Bush administration looks to Russia to turn around Iran

[lovuian]

http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2006/01/25/71706.html
The Bush administration is looking to Russia for diplomatic help in harnessing Iran's nuclear program, even amid growing U.S. criticism of Russian domestic policies.

A recent law requiring all nongovermental organizations to register with a state commission was criticized again Tuesday by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

The law is viewed by its defenders as a measure to crack down on extremism. But critics find in it evidence that President Vladimir Putin, in an authoritarian move, is tightening controls on democratic and humanitarian activities.
more...
Don'tcha love McCormack criticizing Putin and yet asking him for his help!!!
:crazy:

[Erika]

1. W shot his wad and our military on his false war on Iraq

Now he's trying to do something to salvage his legacy. Too late. He appeals to Russia, to the U.N., to anyone who might listen. He openly laughed at them when they didn't back him in Iraq. What an idiot.

[UpInArms]

2. here's an interesting bit I just read about Russia

Dollar nosedives versus ruble to late 2000 level

http://en.rian.ru/business/20060124/43164295.html

MOSCOW, January 24 (RIA Novosti, Yelena Orekhova) - The U.S. dollar nose-dived against the ruble on the Moscow Inter-Bank Currency Exchange Tuesday to the level registered in late 2000.

The dollar's swift fall to 27.9898 rubles to the dollar in Tuesday's trading pushed the U.S. currency back to the level registered in December 2000 when the dollar/ruble rate was about 27.93-27.97. Since the start of 2006, the greenback has lost almost 50 kopecks, Russian forex experts said.

Experts say the dollar is largely under the influence of external factors but proportionally the dollar has weakened more considerably against the ruble than against the euro.

"The dollar's fall versus the ruble was extraordinary," Yelena Khrupova from BrokerCreditServis brokerage said. She added that the dollar's depreciation was facilitated by the active sale of the U.S. currency on the Russian forex market.

According to Khrupova, the dollar's plunge against the ruble showed that the Central Bank of Russia was in no hurry to give a helping hand to the U.S. currency. The analyst said the country's chief bank was more concerned about maintaining ruble stability against the dollar-euro currency basket and curbing inflation, which went out of control in the first ten days of January.

...more...

[lovuian]

3. Oh this could be a very ominous sign for the US dollar

something predicted ...economic times are going to get crazy...

[UpInArms]

4. it would seem that the seams are about to burst

where they have been attempting to hold things together. (jmho)

[cliss]

5. It is absolutely in Russia's best interest

to sit on the sidelines and watch the U.S. dig itself deeper and deeper. They did not want the US to go into Iraq because Russia had oil contracts with Saddam (so did France). When the US invaded, those contracts were worthless.

There was nothing Russia could do, except watch as we got mired in a war without victory, broke financially with little to show for it.

They have a little bit of experience in Afghanistan.

So what will it mean to Russia if the US invades Iran? I think this time, they will take it personally. Even though we don't have the money to do it and we're short of manpower, Washington might just be insane enough to try it. Russia will collude with China and India. They will probably send arms to Iran, maybe nukes?

Get ready for fireworks. All for nothing.

[rodeodance]

6. This is exactly what Hil Clinton should be the tactic a week ago.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. I'll bet Russia has quietly told jr to lay off on Iran.

[HuffleClaw]

8. isn't that like saying to a friend

'hey, you asshole, you've gotta do this thing fer me...'