WikiLeaks cables condemn Russia as 'mafia state'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Russia is a corrupt, autocratic kleptocracy centred on the leadership of Vladimir Putin, in which officials, oligarchs and organised crime are bound together to create a "virtual mafia state", according to leaked secret diplomatic cables that provide a damning American assessment of its erstwhile rival superpower.

Arms trafficking, money laundering, personal enrichment, protection for gangsters, extortion and kickbacks, suitcases full of money and secret offshore bank accounts in Cyprus: the cables paint a bleak picture of a political system in which bribery alone totals an estimated $300bn a year, and in which it is often hard to distinguish between the activities of the government and organised crime.

Among the most striking allegations contained in the cables, which were leaked to the whistleblowers' website WikiLeaks, are:

• Russian spies use senior mafia bosses to carry out criminal operations such as arms trafficking.
...

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/01/wikileaks-cables-russia-mafia-kleptocracy

[EFerrari]

1. Well, you know what they say.

LOL

[formercia]

3. What a surprise.....

:rofl:

[EFerrari]

4. Merry Christmas.

:)

[formercia]

8. So that's what the Coal in my stocking was for....

:hi:

[BulletproofLandshark]

2. I'm not sure we needed Wikileaks to figure this one out.

It's always good to shine a light on what the crooks are up to though.

[EFerrari]

5. The best effect will be on the Russian people.

First they will be mad at America and then, they'll be really, really mad at their own mafia.

[leveymg]

6. If it's good enough for us, crime damn well can be made to pay by the two-bit Russkies

Virtually all the great fortunes in America during the Robber Baron era were created by various forms of mass murder, organized fraud of government funds or just plain theft of helpless people. After Word War Two, (some of) the violence and exploitation were shifted overseas, and we bombed the shit out of anyone who stood in our way.

Why should Russian capitalism be any better?

[sudopod]

23. Well, if you're going to have crime

it may as well be organized. :3

[dipsydoodle]

7. Reminds me of

the US government and the US banking system. :sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

9. In #1

I really was thinking "it takes one to know one".

[dipsydoodle]

14. I wasn't sure

if you used that expression over there or not but thought you might do. :)

[pam4water]

10. It's a race between US and Russia first one to Emperor wins... or something.

[xchrom]

11. Oh this stuff is wicked good! Nt

[PufPuf23]

12. Mirror mirrow on the wall ....

such is the sorry state of the USA. Alas.

[pampango]

13. "A senior Spanish prosecutor told ... Russia, Belarus and Chechnya had become virtual "mafia states"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11893886

A senior Spanish prosecutor told the US Embassy in Madrid that Russia, Belarus and Chechnya had become virtual "mafia states", new disclosures of classified material by Wikileaks show.

A cable also questions whether Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is implicated in the Russian mafia.

Another reveals that a powerful Ukrainian businessman told US officials he had ties to Russian organised crime.

The cables, published by the Guardian newspaper, show that in January 2010, Spanish prosecutor Jose "Pepe" Grinda Gonzales claimed that in Russia, Belarus and Chechnya "one cannot differentiate between the activities of the Government and OC (organised crime) groups".

[Hardrada]

15. And probably whacking too-inquisitive journalists.

[nyy1998]

16. That's not really breaking news. I know plenty of Russian ppl that have admitted as much

in the past few years.

[Kaleko]

21. I know plenty of people who don't know plenty of Russians that have admitted as much.

It's good to have my own suspicions confirmed as well, btw.

[nyy1998]

25. Haha, touche

[Yeahyeah]

17. Ronnie Raygun really improved things over there

[Turborama]

18. K&R Interesting read. Thanks for posting. Here's the BBC's take...

Wikileaks: Russia branded 'mafia state' in recent cable

A senior Spanish prosecutor told the US Embassy in Madrid that Russia, Belarus and Chechnya had become virtual "mafia states", new disclosures of classified material by Wikileaks show.

A cable also questions whether Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is implicated in the Russian mafia.

Another reveals that a powerful Ukrainian businessman told US officials he had ties to Russian organised crime.

Much more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11893886

[TheWatcher]

19. Russia A Mafia State?

Old News Is Old.

:rofl:

And I definitely DO NOT to mean to demean anything Julian is doing, but to proclaim that as some great Revelation I can only say:

Welcome To the Party Pal!

[MattSh]

20. Well the US and the banks...

were in such a hurry to tear down what remained of the USSR that it almost ensured this type of outcome was inevitable.

You know, the Shock Doctrine and all...

It didn't happen because of Putin. This all happened under Yeltsin. By the time Putin came around, the damage was done.

[TheLastMohican]

22. Russia is a mafia state?

What else is new? Can we have some real facts for a change?

Not the opinion of some second-string spanish judge-nobody?

How about that arms baron But starts to talk finally?

[pitohui]

24. it's been a mafia state for years, putin really thinks we just heard it from wikileaks?

c,mon, these guys aren't stupid, so if they REALLY thought we didn't know abt this state of affairs in russia they would have to think US stupid

i realize it's important for diplomacy that usa gov't can't come out right to putin's face and say, you're a corrupt ass, but anyone who can read or view a news report with critical understanding has known this was the case for years

i mean, russia actually provided a safe haven for DAVID FUCKING DUKE while he was on the lam from the law

give me a break, if the russians didn't know what we thought of them, then i don't know what to tell 'em -- maybe it's their clue to clean up their mess if us talking about their mess hurts their feelings

all the world knows that their "democracy" is a hateful joke that has reduced the average life expectancy of its citizens by almost 7 years!!! sheesh

yes, we have a poor opinion of russia, and i'm sure they have a poor opinion of us

is this really worth getting all hurt feelings over?

[fascisthunter]

26. the vacuum that was after the Soviet Union Collapsed was filled

by the sociopathic cult, Russian mafia.