Georgia: The West's Phantom Pains By Elena Ponomareva

September 13, 2008Leave a comment

New talks on the settlement of the conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia opened in Moscow on September 8, exactly one month after the massacre perpetrated by Georgian President M. Saakashvili, whom former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Joschka Fischer had described as “the irresponsible fool from the Tbilisi presidential palace”. As decided at the snap EU Summit a week ago, the EU was represented by French President N. Sarkozy, French Foreign Minister B. Kouchner, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. Russia was represented by Russian President D. Medvedev, Foreign Minister S. Lavrov, First Vice Prime Minister I. Shuvalov, and Aide to the President Sergey Prikhodko.

The agenda, though broadly known, reflected a surprisingly narrow-minded and biased thinking. The EU politicians with their unsophisticated vision seem unable even to identify – least to condemn – the actual aggressor. They cannot admit that the mad Tbilisi ruler who has sent Georgia’s NATO-sponsored army to South Ossetia and thus inflicted unprecedented disgrace on his country is in fact their creature.

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Georgia: The War Which Will Help McCain Win By Yuri Baranchik

September 13, 2008Leave a comment

Strategic Culture Foundation

Georgia has done a great job as the proving ground during the five-day war. With the help of this war, those who are promoting the Republican nominee in the US presidential race have found out all they needed to know.

It was a part of Washington’s plan that Russia would respond resolutely to the US-prepared Georgian incursion into South Ossetia. As a result of Russia’s repelling the aggression, the US Administration obtained the information it needed to analyze the consequences of future armed conflicts in the post-Soviet space and Sen. J. McCain’s chances to become the next US President got a real boost. Besides, Washington had the opportunity to probe into the positions of Europe (obviously, the EU would not follow the US in the case of serious tensions with Russia) and China (which would rather not intervene).

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Hugo Chavez Denounces Coup Plot in Venezuela

September 13, 2008Leave a comment

President Hugo Chavez denounced on Wednesday evening a coup and assassination plot against the Venezuelan leader in a TV program. He announced that some of the people involved in the conspiracy were already arrested.

HAVANA, Cuba, Sept 11 (acn) The Venezuelan president said the new plot was another attempt by the United States against the countries of the region, mentioning Bolivia as another victim of Washington’s interfering policy.

A video broadcast by the TV program, La Hojilla, reveals the organization of a coup and assassination plan against President Chavez by retired and active military officials.

The video features a telephone conversation between Brigadier General Wilfredo Barroso, Vice Admiral Carlos Alberto Millan and Major General Eduardo Baez, reported Telesur’s website. They talk about seizing the Miraflores Presidential Palace and aim all their efforts against Chavez. ‘If he (Chavez) is in Miraflores will strike there,’ said the source.

In his TV statement, Chavez warned the Venezuelan opposition that if they decide to carry on with a coup, they would receive a crushing counterattack from the revolutionary forces.

In addition, PL reported that the president of Venezuela’s United Socialist Party, Vanesa Davies, told the press that the organization of more than 6 million members will demand that the Prosecutor’s Office open an investigation of the coup plans.

The political leader said that in addition to former military officials, there are civilians involved in the conspiracy and noted that their names will be released at the right moment.

For his part, Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro, announced that the government will denounce the coup and assassination plots against Chavez before the international organisations. He also stressed that the American government is also involved in the plans.

http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/

Caucasus: Media Guilty as `Fog of War` Clears

September 13, 2008Leave a comment

(IPS)

TOKYO – “I am surprised at how powerful the propaganda machine of the so-called West is. This is awesome! Amazing!” Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quoted by the Interfax agency as saying on Thursday, while addressing Russia experts gathered at Sochi town for a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Earlier Russia’s ambassador in Tokyo, Mikhail Bely, told IPS he was “flabbergasted” by what he saw on the CNN and BBC TV channels on Aug. 9. “The screen reports were transmitting pictures of cluster bombs being used and indiscriminate shelling. The anchors described it as Russia’s shelling of Georgia. It was a pile of lies, distortions and propaganda of the event that happened in Georgia. The foreign press believed what the Georgian officials told them and it looked like the world tended to believe it.”

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