Airing Putin’s Dirty Laundry - The American Interest: "Clearly, Putin is the threat, and to counter the threat, Putin needs to be weakened and removed from power. This requires effectively interrupting the flow of support he receives from key forces inside Russia, including the Russian people... The Obama Administration seems unwilling to mobilize a large sustained effort to destroy Putin’s power. This is a mistake, for the case to be made against him is not ambiguous... The real question may be: will a courageous portion of the U.S. Congress bring Putin to his knees?"
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Clearly, Putin is the threat, and to counter the threat, Putin needs to be weakened and removed from power. This requires effectively interrupting the flow of support he receives from key forces inside Russia, including the Russian people.
Putin’s downfall can be achieved by exploiting the contradictions within his rule: its reliance on corruption, fear, and the perception that he is the true expression of Russian nationalism. He has used these elements masterfully, but in reality they conflict with one another and are inherently unstable.
Putin’s power is based upon suppressing criticism with fear and violence and buying the loyalty of his oligarchic cronies with resources stolen from the Russian people. The reality of the Putin regime means that he never has been a true Russian patriot; his power depends on his being a parasite, stealing wealth and freedom from the Russian people.
Publicly and continuously documenting this corruption—this fundamental contradiction in the Putin regime—strikes at the heart of Putin’s power. If he is increasingly seen as nothing more than the king of the thieves, stealing from every Russian, his posture as a Russian patriot and a legitimate world leader will be discredited. Similarly, publishing information about the individuals within Putin’s corrupt network will weaken them and can make them subject to international sanctions and legal action outside of Russia. Finally, documenting the non-Russian individuals and institutions that enable Putin’s corrupt oligarchy to retain its power will open these institutions and individuals to the same risks and stigma that settles on Putin. This will further destabilize the foundation of his tyranny. It is even possible that some of the individuals thought to be holding wealth for Putin himself will realize that, if he were gone, it could belong to them. The rats may start feeding on themselves...
The Obama Administration seems unwilling to mobilize a large sustained effort to destroy Putin’s power. This is a mistake, for the case to be made against him is not ambiguous...
The real question may be: will a courageous portion of the U.S. Congress bring Putin to his knees?
The Obama Administration seems unwilling to mobilize a large sustained effort to destroy Putin’s power. This is a mistake, for the case to be made against him is not ambiguous...
The real question may be: will a courageous portion of the U.S. Congress bring Putin to his knees?
Airing Putin’s Dirty Laundry - The American Interest
Despite the hopes of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Russia has returned as a security threat to its neighbors, to the Unites States, and to our allies. No one believes that Russia is now on a path to becoming a peaceful liberal democracy that respects national sovereignty, human rights, and free speech.
The new Russian threat is not grounded in Communist ideology. It is led by one man, Vladimir Putin. He has manipulated a surge in Russian nationalism and sits at the top of an extensive oligarchy that presents itself as the legitimate expression of the Russian people. His grip on power remains strong despite international criticism, the sanctions employed by the Obama Administration, and a drop in energy revenues. Could the U.S. Congress mount a more effective challenge to Putin? How?
The urgency of the threat is substantial and growing. On February 12 Putin allowed (or directed) Russian troops to continue their attack on the beleaguered Ukrainian city of
Debaltseve
, notwithstanding the ceasefire agreement that had gone into effect that day. On February 14 a Russian bomber
headed
toward British airspace. The plane only withdrew when met by the British Air Force. Then on February 27 Boris Nemtsov, the toughest of Putin’s critics and a leader of the Russian opposition was gunned down in cold blood on the streets of central Moscow. Although Putin’s role in this assassination is not clear and never likely to be so,
accusationsabound
. More recently Putin has announced that he was willing to involve
nuclear
forces in Russia’s annexation of Crimea,
invited
the North Korean despot Kim Jong-un to the Kremlin, and
permitted
the sale of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.
This past February the European Union committee of the UK’s House of Lords noted with regret that Europe had “
sleepwalked
” into the Ukrainian crisis. Europe, they said, had acted on the mistaken assumption that Putin was on his way to becoming the leader of a democratic country. British Prime Minister David Cameron
denied
that Europe was at fault but acknowledged that it was time for the West to respond. The blame, he asserted, “lies absolutely squarely with Vladimir Putin and Russia. . . . What we need to do now is deliver the strongest possible message . . . that what has happened is unacceptable.” Cameron is right, but it is time to think clearly about the message Putin has received so far. Criticisms of Putin and sanctions aimed weakening him seem to have strengthened his support among many Russians.
Clearly, Putin is the threat, and to counter the threat, Putin needs to be weakened and removed from power. This requires effectively interrupting the flow of support he receives from key forces inside Russia, including the Russian people.
Putin’s downfall can be achieved by exploiting the contradictions within his rule: its reliance on corruption, fear, and the perception that he is the true expression of Russian nationalism. He has used these elements masterfully, but in reality they conflict with one another and are inherently unstable.
Putin’s power is based upon suppressing criticism with fear and violence and buying the loyalty of his oligarchic cronies with resources stolen from the Russian people. The reality of the Putin regime means that he never has been a true Russian patriot; his power depends on his being a parasite, stealing wealth and freedom from the Russian people.
Publicly and continuously documenting this corruption—this fundamental contradiction in the Putin regime—strikes at the heart of Putin’s power. If he is increasingly seen as nothing more than the king of the thieves, stealing from every Russian, his posture as a Russian patriot and a legitimate world leader will be discredited. Similarly, publishing information about the individuals within Putin’s corrupt network will weaken them and can make them subject to international sanctions and legal action outside of Russia. Finally, documenting the non-Russian individuals and institutions that enable Putin’s corrupt oligarchy to retain its power will open these institutions and individuals to the same risks and stigma that settles on Putin. This will further destabilize the foundation of his tyranny. It is even possible that some of the individuals thought to be holding wealth for Putin himself will realize that, if he were gone, it could belong to them. The rats may start feeding on themselves.
