Russia Won't Block U.S. on Iran

[ECH1969]

The Bush administration, working intensely to galvanize international pressure on Iran, has secured a guarantee from Russia that it will not block U.S. efforts to take Tehran's nuclear case to the U.N. Security Council, American and European officials said yesterday.

The commitment, made in a Tuesday night phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, will likely help the United States and its European allies win support from key countries weighing a tougher line in response to Iran's resumption of sensitive nuclear work.

Bush administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity saw the Russian decision as a victory and said they would spend the next several weeks lobbying China for a similar commitment. "We spent much of our time working on the Russians, but we're now moving the focus to China," said one administration official who would only discuss the backroom diplomacy on the condition of anonymity.

Four years ago, in his annual address, Bush referred to Iran as a one of three "axis of evil" countries, along with Iraq and North Korea.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/11/AR2006011102124.html

[bpilgrim]

1. never get in the way of a fool destroying themselves

is what i always say

more...
http://GlobalFreePress.com

peace

[Massacure]

7. Joseph Stalin had a better quote.

"When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use."

I don't necessarily agree with his point of view, but it is certainly apply it to more than Stalin's agenda.

[The Stranger]

27. PNAC must have cut a deal to get them on board.

Everything is going exactly according to plan.

[Deja Q]

2. What made Russia change its mind?

Russia's been helping Iran for some time; the last I'd read...

http://cns.miis.edu/research/iran/rusnuc.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/08/01/russia.iran/

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/2003/iran-030604-irna03.htm

And lotsa others...

[knight_of_the_star]

4. Simple

The closer Bush gets to the cliff the easier it will be to push him off.

[bemildred]

5. Bushites lie. Russians lie. Chinese lie. They all lie.

Do not confuse the soap operas we are fed in the "News" media with anybodies real intentions.

[Psephos]

19. Does this really surprise anyone?

Seriously. I gave up thinking that way before I even had to shave every day.

People on the right lie. People on the left lie. People lie because they think it's for the betterment of the cause. People lie because they are greedy. People lie because they are lazy. People lie because it is fun. The more power a person has, the more reason he or she has to lie. The more power a person doesn't have, the more reason he or she has to lie.

Only a dope would think lying has anything to do with conservatives or liberals, Christians or Muslims, rich or poor, (fill in your own dichotomy here). It has to do with character, and that has always been in short supply.

This board is full of people who are shocked - SHOCKED - that those in power lie, and the media distorts reality. What shocks me is that anyone could possibly be shocked by this.

Peace.


edit: bracket fix

[54anickel]

8. They can work around sanctions, but not against another Bush adventure

in the war on terror. Agreeing to this for now will make it much harder for Bush or Israel to bomb Iran for the time being. Buys Russia and China time to watch Bushco bleed this country dry. We're on self-destruct.

[blueinindiana]

3. Isn't UN irrelevant?

I mean all right wingers consider the UN irrelevant.

[mom cat]

6. the UN is "relavent" only when the US needs a stamp of approval

for its latest excuse for war.
PS: Welcome to DU. :hi:

[CHIMO]

9. Putin, Yushchenko Defend Gas Deal

Barely a week after Moscow and Kiev were accusing each other of theft and blackmail, President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yushchenko, hailed the controversial deal that ended their tense standoff over gas supplies as fair and in line with "market economy principles."

During a news conference Wednesday in Astana, where the two leaders attended the inauguration of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Putin and Yushchenko stood side by side and sought to put a positive spin on the deal, both saying it was "mutually beneficial."

Yushchenko's comments came a day after his government was thrown into turmoil by a parliamentary vote for the ouster of his Cabinet over the deal, with his former Orange Revolution ally Yulia Tymoshenko accusing him and his government of striking

"Putin needed to stress the good relations between Russia and Ukraine to calm down the West, which became concerned about its energy dependence on Russia during the gas scandal with Ukraine," Markov said.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/01/12/001.html

You take care of your area and I will take care of my area. And to top it all off it won't cost me nearly so much as you dig an even deeper hole.

[HuffleClaw]

10. i rather suspect they were REALLY hoping

that russia (and china) would NOT go along with their new diplomatic games. that way, they could once again start up the rhetoric about 'un irrelevence' and then act on their own as planned. this way, they have to delay their actions OR abandon diplomacy if they expect things to work according to their schedule. i think russia has called their bluff. i guess now we get to see what china does.

[bemildred]

11. Ukrainian leader blasts parliamentary decision to sack govt.

ASTANA, January 11 (RIA Novosti)-Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has heavily criticized a decision made by parliament to dismiss the country's government.

