Somehow, this just is not a credible situation...even in St. Petersburg, this reeks.
How much more likely that the strings are being pulled from here?
Posted on 05/23/2006 11:34:06 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
MOSCOW — Its only known address is a half-collapsed abandoned building, and its only telephone number doesn't work. But somehow a secretive lobby group, with reputed links to Russia's intelligence services, has emerged as a possible source of inspiration for President Vladimir Putin's state-of-the-union speech.
When Mr. Putin gave his annual televised address on May 10, military analyst Ivan Safranchuk immediately thought the President's words about national defence sounded different from the rest of the speech.
"That part seemed out of place," the Moscow director of the World Security Institute said a few hours after Mr. Putin's appearance. "Maybe there was a different speechwriter for that section." More observers started wondering who wrote Mr. Putin's remarks, after political gossip websites pointed out the uncanny similarity between the President's text and an essay published by a private organization based in St. Petersburg that calls itself the Public Association of Veterans of Special Services.
If this lobby group did have a role in crafting Mr. Putin's speech, analysts say, it would be a troubling sign because the group also lobbies against democracy and favours a return to rule by emperors.
"It looks very serious," Mr. Safranchuk said. "It means these views have deeply infiltrated the Kremlin."
Mr. Putin's speech made headlines with the assertion that Russia must rebuild its military to resist foreign pressure. The President cited the nationalist writer Ivan Ilyin, saying the job of soldier should be considered an honourable profession. Russia's conscript army should be transformed into a two-thirds professional organization, Mr. Putin added, which would allow a reduction in the mandatory military service to 12 months from 24.
All of these ideas -- along with many of the sentences, paragraphs and the same quotation from Mr. Ilyin -- are contained in an essay on military reform posted at http://www.specvet.spb.ru.
The website claims to represent veterans of Russia's special services from the northern city of St. Petersburg. (Mr. Putin would theoretically qualify for membership, as he was born in the city and served the KGB and its successor agency the FSB.) Google's cached database of Internet sites shows the St. Petersburg site existed at least since February, and some Internet references suggest it was published months earlier, but it's impossible to confirm exactly when the military-reform essay was posted.
The site contains no names or contact details for its owners, and its only external link is to the FSB website. But registry information provided by Relcom Business Network Ltd., the site's Moscow-based host, says it is managed by somebody named Nikolay Petrov. Mr. Petrov did not respond to e-mails and there was no answer at his telephone number last week.
The website's postal address, southeast of downtown St. Petersburg, is a jumble of crumbling red bricks and empty window frames.
Alexander Yermolayev, a former KGB major-general who serves as executive secretary for a group of special-services veterans in Moscow, said he has heard of the St. Petersburg organization and believes it is legitimate. But the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 splintered the KGB veterans into many sub-groups, Mr. Yermolayev said, and his group has lost contact with the former officers from St. Petersburg.
"Such bodies as the special services present great danger if they are used as political instruments," Mr. Yermolayev said. "But nobody thought or cared about that when they divided and broke the structure." A source familiar with Russia's special services said the St. Petersburg group probably consists of former and current members of the GRU, the military-intelligence unit established in 1918 by Vladimir Lenin. Unlike the KGB, the GRU was never disbanded after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The website argues that Russia should be ruled by one leader who isn't regularly replaced by elections. "Democracy is a trap, and democrats are demagogues," the site says. "For Russia, democracy is as foreign as cannibalism." Instead of democracy, the website proposes a blended model of czarist rule, Communist-era authoritarianism and votes with limited enfranchisement: "Like a democratic Soviet Union, headed by Czar Alexander III," the website says, referring to fierce nationalist emperor.
"There will be elections, but not democratic," the site continues. "Only the elite would be allowed to vote." Under the website's model, all ministers and governors would be appointed by the elected ruler, whose terms might last 20 to 40 years. Leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church would bless the leader and encourage support for the regime. "Thus the ruler will serve God, and people will serve the ruler," the site concludes.
These ideas aren't entirely outrageous in the country's current political climate, in which many Russians associate democracy with the chaos and lawlessness of the 1990s. Leonid Sedov, a senior analyst at the independent VTsIOM-A polling agency, said roughly 80 per cent of Russians dislike the idea of democracy. While only 3 per cent want a return of the pre-revolutionary czars, he said, about 16 per cent think Russia needs an authoritarian ruler such as Stalin.
ping!