There is already much information in the public realm that can be deployed against Putin. In the introduction to her 2014 book,
Putin’s Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia?
, Karen Dawisha states, “I conclude that from the beginning Putin and his circle sought to create an authoritarian regime ruled by a close-knit cabal…who used democracy for decoration rather than direction.” Her book, based on extensive
research
, traces Putin’s ascension from a mid-level KGB agent to the tyrannical President of the now-expanding Russia. Summarizing the book in the
New York Review of Books,
Anne Applebaum
writes
that “instead of attempting to explain the failures of the reformers and intellectuals who tried to carry out radical change [in Russia], we ought instead to focus on the remarkable story of one group of unrepentant, single-minded, revanchist KGB officers…. [T]hey stole money that belonged to the Russian state, took it abroad for safety, reinvested it in Russia, and then, piece by piece, took over the state themselves. Once in charge, they brought back Soviet methods of political control—the only ones they knew—updated for the modern era.”
Dawisha is just one scholar in this area, and whole archives are coming online. One example of this can be found here at the Hudson Institute, where the
Kleptocracy
Initiative has identified a significant group of outside experts on Putin’s crimes. These private reports are important, but releasing such information from an institution of great stature and power holds the greatest promise of weakening Putin swiftly.
The Obama Administration seems unwilling to mobilize a large sustained effort to destroy Putin’s power. This is a mistake, for the case to be made against him is not ambiguous. Everyone willing to look knows the truth about Putin’s Russia, the only question is whether that truth can be marshaled to bring contempt and repudiation. When Putin is contemptible, he will fall. This is precisely the area in which the U.S. has profound moral standing. This is the area in which America’s soft power advantage can be used for very hard ends.
Congress has the necessary stature to publish—under its authority—the truth about Putin’s Russia. With the eager help of outside experts, congressional staff can easily gather public information and verify that it is reliable in relation to classified government intelligence (a prudent step when the subject is a KGB-trained master of disinformation). Both Democrats and Republicans could get behind such an effort, as well as members from several committees. Yet it does not require a large and unwieldy group. In fact, even one Senator or House Member could, with the aid of a competent staffer, gather the details from public sources and release them several times a year.
There are two essential ingredients for success in this strategy against Putin—focus and steadfastness. The point to be made repeatedly and relentlessly is that Putin is a criminal, not a legitimate leader of Russia.
Some may complain that there are many corrupt oligarchs in the world, and moral consistency requires they should all be confronted. Nonsense. Putin is the most dangerous, and perhaps the most vulnerable; therefore he should be singled out. Creating many targets at the same time will only blunt the impact of this effort. Moreover, if this attack against Putin succeeds, the method can then be turned to other dangerous oligarchs—in Iran and China.
Many, especially among the elite, will complain that this is not the “proper” way to conduct foreign policy. Foreign policy cannot be accomplished by public attacks on the legitimacy of a foreign leader, and in any case they ought to be conducted by the President. Perhaps…but telling the truth about Vladimir Putin does not deplete the authority of the President. In fact, there are advantages to this kind of “soft power” or asymmetrical warfare (to our advantage) if led by Congress. It will be characterized less as a personal battle between leaders if it comes from the branch of government closest to the American people, and it can rest on sources national and international that are much broader than the executive agencies. Of course this strategy is not traditional; it is an alternative to the old ways, which always rested in some way on armed conflict. Putin will probably make threats (and deploy his American lobbyists). If so, this may be a sign that he sees serious danger. But each of his threats should be brushed aside or met with reports of new bank account numbers, new details of crony corruption, and new evidence of crimes against the Russian people.
Others may be concerned that if Putin falls, his second-level oligarchs will simply replace him. But they are unlikely, even as a group, to have the particularly dangerous combination of desires and abilities that Putin possesses. One wolf is more dangerous than a hundred cockroaches.
The real question may be: will a courageous portion of the U.S. Congress bring Putin to his knees?
John P. Walters is Hudson Institute’s chief operating officer. He was Director of Drug Control Policy for President George W. Bush.
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Вопреки надеждам президентов Джорджа Буша и Барака Обамы Россия снова создает угрозу безопасности своих соседей, Соединенных Штатов и наших союзников. Никто не верит, что эта страна сегодня идет путем становления мирной либеральной демократии, соблюдающей национальный суверенитет, права человека и свободу слова.
Новая российская угроза основана не на коммунистической идеологии. Во главе ее идет один человек — Владимир Путин. Он манипулирует усиливающимся российским национализмом и возглавляет обширную олигархию, которая представляет себя в качестве законного представителя народа. Он крепко держит в руках власть, несмотря на международную критику, на санкции, введенные администрацией Обамы, и на снижение доходов от продажи энергоресурсов. Может ли американский конгресс бросить Путину более эффективный вызов? И как это сделать?
Это серьезная и безотлагательная проблема. 12 февраля Путин позволил (или приказал) российским войскам продолжить наступление на осажденный украинский город Дебальцево, несмотря на соглашение о прекращении огня, вступившее в силу в тот день. 14 февраля российский бомбардировщик направился к воздушному пространству Британии. Он улетел прочь лишь тогда, когда его встретили британские ВВС. А 27 февраля на улице в центре Москвы был хладнокровно застрелен один из самых жестких критиков Путина и лидер российской оппозиции Борис Немцов. Хотя роль Путина в этом убийстве неясна и вряд ли когда-нибудь будет выяснена, обвинений в его адрес звучит немало. Недавно Путин заявил, что был готов использовать российские ядерные силы во время аннексии Крыма. Он пригласил в Кремль северокорейского деспота Ким Чен Ына и разрешил поставить в Иран зенитно-ракетные комплексы С-300.
