What Can We Gain From Russia, Anyway?

In the 1980's, Reagan actually toyed with the Russians in talks at Geneva and Reykjavik. The Kremlin at the time badly needed a deal to save the entire communist economic system -Gorbachev's #1 objective- and this had to include the cancellation of the US missile defense program, a technology the Soviets lacked the resources to compete with.

But Reagan knew it, and wasn't really interested in helping them save their dictatorship, nor in giving up his SDI plans- the aim was nothing less than freedom and democracy for Russia and all of eastern Europe, not just Glastnost and Perestoika. So The Gipper waited until 1987 -a full two years after his first Swiss summit with Gorbachev- before signing the INF treaty.

Today we have Barack Obama -who's in need of a foreign-policy victory- openly pandering for a missile deal as the START treaty expires... it's hard to imagine him bringing home anything of value from Russia now. Sadly for us, it appears that Obama's poker skills are in the same league with his bowling and girly-style baseball throw. And Russia recieved much of what it wants before Obama even landed, so how would anybody expect Barack to gain any advantage? Meanwhile, the Kremlin has failed even to comply with the terms of the truce signed with Georgia last year- continuing to do pretty much as it pleases.

At this summit in Moscow, Obama is to announce the restoration of bilateral military relations with Russia, as well as of the NATO-Russian Council. And to please the Kremlin, Obama has now put on hold plans for the deployment of American missile defenses on Polish and Czech soil. In a letter to Medvedev earlier this year, Mr. Obama floated the idea of cancelling those deals entirely if Russia can prod Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. The Russian's response was dismiss this out of hand, but they now know the installations are negotiable.

When a superpower like the United States faces the world with an insecure foreign-policy posture, you can really get taken to the cleaners in trying to convince certain people to like you. The Kremlin leaders Obama is rushing-into-the-arms-of now are in reality zero-sum, mostly ex-KGB thugs who are out to settle a few scores with the west; this crew can smell weakness, and will be taking advantage of any on the US side to the fullest. Wouldn't it be fascinating to read the Russian intelligence files on Barack and Hill's personality flaws... and how best to exploit them?

And as to set the tone, as Obama landed in Moscow thousands of Russian troops were involved in the biggest war games in the south Caucasus since the end of the Cold War... menacing the small, independent nation of Georgia yet again. President Saakashvili remains a thorn-in-the side survivor, resistant to Russian hegemony in what the Kremlin sees as its near abroad. A pro-Kremlin regime in Georgia would give Moscow the control it desires over energy routes through the Caucasus... and influence over independent-minded Azerbaijan and Armenia, too. But as Barack smiles and glad-hands Kremlin leaders, it's like the brutal war in Georgia never happened. The Russians have paid no real price whatsoever for their expansionist adventure there- and therefore would do the same thing again in a minute.

It's hard to imagine just what Barack Obama expects to gain for America by rushing over to Moscow like this- as with Iran, he's allying the US with unsavory, anti-democratic regimes for little benefit, while abandoning those who aspire to traditional American ideals of free elections, free press, free enterprise, and rule of law in Russia and the CIS.

And he might be betting on the wrong horse yet again- the evolving reality in Russia today is that Vladimir Putin is on the political ropes-

As reported in American Thinker:

A few weeks ago, a massive protest by unpaid aluminum industry workers in the town of Pikalyovo, outside of St. Petersburg, snarled traffic for more than a hundred miles on a major interstate roadway. Putin was forced to make an emergency visit to the town and put up significant government funds to assure payment of wages.

Nearly a quarter of Russia's population lives in "monotowns" like Pikalyovo, which depend entirely on a single industry for subsistence. Russia can't afford this kind of largesse everywhere, and economists were openly worrying whether the gesture in Pikalyovo could place the country on the road to ruin.

Putin's assumed plans of cruising right back into the presidency in a couple years are suddenly looking shaky; the collapse of the Russian stock market and the ruble have dented support, and it's not possible to blame it all on Medvedev- everyone knows where the real power lies. Like Gorbachev, Putin needs an arms deal to save his economic model -a brand of dictatorial crony capitalism- so Barack Obama would be well-advised to not let him have it.

The new missile deals Obama has made a priority seem to be of little value to US interests- few expect Russia to ever seriously face off with the US or NATO, let-alone with nuclear weapons. But any substantial nuclear arms deal with Moscow certainly frees them up to focus on far more useful endeavors, such as modernized conventional forces that could wipe the floor with Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, or Poland. More special forces and US-type weapons, communications, transport, and training is something Putin could actually put to good use... unlike 2000 ICBMs sitting in silohs.

