There can be different interpretations of Vladimir Putin’s talk of a new arms race last week. But a speech given by the country’s most senior security official at the weekend was an unambiguous attempt to play “good cop” to Putin’s “bad cop”.
Sergei Ivanov, defence minister until he was promoted to first deputy prime minister last year, told an international audience in Munich that his country had no intention of establishing new military blocs or behaving in a confrontational manner and would concentrate for the foreseeable future on improving the living standards of ordinary Russians.
Several other aspects of Ivanov’s speech deserved notice. He made a point of speaking in (excellent) English - out of respect, he said, for his international audience.
He diverted from his prepared text to stress that Russia would not switch off anyone’s energy supplies for political reasons: contracts were purely commercial. "Partners can rest assured that Russia has been strictly fulfilling and will continue to fulfil all its commitments regarding energy supplies."
He denied that Russia was moving back to a state command economy: "Our goal is not just the mixed economy, but ensuring a close interaction between its two sectors - state and private, with the eventual shift of the balance towards the latter." He said that a new regulatory system for foreign investment was being devised that would enshrine this.
He trod softly on Kosovo, saying that Russia would not be “more Serbian than the Serbs”, suggesting that any deal acceptable to Serbia would not be blocked by Russia.
Ivanov has long been seen as a Putin ally, with a similar background in St Petersburg and the Soviet security services. Until recently, he was also considered Putin’s likely successor. It is not clear what his position will be when, as is now a foregone conclusion, Dmitry Medvedev, is elected President next month. But the authority with which he spoke at Munich of Russia's long-term policy plans, suggests a prominent role in the next administration – and a less threatening Russia looking out on the world.
Putin is a charismatic shrewd business person who has his hands in politics and business. Want to see him in action? He is loved by the youths of Russia. THAT IS A + point. .The pipe line of gas on and off cut off threats. It bloody well works. Now who has such a knob in your picture? No one. Only knob they have is the door into and out of car, offices, rate changes of the bank, the rogue Trader who moves for some time free then he is knobbed in the bars again. Nicolas Sarkozy is still on honeymoon while the Chadian bleeds. He has to have the wife support for this but on honeymoon these are no discuses especially the Valentine’s day approaching. Mr. Bush pushed too many troops to Iraq and Afghanistan with Mr. Brown has shrunk. That is expected as the soldiers are tired and I hear the rate of suicide has gone up. Oh, yes there is another caption here. I saw the TV in English Channel and there is a place in (Great Britain, excuse the pun) where there is training of the young ones who have left the schools and need the jobs badly trained to fight under the same conditions as Iraq and Afghanistan. That must be costly? No. I am talking about the rent and the bullets they fire. Their blood is already in the hands of Mr. Brown. No? So off he goes like Tony, pulled from the toes is Mr. Brown who looks much shorter then he was but the suit looks fit.
Please do not get me wrong. I love politicians. That is why I am here. Had there been no politicians, sir, you would have had no videos, audios, news, Playboys, Sun, Moon, Stars. They are the ones who create the news. Yes?
Yes? I have to be like French when I talk, sir, polite twisting my word so you do not get offended.
There you have a perfect blend of West, if any Putin is the winner
King warns of threats to UK growth
: February 13 2008
Interest rates are unlikely to fall as much as markets expect to stem an economic slowdown, the Bank of England signalled on Wednesday in a hawkish inflation report, warning of “substantial challenges for policy” in the year ahead.
In its quarterly update on the outlook for the UK economy, the Bank predicts that tighter credit conditions, slowing investment and reduced consumer demand, could lead to a “deeper and more persistent” slowdown than it expected in November.
Today in an interview with BBC Radio's Law in Action, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia defended torture, claiming that it is not necessarily barred by the Constitution:
Is it really so easy to determine that smacking someone in the face to find out where he has hidden the bomb that is about to blow up Los Angeles is prohibited under the Constitution? Because smacking someone in the face would violate the 8th amendment in a prison context. You can't go around smacking people about.
The fist commandment is left out and so are the second and the third. Does any one have the DVD of the Ten Commandments the movies of Moses? Please give this to this justice. I think he needs this bad. How can you talk of the hatred on TV?
If on the smaller scale the law smacks any one I am not surprised that the so called terrorists some may have taken lots of smacks and now face the death by noose.
Without malice and prejudices to any. This is purely fiction and bears no resembles to any living or dead.
I thank you
Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa
Posted by: Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD | Wednesday, 13 February 2008 at 05:28 PM