В феврале комитет палаты лордов по делам Евросоюза с сожалением отметил, что Европа в период кризиса на Украине повела себя «как лунатик». Европа, отметили члены комитета, исходила из ошибочного предположения о том, что Путин стремится стать лидером демократической страны. Британский премьер-министр Дэвид Кэмерон отрицал вину Европы, однако признал, что Западу пора отреагировать. По его словам, «вина целиком и полностью лежит на Владимире Путине и на России. ... Нам сейчас надо подать мощнейший сигнал о том... что произошедшее неприемлемо». Кэмерон прав, но надо задуматься и о том, какие сигналы получает Путин. Похоже, что критика в его адрес и направленные на его ослабление санкции только усиливают поддержку президенту со стороны многих россиян.
Безусловно, Путин представляет угрозу, и чтобы противодействовать этой угрозе, его надо ослабить и отстранить от власти. Для этого необходимо остановить тот поток поддержки, которую он получает от ключевых сил внутри России, в том числе, от российского народа.
Падения Путина можно добиться за счет противоречий, существующих в его системе правления. Это расчет на коррупцию, на страх людей и представление о том, что он является истинным выражением российского национализма. Путин мастерски пользуется этими элементами, но на самом деле, они находятся в конфликте друг с другом и создают изначальную нестабильность.
Власть Путина базируется на подавлении критики силой и страхом, а также на покупке лояльности его дружков из олигархического клана за счет ресурсов, украденных у российского народа. В действительности Путин никогда не был истинным патриотом России, а его власть основана на паразитировании, на краже богатства и свободы у российского народа.
Постоянное фиксирование фактов этой коррупции и придание им огласки наносит удар в самое сердце путинской власти и влияния, поскольку именно коррупция создает главное противоречие в режиме Путина. Если Путина начнут считать не более чем главой воровской шайки, которая крадет у каждого россиянина, его позиции как российского патриота и легитимного мирового лидера будут ослаблены. Точно так же, публикация информации о приближенных Путина из его коррумпированной системы дискредитирует этих людей; они подвергнутся международным санкциям и правовым действиям за пределами России. И наконец, выявление иностранцев и зарубежных институтов, помогающих коррумпированной путинской олигархии сохранять свою власть, подвергнет их такому же риску и позору, которому подвергается сам Путин. Это еще больше расшатает основы его тирании. Возможно даже, что некоторые люди, предположительно хранящие богатства Путина, осознают, что если он уйдет, эти богатства могут достаться им самим. И вот тогда крысы начнут сами себя пожирать.
В открытом доступе уже имеется немало информации, которую можно использовать против Путина. Во введении к своей изданной в 2014 году книге Putin’s Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia? (Путинская клептократия. Кто владеет Россией?) Карен Давиша (Karen Dawisha) заявляет: «Я прихожу к выводу, что с самого начала Путин и его окружение стремились к созданию авторитарного режима под руководством тесно спаянной клики... которая использовала демократию в качестве ширмы, а не руководства к действию». В своей книге, которая основана на обширных исследованиях, Давиша прослеживает восхождение Путина, который из агента КГБ среднего звена превратился в тирана-президента расширяющейся ныне России. В своем обзоре этой книги, опубликованном в New York Review of Books, Энн Аппельбаум (Anne Applebaum) пишет: «Вместо попыток объяснить неудачи реформаторов и интеллектуалов, пытавшихся осуществить в России радикальные преобразования, нам следует сосредоточить внимание на весьма примечательной истории одной группы нераскаявшихся, целеустремленных и настроенных на реванш сотрудников КГБ.... Они крали деньги, принадлежащие российскому государству, вывозили их в безопасные места за рубеж, затем снова инвестировали их в Россию, и таким образом, шаг за шагом они захватили власть в государстве. А придя к власти, они вернули советские методы политического контроля, поскольку знали только их, и приспособили эти методы к требованиям современной эпохи».
Давиша это лишь одна из многих специалистов в этой области, а сейчас в интернет попадают целые архивы. Один из примеров этого можно найти здесь, в Институте Хадсона (Hudson Institute), где была создана так называемая «Инициатива по клептократии» (Kleptocracy Initiative), которая выявила целую группу сторонних экспертов по путинским преступлениям. Их отдельные доклады очень важны, но если весь этот массив информации опубликует столь авторитетный и влиятельный институт, это может чрезвычайно быстро и мощно ослабить Путина.
Похоже, что администрация Обамы не желает прилагать настойчивые усилия к тому, чтобы уничтожить путинскую власть. Это ошибка, ибо доводы против него можно выдвинуть вполне определенные и однозначные. Любой желающий узнать правду о путинском режиме узнает ее, и единственный вопрос заключается в том, как использовать эту правду, дабы вызвать презрение и осуждение. Когда станет широко известно, насколько низок Путин, он падет. Именно в этой области у США прочные нравственные позиции. Именно в этой сфере мягкую силу Америки можно использовать в очень жестких целях.
У конгресса есть необходимое влияние и полномочия, чтобы опубликовать правду о путинском режиме. При поддержке экспертов со стороны аппарат конгресса легко может собрать находящуюся в открытом доступе информацию и проверить ее достоверность, сличив с секретными сведениями правительства (это разумный шаг, поскольку работа будет вестись против обученного КГБ мастера дезинформации). Такие усилия могут поддержать как республиканцы, так и демократы, а также члены ряда комитетов. Но создавать крупную и громоздкую группу не следует. На самом деле, даже один сенатор или член палаты представителей при помощи компетентного помощника может собирать информацию из открытых источников и публиковать ее несколько раз в год.
Есть две важнейших составляющих в этой антипутинской стратегии, которые обеспечат успех — сосредоточенность и упорство. Надо постоянно и беспощадно отмечать и подчеркивать, что Путин преступник, а не законный лидер России.