Russia has little to offer the United States in any negotiations- and they have almost no influence on America's foreign policy. It would be difficult for the US to purchase gas without the necessary LNG infrastructure in place. Russia's state-dominated oil industry is a chronic underacheiver, and government property grabs discourage western oil tech firms from providing the needed development. Add to that the Kremlin's use of energy as a diplomatic truncheon and oil deals simply look better elsewhere. Moscow's industrial backwardness and continuing Wild East legal environment brought them a pitiful $36B in trade with the United States last year- much of that likely Stolichnaya, not notoriously shoddy Russian manufactured goods.

However, there are few things we would value coming from Russia- like maybe a halt to their calculated and opportunistic attacks upon US power and influence, i.e.- bad mouthing the dollar/calling for a world currency, selling high-tech weapons and nuclear know-how to our enemies/terrorist sponsors such Tehran, Damascus, Caracas, and Pyongyang, as well as nabbing that US/Kyrgizstan air base from right under Obama's nose... just to make a point. But it's difficult to address these issues when Obama appears to not be interested in any such unpleasantries while chatting with Vlad and Dmitri.

The prototypical narcissist Obama is primarily after power and fame- and at any cost. In practice this means looking for a headline weapons-control deal that props-up his man of peace schtick while allowing him to eliminate F-22 production, cancel needed missile defense programs, and perhaps even cut military aid for traditional American allies, and all in order to fund his expensive domestic programs and entrench the Democratic party politically.

Obama long-ago bet his whole foreign policy platform on appeasement and legitimizing dubious regimes, and has nowhere else to run... it's hard for him to now support America's traditional freedom agenda when he's already on the record abandoning it. Thus his kid-gloves treatment re. issues like Russia's bullying of Georgia and Obama's shameful acquiescence to the brutality deployed in Tehran last month.

We have a president who's more focused on his personal and far-left domestic political agendas than on what's in the long-term, common-sense strategic interest of the United States- at best, a warped world view. Today's Russia is nothing to be afraid of, either- really just a Saudi Arabia with trees. Russia is a deeply dysfunctional society who's industry, political culture, and rule-of-law all remain seriously underdeveloped. They've got oil, though- and pride themselves in punching-above-their-weight. What our president doesn't seem to realize is that the Russians are -as is so often their practice- bluffing... as they are dealing from a position of comprehensive weakness.

But the cynical Kremlin surely doesn't take Obama seriously at all, instead they purely see an opportunity for comprehensive strategic and diplomatic gains at America's and NATO's expense. The reality is that Russia has nothing to offer the US- so as Barack heads over there to flatter them and give away our strategic advantage, perhaps we should ask for what?

And the worst is yet to come. In 1978 Jimmy Carter met with Soviet Premier Brezhnev, extending his hand in friendship much as Obama is doing in Russia today. After seeing what kind of a zero they were dealing with firsthand, the Soviet Union promptly invaded Afghanistan- in direct violation of promises made to Carter in Moscow six months earlier.

It is hard to imagine today's Kremlin being cowed or intimidated after meeting with a smiley plastic mannequin like Obama, putting his arm around them and schmoozing all the time- they know he's not going to do anything.

Next year it's Yes We Can invade Ukraine... and what are you going to do about it?

UPDATE: Obama reaches all-time low of -3% differential rating in Rasmussen's latest -here-

Sunday Funnies

Palin Not Seeking 2nd Term as Governor

A spokesman has confirmed that Sarah Palin will be resigning as Governor of Alaska on July 26th... a mere three weeks from now.

We all know what that probably means- and of course hope there is no family issue or other problem that is forcing her hand. But just politically, Palin's brave to do it- and also perhaps wise: if she's committed in her mind to running for president, this move is perhaps better made ASAP, as it removes a number of angles-of-attack upon her by the Alinskyite left.

Palin would have been under quite a bit of addtional scrutiny as a lame-duck governor with distractful national ambitions if she served out the rest of her term, no doubt... and the attacks from the left in the press and with 35 frivilous lawsuits did what they were designed to do, keep her from being able to be governor, mother, wife, defendant, and presidential candidate all at the same time. But sadly for liberals, she appears to have prioritized family and running for president against Barack Obama in 2012. However, there will be some explaining to do as to why she is not completing her current term- is there some other compelling reason?

But with the antidote to Obamamania now waiting in the wings, this move puts yet more pressure on Obama to finally get some results, as the soaring rhetoric isn't hypnotizing the plebes like it used to. This week Helen Thomas, Colin Powell, and Warren Buffet all turned on him. And polls are looking droopy for The One lately. The Democrats' porkulus program is a train wreck, all it's done is bump interest rates and tank the dollar... while unemployment soars. We are being laughed-at by those who would like to nuke us, like Tehran, Pyongyang, and Al Qaida- all of whom amazingly turned-down Barack's pitiful friend-requests.

