Posted by
The Valletta Papers on Friday, November 24, 2006 12:34:16 PM
Many Americans still see Russia as a budding democracy and friend of the United States. Such a perception could not be further from the truth. Russia, and particularly President Vladimir Putin, are not freedom loving democrats. Nor are they our friends, unless of course, you consider them “friends” in the same sense that Putin and Litvinenko were bosom buddies. Not.
Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was evidently poisoned by a large quantity of radiation, probably Polonium 210, according to news reports. As he lay dying, Litvinenko charged Russian leader Putin with his murder. Some of his final words referred to Putin "as barbaric and ruthless as your most hostile critics have claimed." Just prior to his death, Litvinenko challenged the Kremlin and Putin, saying: “the b*st*rds got me, but they won’t get everybody.” The former spy, Alexander Litvinenko, had written a book that was critical of Putin and the Kremlin. Entitled The FSB Blows up Russia, the book “accuses the Russian security services of causing a series of apartment block explosions in Moscow in 1999 that helped to propel Mr Putin into the presidency.” Evidently, Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin got their revenge.
Would the Kremlin and its boss enjoy exacting the same revenge against the United States? We must answer in the affirmative. Just as Putin saw Litvinenko as his avowed enemy, that is how he perceives the United States. Not only does Putin have the same motives, he evidently plans on using a similar method of demise. Radiation poisoning can come about through several methods. The West has long known of Russia’s involvement and support in Iran’s Nuclear program (see, for example, The MERIA Journal’s 2004 ariticle: “The Russia-Iran Nuclear Connection And U.S. Policy Options.”) Several stories have hit the wires this weekend indicating that Russia is continuing every effort in its power to arm and prepare Iran and Syria (see, for example, The Jerusalem Post article, “Russia sends air defense system to Iran,” and the AFP report, “Russian rocket deliveries to Iran started.”
Russia continues to assure us that they are our friends and allies. Americans continue to believe them. When questions arise as to why the Russians arm and prepare our avowed enemies, they generally respond that such allegations are silly and not to be believed. Such assurances sound vaguely similar to Russian assurances that they had nothing whatsoever to do with Vitvinenko’s death. The Associated Press reported that a Kremlin spokesman said that allegations of Russian involvement were “nothing but nonsense.” He added: "It's so silly and unbelievable that it's not worth comment.” Responding to reports of Litvinenko’s death, Putin said “that his passing was a tragedy and extended his condolences to his family.” Let us do everything in our power to assure that future historians are not quoting Putin or his successors similarly on the tragic “passing” of the United States of America.