Кто-то может пожаловаться, что коррумпированных олигархов в мире немало, и правила нравственной последовательности требуют вести борьбу с ними со всеми. Это чепуха. Путин самый опасный, а возможно, и самый уязвимый среди них. Следовательно, его надо выделить особо. Если одновременно вести огонь по множеству мишеней, воздействие на них будет слабым. Более того, если атака на Путина принесет успех, эту методику можно будет распространить и на других опасных олигархов — в Иране и Китае.
Многие, особенно в рядах элиты, будут жаловаться на то, что это «ненадлежащий» способ проведения внешней политики. Внешнюю политику нельзя проводить методом публичных нападок на легитимность зарубежного руководителя, и в любом случае, внешнюю политику должен проводить президент. Возможно. Но правда о Владимире Путине не ослабляет авторитет президента. На самом деле, в такой «мягкой силе» или асимметричной войне появляются преимущества, если ее возглавляет конгресс. В ней будет меньше элементов личностной борьбы между лидерами, если проводить ее будет ветвь власти, которая ближе всего к американскому народу. Кроме того, в ее основе будут лежать национальные и международные источники, которые гораздо обширнее, чем органы исполнительной власти. Конечно, это нетрадиционная стратегия; это альтернатива старым методам и способам действий, которые всегда в той или иной мере основывались на вооруженном конфликте. Путин в ответ может применить угрозы (и использовать своих американских лоббистов). Если так, это будет означать, что он в серьезной опасности. Но каждую из его угроз надо отметать в сторону либо встречать информацией о новых банковских счетах, новыми подробностями о коррупции в путинском окружении, новыми доказательствами преступлений против российского народа.
Кого-то может обеспокоить то, что если Путин падет, его просто заменят олигархи второго уровня. Но даже в составе единой группировки они вряд ли будут обладать тем опасным сочетанием желаний и возможностей, которое есть у Путина. Один волк опаснее сотни тараканов.
На самом деле, вопрос заключается в следующем: сможет ли отважная часть американского конгресса поставить Путина на колени?
Джон Уолтерс — главный операционный директор Института Хадсона. При президенте Джордже Буше он руководил управлением по борьбе с наркотиками.
Новая российская угроза основана не на коммунистической идеологии. Во главе ее идет один человек — Владимир Путин. Он манипулирует усиливающимся российским национализмом и возглавляет обширную олигархию, которая представляет себя в качестве законного представителя народа. Он крепко держит в руках власть, несмотря на международную критику, на санкции, введенные администрацией Обамы, и на снижение доходов от продажи энергоресурсов. Может ли американский конгресс бросить Путину более эффективный вызов? И как это сделать?
Это серьезная и безотлагательная проблема. 12 февраля Путин позволил (или приказал) российским войскам продолжить наступление на осажденный украинский город Дебальцево, несмотря на соглашение о прекращении огня, вступившее в силу в тот день. 14 февраля российский бомбардировщик направился к воздушному пространству Британии. Он улетел прочь лишь тогда, когда его встретили британские ВВС. А 27 февраля на улице в центре Москвы был хладнокровно застрелен один из самых жестких критиков Путина и лидер российской оппозиции Борис Немцов. Хотя роль Путина в этом убийстве неясна и вряд ли когда-нибудь будет выяснена, обвинений в его адрес звучит немало. Недавно Путин заявил, что был готов использовать российские ядерные силы во время аннексии Крыма. Он пригласил в Кремль северокорейского деспота Ким Чен Ына и разрешил поставить в Иран зенитно-ракетные комплексы С-300.
В феврале комитет палаты лордов по делам Евросоюза с сожалением отметил, что Европа в период кризиса на Украине повела себя «как лунатик». Европа, отметили члены комитета, исходила из ошибочного предположения о том, что Путин стремится стать лидером демократической страны. Британский премьер-министр Дэвид Кэмерон отрицал вину Европы, однако признал, что Западу пора отреагировать. По его словам, «вина целиком и полностью лежит на Владимире Путине и на России. ... Нам сейчас надо подать мощнейший сигнал о том... что произошедшее неприемлемо». Кэмерон прав, но надо задуматься и о том, какие сигналы получает Путин. Похоже, что критика в его адрес и направленные на его ослабление санкции только усиливают поддержку президенту со стороны многих россиян.
Безусловно, Путин представляет угрозу, и чтобы противодействовать этой угрозе, его надо ослабить и отстранить от власти. Для этого необходимо остановить тот поток поддержки, которую он получает от ключевых сил внутри России, в том числе, от российского народа.
Падения Путина можно добиться за счет противоречий, существующих в его системе правления. Это расчет на коррупцию, на страх людей и представление о том, что он является истинным выражением российского национализма. Путин мастерски пользуется этими элементами, но на самом деле, они находятся в конфликте друг с другом и создают изначальную нестабильность.
Власть Путина базируется на подавлении критики силой и страхом, а также на покупке лояльности его дружков из олигархического клана за счет ресурсов, украденных у российского народа. В действительности Путин никогда не был истинным патриотом России, а его власть основана на паразитировании, на краже богатства и свободы у российского народа.
Постоянное фиксирование фактов этой коррупции и придание им огласки наносит удар в самое сердце путинской власти и влияния, поскольку именно коррупция создает главное противоречие в режиме Путина. Если Путина начнут считать не более чем главой воровской шайки, которая крадет у каждого россиянина, его позиции как российского патриота и легитимного мирового лидера будут ослаблены. Точно так же, публикация информации о приближенных Путина из его коррумпированной системы дискредитирует этих людей; они подвергнутся международным санкциям и правовым действиям за пределами России. И наконец, выявление иностранцев и зарубежных институтов, помогающих коррумпированной путинской олигархии сохранять свою власть, подвергнет их такому же риску и позору, которому подвергается сам Путин. Это еще больше расшатает основы его тирании. Возможно даже, что некоторые люди, предположительно хранящие богатства Путина, осознают, что если он уйдет, эти богатства могут достаться им самим. И вот тогда крысы начнут сами себя пожирать.
