And So It Begins

Nov 05, 2008 - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5e3e7000-ab40-11dd-b9e1-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1 Medvedev throws down a gauntlet to Obama By Charles Clover in Moscow Published: November 5 2008 13:49 | Last updated: November 5 2008 13:49 Russia’s president Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday became the first world leader to throw down a gauntlet to US president-elect Barack Obama, declaring that the Kremlin would station missiles in the tiny Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which borders Poland, in response to US plans for an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe. Mr Medvedev, speaking in his annual address to Russia’s Federal Assembly, also proposed extending the presidential term to six years from the current four, a step which had been proposed under former president, now prime minister Vladimir Putin, who had rejected it. Taken together the Russian proposals seem to be a provocative test for the incoming US leader, who inherits a tense relationship with Russia following the brief war with Georgia in August. - 49 Comments

China Holds Firm on Major Issues in Obama’s Visit

Nov 18, 2009 - President Obama toured the historic Forbidden City in Beijing on Tuesday during a break from meetings with Chinese leaders. Source BEIJING — In six hours of meetings, at two dinners and during a stilted 30-minute news conference in which President Hu Jintao did not allow questions, President Obama was confronted, on his first visit, with a fast-rising China more willing to say no to the United States. On topics like Iran (Mr. - 1 Comment

Obama indecision On three fronts -- South Korean trade, Ukrainian/Russian diplomacy and Afghan war fighting

Oct 21, 2009 - The World Won't Wait On Washington Indecision A Commentary By Tony Blankley On three fronts -- South Korean trade, Ukrainian/Russian diplomacy and Afghan war fighting -- the Obama administration is being increasingly pressured by unfolding events to shed ideology and rationalizations and come quickly to a realistic analysis of world events and their consequences. In each of these cases, in the absence of very prompt United States policy decisions and actions, we shall incur long-term irreversible economic, geopolitical or national security harm. I will discuss the Afghan war decision in a future column. - 0 Comments

First Russia says FU to Iran Sanctions, now they threaten nukes in local conflicts.

Oct 14, 2009 - Report: Russia to allow pre-emptive nukes Oct 14 11:09 AM US/Eastern By DAVID NOWAKAssociated Press Writer   MOSCOW (AP) - A top Russian security official says Moscow reserves the right to conduct pre-emptive nuclear strikes to safeguard the country against aggression on both a large and a local scale, according to a newspaper interview published Wednesday. Presidential Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev also singled out the U.S. and NATO, saying Moscow's Cold War foes still pose potential threats to Russia despite what he called a global trend toward local conflicts. - 2 Comments

First Russia says FU to Iran Sanctions, now they threaten nukes in local conflicts.

Oct 14, 2009 - Report: Russia to allow pre-emptive nukes Oct 14 11:09 AM US/Eastern By DAVID NOWAKAssociated Press Writer   MOSCOW (AP) - A top Russian security official says Moscow reserves the right to conduct pre-emptive nuclear strikes to safeguard the country against aggression on both a large and a local scale, according to a newspaper interview published Wednesday. Presidential Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev also singled out the U.S. and NATO, saying Moscow's Cold War foes still pose potential threats to Russia despite what he called a global trend toward local conflicts. - 0 Comments

Does anyone care what Obama has to say?

Sep 25, 2009 - Iran certianly doesn't.   http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/25/AR2009092500289_pf.html   Iran Reveals Existence of Second Uranium Enrichment Plant By Michael D. Shear and Debbi Wilgoren Washington Post Staff Writers Friday, September 25, 2009 12:42 PM   PITTSBURGH, Sept. - 6 Comments

Oh good.....Venezuela is on board

Sep 26, 2009 - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090925/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_iran Venezuela seeking uranium with Iran's help By FABIOLA SANCHEZ, Associated Press Writer Fabiola Sanchez, Associated Press Writer – Fri Sep 25, 7:11 pm ET PORLAMAR, Venezuela – Iran is helping to detect uranium deposits in Venezuela and initial evaluations suggest reserves are significant, President Hugo Chavez's government said Friday. Mining Minister Rodolfo Sanz said Iran has been assisting Venezuela with geophysical survey flights and geochemical analysis of the deposits, and that evaluations "indicate the existence of uranium in western parts of the country and in Santa Elena de Uairen," in southeastern Bolivar state. "We could have important reserves of uranium," Sanz told reporters upon arrival on Venezuela's Margarita Island for a weekend Africa-South America summit. - 13 Comments

Obama is even dumber than I thought....I didn't think that was possible

Jul 06, 2009 - http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9992PPO0&show_article=1 Obama, Medvedev agree to pursue nuclear reduction MOSCOW (AP) - President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a preliminary agreement Monday to reduce the world's two largest nuclear stockpiles by as much as a third, down to the lowest levels of any U.S.-Russia accord, and counter what Obama called "a sense of drift" in the countries' relations. "We must lead by example, and that's what we are doing here today," Obama declared in a Kremlin hall glittering in gold. "We resolve to reset U.S.-Russian relations so that we can cooperate more effectively in areas of common interest." - 13 Comments

Nothing like making Russia look strong and the United States look weak

Sep 17, 2009 - East Europe: Rancor, relief on missile shield plan AP – Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer gestures during the press conference in Prague on Thursday, Sept. 17, … By KAREL JANICEK and WILLIAM J. KOLE, Associated Press Writers Karel Janicek And William J. - 9 Comments

Vladimir Putin faces signs of mutiny in own government as protests break out in east

Feb 02, 2009 - Vladimir Putin faces signs of mutiny in own government as protests break out in east Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, faces signs of an unprecedented mutiny within his own government that threatens to undermine his once unassailable authority, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal. By Adrian Blomfield in Vladivostok Last Updated: 9:20AM GMT 01 Feb 2009 Subordinates have begun openly to defy Mr Putin, a man whose diktat has inspired fear and awe in the echelons of power for nine years, according to government sources. Meanwhile a rift is emerging between Mr Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev, the figurehead whom he groomed as his supposedly pliant successor. - 0 Comments