MAY 2006

From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 5/2/2006 4:44 AM
CrisisWatch N°33, 1 May 2006
CrisisWatch N°33
1 May 2006

Thirteen conflict situations around the world deteriorated in April 2006, according to the new issue of CrisisWatch,* released today. Tensions mounted over Iran’s nuclear program as Tehran defied the UN Security Council’s 28 April deadline to stop enriching uranium. An increasingly bitter rivalry between Hamas and Fatah cast a shadow over the Occupied Territories, while violence between Israelis and Palestinians increased. In Afghanistan, a Taliban “spring offensive” saw increased suicide attacks and bombings in the south and east. A series of bomb attacks in the Sinai peninsula rocked Egypt, which was also shaken by sectarian clashes in Alexandria. In Chad, rebels launched a major attack on the capital, N’Djamena, as the effects of the conflict in Darfur continued to spill over Sudan’s borders. A dramatic upsurge in violence in Sri Lanka prompted fears of a return to full-scale civil war. And a wave of separatist attacks in Kashmir marked the ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 5/12/2006 1:21 PM
Russian military seen in decline  
 
Russia's military forces have steadily deteriorated since the early 1990s and Moscow is trying to compensate by building up its nuclear forces and commando troops, according to military specialists.
   
Moscow's military and policy leaders are focused on countering what they view as the threat from the United States and NATO, but they are missing the dangers posed by Islamist extremism and the rise of China, the specialists say.
 
"The Russian military all these years has learned nothing and forgotten nothing," said Heritage Foundation specialist Ariel Cohen. "They're still in the Soviet mode of preparing for a global war."
 
Russia's emphasis on amphibious forces, interoperability with Chinese forces, building more submarines and test firing ballistic missiles has very little to do with its stated military goal of countering terrorism, Mr. Cohen said.
 
"For them, it is about deterring the main adversary, the United States," he said.
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow is building ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 5/26/2006 4:03 AM

Evidence portrays Russia as failed state

Have you read Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2006 State of the Nation message yet? The one he gave last week? You should.

You may have seen some references to it in the press. A lot was made of his statements that the Cold War is continuing and also that what the Russian Federation needs is love. Good media stuff that. But actually, when you read the whole thing (only 18 pages) it is difficult not to come to the conclusion that this is the testament of a failed state.

Let me tell you why I reach that conclusion. But first let me pull back a bit and ask you to do some of the work. Sit at your computer and type "Russian women" into Google. OK?

Now, when you see the result what do you make of the information that hundreds of thousands of Russian women are trafficking themselves abroad -- in addition to the ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 5/26/2006 4:07 AM

Features of incoming victory

As far back as over 7 years the Russian propaganda alleges disability and weakness of the Chechen and Dagestan Mujahiddeens for serious actions. Liars of Lubyanka alleged as of the very beginning of their aggression against Chechnya that the Chechen troops had been eliminated and only separate groups of rebellions render resistance to the invasion.

During several years a number of these so-called separate groups varied permanently according to propagandist demands of occupants – from 3000 fighters to 250. However a value – 13 000 allegedly killed fighters has not changed since 2000 when the general of army of occupation Manilov sounded this value for the first time. Furthermore Russian Joint Staff publish regularly information on allegedly killed dozens fighters.

All western mass media and commentators recognize the second aggression of the Russian terrorist troops was prepared more thoroughly in the light of information readiness as against the first war of 1994-96.

Moscow did not puzzle over ...
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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/7/2006 2:00 PM

Sen. John McCain / Photo: AP

Sen. John McCain / Photo: AP
U.S. Senator Urges Bush to Respond to Russia’s Anti-democratic Moves

03.04.2006

MosNews

Sen. John McCain said Sunday the United States should respond harshly to Russia’s anti-democratic actions and suggested that President Bush reconsider his assessment of Russian President Vladimir Putin, MSNBC.com reports.

After meeting Putin for the first time in June 2001, Bush said he had been able to gain “a sense of his soul” and had found Putin to be “very straightforward and trustworthy.”

Recalling Bush’s assessment just months after taking office, McCain said: “Look, we all say things that are stupid. ... I’m sure that the president has re-evaluated his position in light of Putin’s recent actions.”

“The president wanted to develop a good working relationship with Russia and with Putin, and I’m sure that the president has re-evaluated his position in light of Putin’s recent actions. At the time I think he was — remember, it was early in his ...
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