В открытом доступе уже имеется немало информации, которую можно использовать против Путина. Во введении к своей изданной в 2014 году книге Putin’s Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia? (Путинская клептократия. Кто владеет Россией?) Карен Давиша (Karen Dawisha) заявляет: «Я прихожу к выводу, что с самого начала Путин и его окружение стремились к созданию авторитарного режима под руководством тесно спаянной клики... которая использовала демократию в качестве ширмы, а не руководства к действию». В своей книге, которая основана на обширных исследованиях, Давиша прослеживает восхождение Путина, который из агента КГБ среднего звена превратился в тирана-президента расширяющейся ныне России. В своем обзоре этой книги, опубликованном в New York Review of Books, Энн Аппельбаум (Anne Applebaum) пишет: «Вместо попыток объяснить неудачи реформаторов и интеллектуалов, пытавшихся осуществить в России радикальные преобразования, нам следует сосредоточить внимание на весьма примечательной истории одной группы нераскаявшихся, целеустремленных и настроенных на реванш сотрудников КГБ.... Они крали деньги, принадлежащие российскому государству, вывозили их в безопасные места за рубеж, затем снова инвестировали их в Россию, и таким образом, шаг за шагом они захватили власть в государстве. А придя к власти, они вернули советские методы политического контроля, поскольку знали только их, и приспособили эти методы к требованиям современной эпохи».
Давиша это лишь одна из многих специалистов в этой области, а сейчас в интернет попадают целые архивы. Один из примеров этого можно найти здесь, в Институте Хадсона (Hudson Institute), где была создана так называемая «Инициатива по клептократии» (Kleptocracy Initiative), которая выявила целую группу сторонних экспертов по путинским преступлениям. Их отдельные доклады очень важны, но если весь этот массив информации опубликует столь авторитетный и влиятельный институт, это может чрезвычайно быстро и мощно ослабить Путина.
Похоже, что администрация Обамы не желает прилагать настойчивые усилия к тому, чтобы уничтожить путинскую власть. Это ошибка, ибо доводы против него можно выдвинуть вполне определенные и однозначные. Любой желающий узнать правду о путинском режиме узнает ее, и единственный вопрос заключается в том, как использовать эту правду, дабы вызвать презрение и осуждение. Когда станет широко известно, насколько низок Путин, он падет. Именно в этой области у США прочные нравственные позиции. Именно в этой сфере мягкую силу Америки можно использовать в очень жестких целях.
У конгресса есть необходимое влияние и полномочия, чтобы опубликовать правду о путинском режиме. При поддержке экспертов со стороны аппарат конгресса легко может собрать находящуюся в открытом доступе информацию и проверить ее достоверность, сличив с секретными сведениями правительства (это разумный шаг, поскольку работа будет вестись против обученного КГБ мастера дезинформации). Такие усилия могут поддержать как республиканцы, так и демократы, а также члены ряда комитетов. Но создавать крупную и громоздкую группу не следует. На самом деле, даже один сенатор или член палаты представителей при помощи компетентного помощника может собирать информацию из открытых источников и публиковать ее несколько раз в год.
Есть две важнейших составляющих в этой антипутинской стратегии, которые обеспечат успех — сосредоточенность и упорство. Надо постоянно и беспощадно отмечать и подчеркивать, что Путин преступник, а не законный лидер России.
Кто-то может пожаловаться, что коррумпированных олигархов в мире немало, и правила нравственной последовательности требуют вести борьбу с ними со всеми. Это чепуха. Путин самый опасный, а возможно, и самый уязвимый среди них. Следовательно, его надо выделить особо. Если одновременно вести огонь по множеству мишеней, воздействие на них будет слабым. Более того, если атака на Путина принесет успех, эту методику можно будет распространить и на других опасных олигархов — в Иране и Китае.
Многие, особенно в рядах элиты, будут жаловаться на то, что это «ненадлежащий» способ проведения внешней политики. Внешнюю политику нельзя проводить методом публичных нападок на легитимность зарубежного руководителя, и в любом случае, внешнюю политику должен проводить президент. Возможно. Но правда о Владимире Путине не ослабляет авторитет президента. На самом деле, в такой «мягкой силе» или асимметричной войне появляются преимущества, если ее возглавляет конгресс. В ней будет меньше элементов личностной борьбы между лидерами, если проводить ее будет ветвь власти, которая ближе всего к американскому народу. Кроме того, в ее основе будут лежать национальные и международные источники, которые гораздо обширнее, чем органы исполнительной власти. Конечно, это нетрадиционная стратегия; это альтернатива старым методам и способам действий, которые всегда в той или иной мере основывались на вооруженном конфликте. Путин в ответ может применить угрозы (и использовать своих американских лоббистов). Если так, это будет означать, что он в серьезной опасности. Но каждую из его угроз надо отметать в сторону либо встречать информацией о новых банковских счетах, новыми подробностями о коррупции в путинском окружении, новыми доказательствами преступлений против российского народа.
Кого-то может обеспокоить то, что если Путин падет, его просто заменят олигархи второго уровня. Но даже в составе единой группировки они вряд ли будут обладать тем опасным сочетанием желаний и возможностей, которое есть у Путина. Один волк опаснее сотни тараканов.
На самом деле, вопрос заключается в следующем: сможет ли отважная часть американского конгресса поставить Путина на колени?
Джон Уолтерс — главный операционный директор Института Хадсона. При президенте Джордже Буше он руководил управлением по борьбе с наркотиками.
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 inoСМИ.Ru |
Грязное белье Путина напоказ
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Dr Robert Henderson, a Russian history expert at Queen Mary University London, uncovered a photograph of Apollinariya Yakubova – a Russian revolutionary who fled to King’s Cross in London at the turn of the 20th century.