Somehow, this just is not a credible situation...even in St. Petersburg, this reeks.
How much more likely that the strings are being pulled from here?
I think some in the Reagan and GHWB administrations were alert to the possibility that Anatoliy Golitsyn's warnings had validity. The wishful-thinking was that with the tidal wave of people wanting freedom...that the Bad Guys "lost control" of the situation. In retrospect, we should have leaned much, much harder on Boris Yeltsin to terminate the KGB. Not just rename it FSB.
ping
FTB. "T" stands for "the" or "them".
April 30, 2001 - Russian military forces intervened in a mock nuclear conflict between China and the United States over Taiwan during strategic exercises that included Russian preparations to use nuclear weapons on U.S. forces in Asia, The Washington Times has learned.
Russian forces help China in mock conflict
Feb 7, 2005 - Quietly, with almost no notice taken in the U.S. media, Russia and China have just stepped up their military cooperation to a level not seen in half a century since the end of the Korean War.
Ping
You should probably have a look at comment #9 ASAP.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1637001/posts?page=9#9
BTW, in news that you won't see from Russia's state-owned publications (examples, RIA Novosti and Pravda), a journalist named Vladimir Rakhmankov recently called Putin, "Russia's phallic symbol." Rakhmankov is in court under criminal proceedings. His computers in his office and home were seized and his office sealed.
I don't remember seeing that before. They could easily provide the continuity between then and now as the external appearance changes to fool the useful idiots.
Any comments??
In other news we can't see, Viktor Shmakov, editor-in-chief of a Provincial News publication, was jailed for criticizing the Russian government about corruption and human rights abuses.
And in the meantime, the bulk of our military is tied up in Iraq, third-world nutballs are busily obtaining nuclear weapons (probably being secretly supplied by Russia or China), the Moslems and the rest of the Middle East are going nuts, Europe is completely useless while drowning in it's own self-centered secular liberalism, the Hollywood and San Francisco idiots are working as hard as they can to destabalize things here at home, the Mexicans are marching in our streets, our government is busy falling all over itself to open up our southern border for the Mexicans, the Chinese are slowly gaining influence throughout Central and South America, and our cultural and religious heritage is coming under constant attack by the extreme left, thereby distracting the rest of us.
It is time for more of that "eternal vigilance" stuff!!
"I think some in the Reagan and GHWB administrations were alert to the possibility that Anatoliy Golitsyn's warnings had validity. The wishful-thinking was that with the tidal wave of people wanting freedom...that the Bad Guys "lost control" of the situation."
Interesting. I'm a big fan of Golitsyn, myself. I have both his books, though I've only read various parts. I think the problem is not so much whether or not anyone believed Golitsyn---but how strongly placed his various enemies were, not only Soviet agents that had penetrated our government, but Russian agents of influence---and their numerous progeny inside the United States and throughout the West.
Although Golitsyn realized there were Russian agents of influence (my use of the term comes from him), I believe he underrated their importance---particularly the way they could "force multiply" over the decades---gradually gaining followers/blackmailed slaves/etc. and finally---undermining entire institutions such as the MSM, the Democratic Party, the State Department, teachers unions, and academia.
"In retrospect, we should have leaned much, much harder on Boris Yeltsin to terminate the KGB. Not just rename it FSB."
I'm skeptical that that approach would've worked. I do think it's possible that if the U. S.---along with many key people inside Russia---had been more suspicious and kept full pressure on---the current proto-communist government of Russia could have been avoided. I suspect this pathway would have led to bloodshed inside Russia during the 1990s. But it would have been well worth it to cleanse that country of its rot---and would have avoided the current nest of problems faced by the United States---primarily driven by Russia on every side.
Chekist clique after getting their hands on gas and oil wealth of Russia find it hard if not impossible to relinquish it in a normal elections. Certainly, they would like to set up some kind of monarchy. However, if Russia wants to restore Monarchy, the legitimate descendants of the Last Tsar Nicholas II of Romanov Dynasty are alive and well living outside of Russia. Obviously Putin Chekists are not interested in sharing their wealth with anyone--only among themselves. So their monarchy will be only open for them.
Very disturbing development since this clan is interested first and foremost in enriching themselves and the only way they see to maintain the grip on power is a combination of repressive policies at home with Anti-Americanism abroad.
