for the best foreign minister that Russia has.
About americans?!i am not intrested in, but i see Nato an european power now!what do you say?
alice

By: andrey

andrey — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:29:13 +0000

Did Mr.Jon Boyle write any article using Syndrome with sarcasm on invasion of Iraq ?

By: andrey

andrey — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:06:02 +0000

“August Syndrome” has bitten westerners from their worries about how Nabucco pipeline project – a pipeline from the Caspian Sea carrying gas through Turkey to the West to avoid the traditional route through Russia and its satellites – would be jeopardized by the independence of Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia. Such Syndrome can be seen in the history – invasion of Iraq – for creating collective security and safeguards from Weapons of Mass Destruction.

By: Luis Rodolfo Cabrera Juárez

Luis Rodolfo Cabrera Juárez — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 06:51:19 +0000

I am a Guatemala’s citizen. From my little country, I can look how the Western countries fear the Russia economic and military power. In the recent Georgia war, neither USA or EU dared act against the Russian army. I saw through TV the hard face of Putin for Bush, speaking over Georgia. Clearly, Russia gained the war, crushing Georgia, and humiliating the Western countries. I think that the Jon Boyle article is motivated by this frustration.

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:59:25 +0000

Dear Ivan, I’m also Russian and live in Russia. Where did you see Russians who speak two or more languages? Inside your office of a Western coporation? Inside Moscow”s Garden Ring? Take a subway to discover that most of our compatriots don’t know which territories are part of their own country (and recently din’t know that Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia were not the part of the Russian Federation, that they barely speak good Russian and have not yet discovered the wonders of daily shoowers and deodorant. I love my country dearly but I coont stand unfounded stereotyping of the rest of the wolrd as ignorant on one hand and functioning in the same way as out authoritarian regime: controlled media, propaganda, “no justice” courts etc. Go 350 kn outside of Moscow (as I do regularly) and find one person who speaks a foreign language… or who is sober in the afternoon… both would be equaly difficult…

By: Suzanna Kay Carney

Suzanna Kay Carney — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:29:03 +0000

I just visited Russia for two weeks in July. It is a blessing that they are no longer in the financial turmoil of the 90′s. However, I do believe that a capitalistic economy and an authoritarian political system are recipe for disaster. I pray that dissenters will be able to be heard in the Russian society AND that Russia will be able to communicate and work for WORLD PEACE.