V. Putin in NYTimes - A Plea for Caution From Russia
- Thread starter Andrey
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Opinion polls showed that the population of nearly all countries opposed a war without UN mandate, and that the view of the United States as a danger to world peace had significantly increased.[55][56][57] UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan described the war as illegal, saying in a September 2004 interview that it was "not in conformity with the Security Council."[58] Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that the invasion "disrespects the United Nations" and failed to take world opinion into account.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_the_Iraq_War
"Russia for its part is playing a life and death game for the future of its most effective geopolitical lever—its role as the leading natural gas supplier to the EU. This year Russia's state-owned Gazprom began delivery of Russian gas to northern Germany via Nord Stream gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea from a port near St. Petersburg. Strategically vital now for the future role of Russia as an EU gas supplier, is its ability to play a strategic role in exploiting the new-found gas reserves of its former Cold war client state, Syria. Moscow has long been engaged in promoting its South Stream gas pipeline into Europe as an alternative to the Washington Nabucco pipeline which was designed to leave Moscow out in the cold...
The ongoing battle between Russia's South Stream and the Washington-backed Nabucco is intensely geopolitical. The winner will hold a major advantage in the future political terrain of Europe.
Now a major new option of Syria as a major source for Russian-managed gas flows to the EU has emerged. If al-Assad survives, Russia will be in the position as savior to play a decisive role in developing and exploiting the Syrian gas."
321energy :: Behind Oil Price Rise: Syria, Turkey, Israel and a Greater Middle East Energy War :: F. William Engdahl
Syria says preparing to finalize oil deal with Russia | Reuters
Vladimir Putin: The New Global Shah of Oil
Hate to break it to you, but America isn't exceptional, it never was.
That's just a lie you've been feed so you will willingly sacrifice yourself for what ever bullshit reason your government cooks up.
But I'm sure you're family would be proud to know that you died fighting for a bit of dirt you don't own and for people who don't give two shits about you.
USA USA USA
I think the USA was exceptional in some ways in the 50s and 60s.
I grew-up in the Cold War era and spent three years in the army training to kill Russians. However, I think this was a great move by Putin. Irrespective of his motives (and they are geopolitical for sure) his statement might just put a break on Barry going gung-ho.
I was online with one of my friends in Damascus today and she said people are feeling a bit more positive now, but they are still petrified of American rockets falling on their heads.
The point is that, it is insane to want to be exceptional just to be different from everyone else. Let's be exceptional and to bomb a sovereign nation when no one else wants to do it. It is retardation and it should be obvious to everyone.
Or is America exceptional by being both at war with and supporting Al Qaeda at the same time?
Every country, nation, ethnic group, person is exceptional in one way or another. Rather than focusing on exceptionalism, we should focus on a common ground between all human beings. We can confidently say that 99.9% of human beings on the planet want peace, prosperity and happiness for themselves and their families and don't want war, no matter what country they are from, despite what mass media wants us to believe.
Or is America exceptional by being both at war with and supporting Al Qaeda at the same time?
Every country, nation, ethnic group, person is exceptional in one way or another. Rather than focusing on exceptionalism, we should focus on a common ground between all human beings. We can confidently say that 99.9% of human beings on the planet want peace, prosperity and happiness for themselves and their families and don't want war, no matter what country they are from, despite what mass media wants us to believe.
Reading posts such as above makes me want to move to canada more and more. Peace, more importantly peaceful people is all i need!
The PR firm that helped Putin land the editorial has also been used by the Bush and Obama administrations.
Putin and Bush's Favorite PR firm - Yahoo News
Also, they supposedly helped Putin win Time's "Man of the Year" for 2007 and have/had a monthly contract with the Russian state-owned gas company, Gazprom.
Ketchum Caught "Man of the Year" Title for Putin | PR Watch
Putin and Bush's Favorite PR firm - Yahoo News
Also, they supposedly helped Putin win Time's "Man of the Year" for 2007 and have/had a monthly contract with the Russian state-owned gas company, Gazprom.
Ketchum Caught "Man of the Year" Title for Putin | PR Watch
I agree with this, and as I said, exceptionalism is part of the American brand. Even if it's a myth, myth-making is what branding is all about.
There are a few things that get in the way of a sane and sensible US foreign policy.
People like the tri-cornered hat types (Tea Partiers) and retards like right-wing squawker Sarah Palin wrap themselves in American exceptionalism. Any challenge to the brand encourages their contracted talking heads to spew on Fox News.
Then there's the useless US Congress, especially those representing red states. They will defend the brand to the death as "what America is about." Odds are the congress critters have their own patriotic squawkers at town meetings making loud noises about American pride and strong defense. It's also economic: military bases are important employment centers in many small towns.
Lastly, there's the multi-trillion-dollar defense industry. They don't like peace; they have a vested interest in the boom-boom. War = good. Peace = bad.
Not to be a cynic, I know it was a coincidence that Halliburton, Cheney's company, was the no-bid winner of military contracts serving Iraq and Afghanistan.
Boom-boom. Cheney = rich-rich.
Cheney, neocon of note, is probably gritting away at his dentures, enraged there will probably be no boom-boom in Syria. He's likely writing an editorial about it as we speak.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMqcLUqYqrs]Why America is NOT the greatest country in the world, anymore. - YouTube[/ame]
Funny thing is, the fiction of America's "exceptionalism" springs from the same deception that a marketing guru's status as guru does.
Step 1: Loudly proclaim oneself as exceptional.
Step 2: Encourage others to bleat the same message to each other.
Step 3: Watch as the assertion is accepted as truth.
Step 4: Sell infoproducts, consulting, etc. Or in the case of the U.S., go make war with others. Either way, profit with friends!
I have no idea which PR firm spearheaded the "America is exceptional" propaganda, but it's pretty impressive. Even folks on WickedFire, who tar and feather gurus for the same BS, swallow it whole and ask for more.
Whether you like it or not, if the United States weren't exceptional we wouldn't be having this conversation. The military, financial, and political power of the United States are astronomical compared to any and all other countries. Exceptionalism and being exceptional are not the same concept.
Meanwhile in Mother Russia
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcG9-Q81ky4]WTF How To Switch Lanes Like A Boss - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcG9-Q81ky4]WTF How To Switch Lanes Like A Boss - YouTube[/ame]
Especially the debt the US is in and couldn't possibly pay off. talk about astronomical
