Russia bids for control over the Middle East

Russian pledge to Palestine has nothing to do with humanitarian concerns. Russians never delivered food or other humanitarian supplies to Palestinian refugee camps, but look for “security cooperation” with Palestinians. In plain English, Russians seek a military foothold at Israeli borders. To that end, they pledged ten MIG-29 jets to Lebanon’s Hezbollah government free, and build a mammoth navy base in Syrian port of Tartus. The navy base will host S-300 and later S-400 anti-aircraft defense which would protect most of Syria against Israeli reprisals. Under the Russian ABM umbrella, Syria can develop its nuclear weapons without fearing Israeli preemption.

Okay, so, what's wrong with that?

Putin: US image damaged forever over economy woes

"Trust in the United States as the leader of the free world and the free economy, and confidence in Wall Street as the center of that trust, has been damaged, I believe, forever," Putin said. "There will be no return to the previous situation."

Moscow calls for anti-US alliance

Divide and rule … the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, centre, and France's Nicolas Sarkozy leave their meeting in Evian. Photo: AFP

THE President of Russia has called on Europe's leaders to create a new world order that would minimise the role of the United States.

Russia's Chief Rabbi: Living in Israel weakens faith

Rabbi Lazar with Russian President Medvedev (Photo: The Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS)

Immigrants lose their faith upon moving to Israel, asserts Rabbi Lazar ahead of holiday season. While Israeli society is to blame for this phenomenon, he says, it can be reversed if one moves back to Russia

Russia warns Georgia against support for US war on in Iran

Moscow said that the involvement of Georgia by the United States into a military operation against Iran will pose an additional threat to Russia's national security.

In other words, an attack against Iran will be viewed as an attack against Russia...

Russia's Medvedev - "US dominance is over"

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said that the era of US global economic dominance is over. Speaking after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in St Petersburg, Mr Medvedev said the world needed a "more just" financial system.

Russia bored with Condoleezza Rice’s far-fetched statements

No one at the Russian Foreign Ministry was surprised with Rice’s statements. “It is not the first time when spokespeople for the US administration roughly misinterpret the events caused with Georgia’s aggression against South Ossetia. There is nothing surprising about it, taking into consideration Washington’s bias to back the bankrupt regime in Tbilisi,” an official statement from the ministry said. “Russia does not intend to get into a rhetorical or any other confrontation with the USA,” the statement also said.

To smother Chechen insurgency, a campaign of house burning

Valentina Basargina, in her house, burned last month by arsonists. The police suspected her nephew of joining the insurgency. (C. J. Chivers/The New York Times )

In a campaign to punish families with sons suspected of supporting the insurgency, at least a dozen homes have been set ablaze since midsummer, residents and a local human rights organization said.

Chavez accepts Russia nuclear aid

Mr Chavez said he wanted nuclear power for energy and medical uses

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced that he wants to develop a nuclear programme with the aid of his country's ally, Russia.

Lavrov: new Europe security pact needed

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

"It is a process involving all participants who would reaffirm their commitment to fundamental principles of international law, such as the non-use of force and peaceful settlement of disputes, sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and the inadmissibility of strengthening one's own security by infringing upon the security of others," he concluded.

Sounds reasonable to me...

Russia hints at tighter Opec ties

Russia has collaborated with Opec in reducing oil exports when prices fell in the past, but expectations of an even closer alliance have risen since the attendance of the deputy prime minister at Opec’s ministerial conference earlier this month. “There has to be a Russian factor” in determining prices “and maybe not just one”, Sergei Shmatko, the energy minister, told reporters in Russia’s remote Kamchatka region.

Russia Won’t Meet With U.S. on Iranian Nuclear Program

Russia said on Tuesday that it would not participate in a meeting with the United States this week to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, the most significant indication yet of how Russia’s war with Georgia has spoiled relations regarding other security issues. Russia’s move apparently effectively scuttled the meeting.

Russia ratchets up US tensions with arms sales to Iran and Venezuela

Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Moscow, said that it was logical to conclude a lucrative contract with Iran "in the current situation, when the US and the West in general are stubbornly gearing toward a confrontation with Russia".

Russia's Medvedev: Armed action on Iran unacceptable

A military solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions is unacceptable and there is no need at the moment for new sanctions, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

In other words, back the FU*K off!

Syria and Russia strengthen naval cooperation

Russia announced Friday it was renovating a Syrian port for use by the Russian fleet in what signals an effort for a better foothold in the Mediterranean amid the rift with the United States over Georgia.

Israel Warns Russia to Halt Arms Sales to Iran, Syria

In an interview with the Washington Times, Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor warned Russia that selling armaments to Syria and Iran is “destabilizing and dangerous for Israel and for peace in the region”.

Wait, hang on a minute..., did I hear that right? "Israel WARNS Russia" Blahahahhahahahahaahhhhhhhh

Czech govt. agrees terms for U.S. forces at missile radar base

The government of the Czech Republic has approved the treaty that will govern the deployment of U.S. military personnel at the radar station for its missile defense shield, the Czech defense minister said Wednesday.

Okay, Russia - your move...

Russia could target missiles at sites in Central Europe

Russia's Strategic Missile Forces could target some of their intercontinental ballistic missiles at U.S. missile defense facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic, the forces' commander said on Wednesday.

That's a good move...

OPEC says to trim excess output and talk to Russia

OPEC on Wednesday deepened its links with major non-OPEC producer Russia and said it was cutting back output by around half a million barrels per day.

Is it me, or does it appear that the US is becoming increasingly isolated from the world stage?

Russia 'could destroy NATO ships in Black Sea within 20 minutes'

"Despite the apparent strength, the NATO naval group in the Black Sea is not battle-worthy, Admiral Eduard Baltin said. If necessary, a single missile salvo from the Moskva missile cruiser and two or three missile boats would be enough to annihilate the entire group. Within 20 minutes the waters would be clear," he said, stressing that despite major reductions, the Black Sea Fleet still has a formidable missile arsenal."