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EMP Device Used to Disable Possible Explosives Following Garland Attack by The European Union Times
Reporters told to disable electronics by police before “electronic pulses”.
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According to NBC 5’s Kevin Cokely, an explosion sound was heard from the suspects’ vehicle shortly after the police bomb squad told media personnel to disable all electronics.
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 New York Times |
Gunman in Texas Shooting Was FBI Suspect in Jihad Inquiry
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Front National co-founder tells daughter to marry and change her name after being suspended from party over comments belittling the Holocaust
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ISIS claims responsibility for the attack outside the Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest in Garland, Texas -- and warns of more attacks to come. | WHO WERE GUNMEN?
It was only a matter of time before this would happen in the United States.
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Hillary Clinton to Lay Out Immigration Reform Planby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
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Former UK PM says relationship with Ehud Olmert, convicted of receiving $600,000 from a US businessman, was ‘based on friendship and trust’
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Dave Goldberg fell while exercising on holiday in Mexico on Friday, a local official has revealed
SurveyMonkey chief executive David Goldberg died from a head injury sustained after falling off a treadmill at a private resort in Mexico on Friday, according to a spokesman for the local prosecutor’s office.
The 47-year-old, who became head of the online survey company in 2009, was found on the floor of the gym in the Four Seasons resort in Punta Mita by his brother, Robert, approximately three hours after he was thought to have left his room.
Continue reading...Russian dissident Vladimir Bukovsky misses court hearing due to illness by Owen Bowcott Legal affairs correspondent
Bukovsky, 72, who fled to UK from Soviet Union in 1976, is charged with 11 counts of possessing indecent and prohibited images of children
The veteran Russian dissident Vladimir Bukovsky has failed to appear in court over charges of possessing indecent images of children.
Magistrates were told that Bukovsky, 72, had been flown to Germany after reportedly suffering renal failure for medical treatment at a private hospital.
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On the dangerous comfort of thinking that Putin's Russia isn't as bad as Stalin's.
Report: Coca Production in Colombia Jumped 39 Percent in 2014 by webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Cultivation of the leaf used to make cocaine skyrocketed last year in Colombia, according to a new White House report that's likely to pressure authorities in the South American country to preserve a threatened U.S. aerial eradication program at the heart of the drug war. After six straight years of declining or steady production, the amount of land under coca cultivation in Colombia jumped 39 percent in 2014 to 112,000 hectares (about 276,000 acres), according to the Office of...
Seeing how growth unfolds, and folds, in a simple organism.
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After almost a century historians have unearthed a picture of Apollinariya Yakubova, the Russian firebrand with brown eyes considered widely to be the Communist leader Vladimir Lenin's true love.
 New York Daily News |
Florida couple convicted of having sex on beach in front of horrified families
New York Daily News A Florida couple accused of having sex on a beach in front of children was convicted Monday after a jury saw raunchy video evidence of the two getting it on in broad daylight. Elissa Alvarez, 20, and her partner Jose Caballero, 40, face up to 15 years in prison ... Florida couple who had sex on beach must register as sex offendersFox News Florida couple convicted of having sex on beachSacramento Bee Florida man faces 15 years for sex on the beachIrish Independent Sun Sentinel -Miami Herald all 167 news articles » |
 CNN |
ISIS claims responsibility for Texas shooting but offers no proof
CNN (CNN) ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack outside a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest in Texas -- and warned of more attacks to come. In a broadcast on its official radio channel Tuesday, the group said two Al Khilafa soldiers opened fire outside ... ISIS claims responsibility for Texas attackCBS News Families of Texas gunmen condemn attackUSA TODAY Isis claims responsibility for Texas art exhibit attackFinancial Times Fox News Latino all 412 news articles » |
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Kyrgyz Migrant To Sue Moscow Police Over Raidby noreply@rferl.org (Lazat Takyrbashova)
In an unusual case, a Kyrgyz migrant laborer is preparing legal action against the Russian police officers who raided her apartment.
A measure would give the intelligence services the right to gather potentially unlimited electronic data from Internet communications, and to tap cellphones and capture text messages.
Labour leader pitches himself as a thoroughly modern candidate who believes in power of politics
JERUSALEM (AP) -- The world's oldest complete copy of the Ten Commandments is going on rare display at Israel's leading museum in an exhibit tracing civilization's most pivotal moments....
 New York Times |
40 Migrants Feared Dead in Latest Sinking in Mediterranean
New York Times ROME — A rubber boat crowded with migrants deflated and foundered in the Mediterranean, and as many as 40 people apparently drowned before an approaching merchant ship could get to them, witnesses told the humanitarian group Save the Children on ... and more » |
After years of war, many Afghan soldiers and policemen were grievously injured. But the pensions and health care they receive are often insufficient.
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German police find 380kg of "high quality" cocaine worth some 15 million euros hidden in a banana shipment, Berlin's largest ever drugs find. . Report by Jennifer Cordingley.
The renewed vote of confidence in the Georgian cabinet necessitated by the resignation of three ministers last month has underscored yet again the tensions and disagreements within the ruling Georgian Dream coalition.
France passes new surveillance law in wake of Charlie Hebdo attack by Angelique Chrisafis in Paris and agencies
Controversial new bill that allows intelligence agencies to tap phones and emails without judicial permission sparks protests from civil liberties groups
The French parliament has overwhelmingly approved sweeping new surveillance powers in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris in January that killed 17 people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery in Paris.
The new bill, which allows intelligence agencies to tap phones and emails without seeking permission from a judge, sparked protests from rights groups who claimed it would legalise highly intrusive surveillance methods without guarantees for individual freedom and privacy.