However, this system is clearly not viable. When elites have absolutely no accountability toward the citizenry, they grow too unruly and they are collapsing under their own weight. The collapse of the Soviet System of governance is an obvious example. Plus, I doubt that Russian Citizenry will continue to put up with lawlessness of the Putin clique indefinitely. Majority of Russian people may be completely disenchanted with Democracy, which is not unusual seeing how Yeltsin regime perverted Democratic institutions to enrich himself and his associates. But it doesn't mean that they will continue to put up indefinitely with situation when Putin and his Business Checkists living lavishly while the majority of population is getting scraps from the table, sending their kids to the cruel and absolutely corrupt military and having a few prospects for a decent future.
The continuing lawlessness of Putin clique will likely cause mini-revolts here and there, or we'll see an acceleration of immigration of the most productive of Russian people abroad. Stalin could count on the love of majority of Soviet populace because it was based not only on fear, but also on illusion that Communism is near. Modern Russians don't have such illusions.
I note they usual suspects have been pinged downthread.
It's VERY ironic that TGJ would post an article that provides a link to a Russian organization that is filled with men who see the US leadership as "puppets" of the Carlysle Group out to occupy Russia. In other words, they're of the exact same mindset of some of our own old fools who have been suckered by Golytsyn (KGB out to conquer America).
And what about this Golytsyn guy? In my opinion Golytsyn is one of the most successful, if not THE most successful KGB operation every put in place. Why?
1.) Kim Philby, a Soviet spy and British defector was Jim Angleton's best friend. Philby was planning to defect and working with the Soviets when he was assigned as Angleton's partner. Angleton put all his trust in Philby. Philby learned everything about Angelton - his paranoias, his predeliction to conspirarcy theories, his fears, his thoughts, his weaknesses.
2.) Philby defects.
3.) Golytsin appears. He's very well versed in what Angleton's fears were, what he thought about the Soviets, and his paranoia concerning moles. Golytsin uses this knowledge gained from Philby's cooperation with his KGB handlers.
4.) Golytsyn moles his way into Angelton's inner circle. He feeds Angleton's paranoia. He uses what the KGB learned about Angleton to the KGB's advantage. After all, that was/is his real mission. Cause strife and in-fighing in America's premier intelligence agency. Golytsyn's hold over Angleton paralyzed the CIA.
5.) Golytsyn spoke to Angelton's fears and covered himself by convincing Angelton that any defectors who appeared after him were fake and they were sent by the KGB to denounce him. A CLASSIC KGB MOVE, i.e., a Double Agent, such as Golytsin, convinces Angleton that real defectors are double agents. The KGB did this to lessen the impact of real defectors. They knew people would flee their criminal regime and they had to have a counterweight in place. That counterweight was Golytsin.
6.) Present Day Goltytsyn Mission: Work with his KGB cronies who do NOT want to see the end of the Cold War and the lack of prestige it brought. But how? Easy. Convince people that the Soviet Union is just hibernating. Influence America's foreign policy by infiltrating "patriotic movements" Convince these people that the KGB is still around and ready to strike. Why? So these patriotic movements will influence their elected officials to be tougher on Russia which in turn will force Russia to see Russian hardliners' point-of-view, i.e., the US wants to occupy Russia.
7.) Stifle any criticism of Golytsin by convincing his followers to label Golytsin critics traitors. Golytsin knows very well that the worst thing to call an American is "traitor."
In short: So far MISSION ACCOMPLISHED for Golytsin. He and his KGB allies have managed to dupe and manipulate people by playing on their irrational fears. This in turn has caused lobbying of elected American officials to get tougher on the Russias. Toughness of Russia, in turn, allows the KGB veterans to get the ear of Putin and co. and convince them that the US is out to occupy Russia. Next up, the rebirth of the prestige of the KGB and the current FSB. More money spent on special services because of the "American threat," more trading with America's enemies, because of the "American threat." In short - A VERY SUCCESSFUL KGB AGENT this Mr. Golytsin. I wonder what rank he is now?
Bottom line: Proliferators of Golytsin's propaganda further the KGB mission - making them KGB accomplices. "Well done" (/sarcasm).
PS - It's no "coincidence" that Russian television and books are awash with documentaries and information about how much Godievsky, Penkovsky and Polyakov hurt the Soviet Union, but nary a word about Golytsin. Hmmm.
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