40,000 Russians to Iraq -- smirk works a deal

[donsu]

http://scoop.agonist.org/story/2004/7/16/1870/82806

-snip-

Moscow and Washington are quietly negotiating a request by the Bush administration to send Russian troops to Iraq or Afghanistan this fall, Russian government sources tell Stratfor. The talks are intense, our contacts close to the U.S. State Department say, and the timing is not insignificant. A Russian troop lift to either country before the U.S. presidential election would give U.S. President George W. Bush a powerful boost in the campaign.

-snip-

The Prime Minister's office has issued a directive to the ministry to prepare a Russian "wish list" for Washington seeking some level of quid pro quo, including steps to return Russian oil companies to Iraq and approval of Russia's joining the World Trade Organization.
------------------------------------


movement on the game board

[slaveplanet]

1. I wonder if Russian Troops

are on Afganistani's wish list...

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Hmmm ... Wonder what he will have to do for Putin, declare Chechens

terrorists? Oh wait, I bet he has already done that.

[Arianrhod]

16. Yes, he already did that

in an attempt to win Russian approval of the invasion.

[librechik]

3. Wheee! That'll go over well with the base!

not to mention the Iraqis...

("Evil Empire takes stronger role")

[Old and In the Way]

4. Russia has strategic interests in Iraq.

Somehow, I doubt that Putin needed a lot of convincing. I'm not sure how this translates into a boost, though. If anything, the RW will not like Dimson brokering Iraq's occupation with the former commies.

[Straight Shooter]

5. I suspect the imprisonment of the head of Yukos is involved in this

"The jailed former head of the Yukos oil giant, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, pleaded innocent Thursday to fraud and tax evasion charges.

Khodorkovsky entered his plea after prosecutors read the lengthy case against him and his co-defendant, Platon Lebedev. Khodorkovsky initially had asked if he could have another day before making his formal response to the charges.

Khodorkovsky has been jailed on the charges since October and Yukos is under increasing pressure over a $3.4 billion back taxes bill that the company says could force it into bankruptcy.

The state says the legal actions against Yukos and Khodorkovsky are part of an anti-corruption drive, but critics say they are Kremlin-led retaliation for the tycoon's political aspirations and growing clout."

http://www.softcom.net/webnews/wed/cb/Ayb54035497.RXU-_EuF.html

Coincidence? I don't think so. He who controls the oil, controls the power.

[Cat Atomic]

6. Amazing. Even by the twisted Neocon logic, these guys are traitors.

Even if you can accept the idea that invading a country to control it's resources is a legitimate use of power, they still fall short. They're even willing to trade of that ONE dubious benefit, simply to get reelected.

Lower and lower. It's like a political limbo.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. No doubt this is part of the deal that got Putin to shill about how he

had "warned the US about Saddam" recently, conveniently ignoring his high profile opposition to the invasion during its propaganda runup. There is some serious quid pro quo going on here. The recent statement by Putin, and now this, is the pro quo. I wonder what is the quid from shrubco's end?

[olddem43]

9. Now the right wing talking heads have to shift gears again -

"The Russians are our friends", "The Russians are our friends"
Just like in the good old days of the last 2/3 of WWII. Wait and see.

[Jim Warren]

12. Actually, I've noticed this happening for some time now

in some far rw cells. The talk has been that the big commie government was the bad part and the good Russian people were duped.

I've seen instances where "white" Russians were embraced by wingers here for their hard core racist tendencies.

[hedda_foil]

10. Good catch!

VERY good catch!

[SoCalDem]

8. Boy..... that's gonna go over big with the people

especially after the fiasco in Afghanistan and the horror that is Chechnya.:(

[LittleApple81]

11. Whose people, Putin? They don't even pay their troops. If we are

paying them, they probably will volunteer.

[blm]

13. That was my first reaction, too. Afghanistan was Russia's Vietnam.

The Russian people in general will NOT be supportive.

[izzie]

14. I wonder when these countries will really get sick of the super powers

just taking over. It is hard to figure out which makes one more ill. the love of power or money or it may be one and the same.

[burrowowl]

15. Also same topic in earlier thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2011750

already has 60 posts.