Continue reading...Russian 'Assault' Video Grabs National Headline, Shines Light On Police Response by noreply@rferl.org (RFE/RL)
The manager of a well-known Russian poet says she was assaulted by two men as she walked past a rehearsal for the May 9 Victory Day celebrations in central Moscow in an incident that has grabbed national headlines due to the guarded response by police to the alleged attackers.
 New York Times |
Lawmakers in France Move to Vastly Expand Surveillance
New York Times PARIS — The lower house of the French Parliament overwhelmingly approved a sweeping intelligence bill that, if it passes in the upper house, would give the government broad surveillance powers with little judicial oversight. The measure, which must still ... France passes new surveillance law in wake of Charlie Hebdo attackThe Guardian Lawmakers approve controversial surveillance bill in FranceWashington Post French lawmakers back easy-spying bill in counterterror moveReuters Canada The Verge all 102 news articles » |
 NBCNews.com |
Garland Shooting Suspect Simpson Was on FBI Terror Radar
NBCNews.com One was a "peaceful" Muslim convert who lied to FBI agents during a terror probe while the other was described as a swoon-inducing school "heartthrob" and devoted dad "raised in a normal American fashion." The roommates from Phoenix — Elton Simpson ... The British jihadi fighting for ISIS in Syria who 'groomed' Texas Muhammed ...Daily Mail Texas Shooting Suspect Elton Simpson's Private Messages: 'The Noose Is ...ABC News Garland Officer "Saved Lives" at Prophet Muhammad Art Contest, Police SayNBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth all 1,049 news articles » |
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Iran bans 'homosexual' and 'devil worshipping' hairstylesby Saeed Kamali Dehghan
As the desire to make fashion statements spikes each summer, authorities step up their crackdown on ‘un-Islamic’ haircuts and body modifications
“Homosexual” and “devil worshipping” hairstyles have been banned in Iran, alongside tattoos, sunbed treatments and plucked eyebrows for men, which are all deemed un-Islamic.
The move – aimed at spiky cuts – follows a trend where, each summer, Iranian authorities Iranian authorities get tough on men and women sporting clothing or hairdos seen as imitations of western lifestyles.
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Finance minister warns Riyadh of need to ‘rationalise’ spending
PARIS (Reuters) - French lawmakers approved a bill on Tuesday to let intelligence services deploy fly-on-the-wall spying devices more easily against suspected terrorists after Islamist militant attacks killed 17 people in January.
 Fox News |
New York jury unable to reach verdict in Etan Patz murder case
Fox News DEVELOPING: The New York jury in the Etan Patz murder trial said Tuesday that it is unable to reach a verdict on the 15th day of deliberations, Reuters reported. "I'd like you to keep deliberating," Justice Maxwell Miley said. "I am not asking any of you to ... Jury in Etan Patz case deadlocked again, but told to keep tryingLos Angeles Times Jury in Etan Patz Trial Again Says It Cannot Reach a VerdictNew York Times Judge Tells Deadlocked Jury in Etan Patz Case to Keep GoingABC News Yahoo News all 143 news articles » |
 NBCNews.com |
France's National Front Founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Disowns Daughter
NBCNews.com PARIS — National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen disowned his daughter and the party leader, Marine, on Tuesday after she suspended him from the far-right French movement, saying he hoped she would lose the 2017 presidential election. The party's ... Family feud rocks top of France's far-right National FrontWashington Post National Front patriarch Le Pen urges daughter to change nameDeutsche Welle all 307 news articles » |
Saudi Arabia's King Salman told Gulf monarchs they must stand up to Iran, as he hosted a regional meeting also attended by French President Francois Hollande.
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Russia is preparing to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, known since the Soviet era as “The Great Patriotic War,” with a massive parade on May 9th of military hardware and millions of medals handed out to veterans or their relatives. But critics say the Soviet-style display of power and nationalism overshadows tragic scars during and after the war that still influence politics and foreign policy, especially in the current Ukraine crisis. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports from Moscow.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2750031.html
The Tories have fanned jingoism for short-term political aims, yet it is most lethal to Englishness itself
Spare a moment for the union, buried by its own defenders. The Conservatives have opted to fan English nationalism and resentment, both to peel off voters in key English marginals and todelegitimise any future Labour government backed by the SNP. Such nationalist resentment cannot be stoked and then neatly placed back into a box when it has outlived its use, discarded until deemed useful when another political crisis arises. English nationalism is set to become a mighty force over the next five years, whoever governs, and it may well help to consume an already disintegrating union.
As a plastic northerner, I feel London is a world removed from the Stockport of my childhood
A new populism should unite English, Welsh and Scots alike against a self-interested rapacious elite
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CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova will step up an investigation into the disappearance of more than $1 billion from three banks, the head of the central bank told Reuters on Tuesday, after around 10,000 people protested over the scandal at the weekend.
As your humble blogger has argued before, one of the under-appreciated stories of 2016 is that likely Dem nominee Hillary Clinton has already embraced much of President Obama’s agenda. With the GOP candidates all pledging, to varying degrees, to roll back whatever parts of that agenda are realized, and opposing elements of it that still hang in the balance, many basic contrasts for 2016 are in place.
Today Clinton will deepen that contrast on an issue that has potentially far-reaching demographic implications for the 2016 battle: Immigration. In remarks today at an event with DREAMers and immigration activists, Clinton will say:
Undocumented immigrants must have a chance for full citizenship under overhaul of the immigration system, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton will demand Tuesday.“The standard for a true solution is nothing less than a full and equal path to citizenship,” Clinton’s campaign said in a preview of remarks she is expected to give during a visit to a largely Hispanic high school here.“She will say that we cannot settle for proposals that provide hard-working people with merely a second-class status,” the campaign said.