Speaking Wednesday in Kazakhstan where he was attending the inauguration of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Yushchenko said the decision was "incomprehensible, illogical and incorrect."

In stinging remarks, he continued, "I do not think that Ukraine is worthy of such a decision 80 days before the parliamentary elections. This decision has patently destabilized the country."

Parliament voted in favor of dismissing Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov's government Tuesday after Ukraine struck a controversial deal on natural gas supplies with Russia on January

http://en.rian.ru/world/20060111/42938526.html

[bemildred]

12. Situation In Ukraine Is Far From Crisis, Georgian President Says

Tbilisi. January 11 (Prime-News) – The situation in the Ukraine is far from being crisis-like, Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgian President said in Astana, Kazakhstan on Wednesday as he was commenting dismissal of the Ukrainian PM and the Cabinet.

“I am sure that President Viktor Yuschenko will handle with the situation in the shortest terms. What happened in the Ukraine is not a crisis. Anyway, there is no danger for President Viktor Yuschenko and his office”, Georgian President said.

According to him, at the moment preparation of the forthcoming parliamentary election in the Ukraine must be a priority issue.

http://eng.primenewsonline.com/?c=121&a=5351

[DemonFighterLives]

13. Why do our diplomatic wonderworkers need to be nameless

Isn't Condi the Russian Expert? :rofl: Perhaps she hammered out this deal.
I sure hope the UN and Russia and China kick dubby's ass on this deal. Advancing the bush agenda would not be good for the world.
:argh:

[BrotherBuzz]

14. Russia is playing a masterful game of chess while....

Bushco insists on playing checkers.

"King Me" shouted Bush.
"Check Mate" wispered Russia.

[oasis]

15. "Bush administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity"

What's to hide? :shrug:

[Tempest]

16. Russia didn't say they wouldn't veto any U.S. resolution

Only that they wouldn't stop Bush from looking like an idiot by introducing one.

[Zhade]

23. Indeed.

NT!

[daleo]

17. Maybe they won't block efforts to take the case to the Security Council

But they can block it there. This may just be some fancy talk to make it sound like the Russians are on board. How could the Russians stop the U.S. from bringing something before the security council anyway?

[unkachuck]

18. China will....n/t

[wookie294]

20. It's all about the oil

Russia doesn't want Bush to invade Iran and expel Russian oil interests, as he did in Iraq. So, Russia is playing along with Bush in hopes that the dispute will be resolved diplomatically.

[Imagevision]

21. No but Russia will supply Iran with all sorts of wartime goodies

Like they really stopped providing night vision goggles to the "enemy after Bush asked them to please do so. They're reply was a very warm: "fuck-off Mr. Bush...

[Zhade]

22. Taking the "case" to the UNSC...

....is hardly the same as Russia saying the U.S. can do what it wants.

Wishful thinking on the part of neocons and their brownshirt supporters.

[specimenfred1984]

24. Russia Won't Play U.S. Politics

or say what Russia is up to. Russia's a huge country with big weapons and lots of serious needs for money, they'll do whatever is in Russia's interest, not the world's interest.

Russia could withdraw all support from Iran tomorrow and then support Iran again the day after that, if that manuever would get them more business. If I were Russian, I'd be hoping the chimpster invades the whole Middle East so I could take my military might and get what I wanted after the U.S. wasted all its military resources.

Russia, with it's history of brutality, invasions and imperialism can't be expected to do anything in an altruistic way. They'd take Iran in the blink of an eye if they could but they're not as stupid and the chimpketeers or his followers. Russia will take a piece of the Middle East if Bushco. overextends us there.

[bemildred]

25. Update 1: Report: World Powers to Discuss Iran Nukes

Russia's foreign minister said Thursday that Russia, the United States, the European Union and China will discuss the resumption of Iran's nuclear program in London next week.

Sergey Lavrov told Ekho Moskvy radio that the consultations would focus on Iran's breaking of U.N. seals on its nuclear enrichment facility Tuesday. He added that Iran's move did not violate international law.

Russia has continuously opposed the U.S. push for referring its ally, Iran, to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions over its alleged nuclear weapons bid. But Moscow edged closer to Washington this week when Iran halted its moratorium on enrichment research.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that in a Tuesday phone conversation, Lavrov and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice voiced their countries' shared, "deep disappointment" over Tehran halting its moratorium on enrichment research.

Forbes

[leesa]

26. Translation: Russia will let the US commit suicide all by themselves