A number of observers are pointing out that this aligns Clinton with the “left” side of the Democratic Party. This is not really right. In fact, the Democratic Party is more unified in favor of immigration reform than it has ever been, due in part to the increasing importance of Latinos to the party, and in keeping with the party’s broader shift on the priorities that matter to the emerging coalition that has driven Dem victories in recent national elections — nonwhites, millennials, and socially liberal college educated whites.
Clinton’s speech today suggests she sees holding that coalition as crucial, as does her recent rhetoric on police reform, on gay rights, and on climate change, perhaps at the expense of the culturally conservative blue collar whites who used to matter more to Dem electoral chances.
Clinton’s speech will be short on specifics. But it seems likely Clinton will ultimately embrace a framework similar to the one in the Senate bill, which trades massive investments in border security for a path to citizenship, the trade-off (security for legalization) most likely to produce actual bipartisan reform.
On this score, keep an eye on how the GOP candidates — particularly Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio — react to Clinton’s speech. Bush has genuinely challenged his own party by preposterously claimingthe moral plight of undocumented immigrants is complex and that they may have something positive to contribute to American society. And he’s supported legalization. But at the same time, he’sgravitated towards what might be called a “safe zone” for GOP candidates on immigration: Insisting the border must be secured first (without explaining by what metric) before any kind of legalization can happen.
Meanwhile, Rubio — the GOP’s Great Latino Hope — helped champion the Senate bill, but he’ssince retreated to that same safe zone. And Scott Walker has retreated even further, to a place where he’s flirting with limits on legal immigration.
The likes of Bush and Rubio will likely respond to Clinton’s speech by reiterating vague support for legalization but on the condition the border is secured first. In the long run, it seems obvious both Bush and Rubio have a very credible shot at doing better than Mitt Romney did among Latinos. But for now, Clinton’s citizenship gauntlet could help deepen the contrast between the parties in ways that favor Democrats. And here’s something else that could really help on that score: Clinton will probably express support for Obama’s executive actions shielding millions from deportations — which the eventual GOP presidential nominee will almost certainly have pledged to roll back.
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* OBAMA APPROVAL EDGES UP: A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that Obama’s approval rating has edged a bit into positive territory for the first time in nearly two years: It’s now at 48-47. The polling averages still show Obama in negative territory, though even there his approval rose throughout late 2014 (and appears to be leveling off now).
The NBC poll also finds Obama’s approval on the economy at 48-47 — consistent with various indicators of rising economic optimism.
* HILLARY’S IMAGE TAKES A HIT: The new NBC/WSJ poll also finds that Clinton’s unfavorable rating is up six points since March: She’s moved from 44-36 then to 42-42 now. But she’s still leading all her would-be GOP challengers:
Clinton leads Bush, the former Florida governor, by six points (49 percent to 43 percent); Rubio, the Florida senator, by another six points (49 percent to 43 percent); and Walker, the Wisconsin governor by 10 (50 percent to 40 percent).
As always, early polls mean very little, but we’ll be posting them here (because you should at least know they exist), counting on readers to exercise appropriate caution.
* BROAD SUPPORT FOR IRAN DEAL: The NBC/WSJ poll also asks about ongoing discussions over a possible deal curbing Iran’s nuclear program:
Some people say that it is important to have an agreement in place to allow international inspectors into Iran to make sure it is not producing nuclear weapons since the alternative would be to end those discussions. Other people say that, given Iran’s actions in the past, the emerging agreement is too risky. They say we are better off holding the line on economic sanctions against Iran as a way to deter its nuclear program.Important to have an agreement: 54Too risky: 37
This is consistent with previous polling that has suggested Americans are skeptical such an agreement will work, but want to give it a try, anyway.
* DO-OR-DIE FOR IRAN BILL IN SENATE: The Hill reports that the Corker-Cardin bill to provide a Congressional vote on an eventual Iran deal is facing a “do or die” moment: It is at real risk of perishing, as Mitch McConnell decides whether to allow votes on amendments from Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton that would “toughen up” the terms of any deal. If such an amendment passes it will probably kill the bill.
The bottom line is that, if McConnell wants Congress to vote on the deal under the framework that both parties have agreed upon, he’ll probably have to move the bill forward, angering conservatives.
* HARRY REID TALKS TOUGH ON TRADE, NSA SURVEILLANCE: The Dem Senate leader tells The Huffington Post that he will not agree to allow a vote on “fast track” authority for Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal until the Senate votes on an infrastructure bill and on a bill to reign in NSA bulk surveillance.
As I’ve noted, the bill to curb surveillance — the U.S.A. Freedom Act — stands a chance of becoming law. But it will require Mitch McConnell — who wants to extend bulk surveillance until 2020 — to accept defeat. So it’s good to see Reid insisting that the Freedom Act get a vote.
* REPUBLICANS DEMAGOGUE TRADE DEAL — FROM THE RIGHT: Politico reports on a new one making the rounds, courtesy of the good Senator Jeff Sessions: The Trans-Pacific Partnership could unleash a flood of immigration, the suggestion being that this could take jobs from Americans.
Pro-TPP Republicans are furiously trying to stamp out the claim. This is interesting, because it gets at the question of whether conservatives in the House will defect from backing “fast track” authority for the trade deal, which — with enough Dem defections on the left — could sink it in the Lower Chamber.
* OBAMA ‘FINDS HIS VOICE ON RACE': Peter Baker has an interesting piece arguing that the president is beginning to assert himself a bit more boldly on race in the wake of the Baltimore riots and other events drawing national attention. Note these remarks from Obama:
“I grew up without a dad. I grew up lost sometimes and adrift, not having a sense of a clear path. The only difference between me and a lot of other young men in this neighborhood and all across the country is that I grew up in an environment that was a little more forgiving.”
So, yes, apparently Obama is willing to discuss the absence of fathers — including his own.
Greg Sargent writes The Plum Line blog, a reported opinion blog with a liberal slant -- what you might call “opinionated reporting” from the left.
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