At least there will be no more lawsuits about her weekend snowmobile outfits filed by DNC operatives and questions regarding her increasing extra-gubernatorial obligations. With Palin free to finish her book, strategize, raise money, and campaign for three years... she will be in a far stronger position to deal with those on the left who are out to get her.

A number of bloggers and journalists on both the left and right are speculating that she's been hounded out of politics by the MSM/left, never to return- but frankly, I don't see it. She has too much spark, determination, and sense of purpose to bail-out now. As a matter of fact, in my observations I feel Sarah Palin had mostly defeated her attackers, and was just hitting her stride... this is almost certainly a stepping stone on the way to the nomination. It's a gamble, but in my mind she's more in the game then ever now... we shall all know soon enough.

Now if we can only get that big, fat DNC blogger chick up in Alaska to finally get off Sarah's case...

UPDATE 5:00 PM EST: On Twitter, Palin promised supporters more details: "We'll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election ... this is in Alaska's best interest, my family's happy ... it is good. Stay tuned"

5:45 PM EST: Bill Kristol sees shrewd move on the part of the Alaskan Governor-

6:15 PM EST: Alaska Lt. Governor Parnell's statement here...

__________________________

Go get em, Sarah- and don’t mind the press, nobody will be listening to them anymore after the pending Obamamania implosion- It will soon be time for the Gipper-in-Heels to bring them free enterprise, low taxes, common sense, and a defense posture with some backbone in 2012.

Doors are opening for you now-

Sunday July 5th: Rumors in the left fringes of the blogosphere regarding Palin being under some sort of FBI investigation -thus explaining her sudden resignation- have proven false, as Dan Riehl tells us, the FBI denied they had any case working. Sounds like more psy-op shenanigans from David Plouffe's internet trolls to me.

That About Sums it Up

Great interview of Mark Levin on Hannity last night, if you missed it.

Mr Levin is now real hot property in the told-ya-so industry that's evolving in the vacuum of Obamamania's retreat, with his book Liberty and Tyranny topping the NY Times Best-Seller List at #1 for 12 of-the-last 13 weeks now... and already 1 million copies in-print:



Some select gems from Mr Levin at his undisclosed secret bunker:

"The president's policies are Bernie Madoff x1000; he's taking a wrecking-ball to this society..."

"This president has some very bizarre and alien viewpoints..."

"You know, I don't know what the limits on the power of the presidency are anymore"

"He doesn't have the Constitutional authority to be doing all these things"

"Saul Alinsky said: You have to sound like you're for the middle-class, you've got to look like you're from the middle-class... and then you destroy the middle-class."

"Here's the little secret: conservativism is on the ascendancy..."

"... he (Obama) stands for all the wrong things- and I think the American people are picking up on it..."

Alinsky Left in Full-Court Press

With Barack Obama's poll numbers starting to look just a wee-bit shakey, and embarrassing TEA Party II protests about to put to bed the nonsensical Everyone-Just-Loves-Barack myth, it's not by chance that now we see fresh attempts at baiting fake conflicts on the right... in-order to divert attention from the president's habitual dishonesty, hubris, disregard for the law/constitution/ethics, and general all-round incompetence, while keeping the GOP back-on-their-heels for 2010 and beyond.

And the most obvious conclusion that can be drawn from their words and actions is that the Democratic Party is terrified of Sarah Palin- pure and simple.

Nobody in the GOP could care less what Colin Powell says... nor Meghan McCain, anonymous sources/"leaks" in Rolling Stone or Vanity Fair, blather from MSNBC's Obot-drones, repulsive "humor" from David Letterman, et al. But the left is attempting to create the appearance of ceaseless chaos and disunity within the Republican party- there's little doubt about that.

Various naive or disingenuous RINOs and other mysterious "sources" -with their puerile he said/she said statements- aren't news, and not relevant in any way. Obama and the MSM/left are simply exploiting them to create their own politically-useful stories and manufactured GOP "scandals".

The left have been employing despicable Alinsky-inspired divide-and-conquer and character assassination techniques since before The One was even sworn-in… promoting synthetic “fights” like Limbaugh vs. Steele, in-addition to ceaseless ridicule of Jindal, Palin, and others- even shameful distortion of the legacy of Ronald Reagan. The strategy's larger purpose is to eliminate GOP rallying points and philosophical framework for 2010/12... while making the Republicans look like they're mired in petty, peripheral issues.

Now we again have yet another crude attack on Sarah Palin, factually inaccurate and mostly unsubstantiated by Vanity Fair so as to stir-the-pot, so then the press can descend upon various Republicans to try and quote them in contradiction to one another... same underhanded game for months now.

Typical in support of this effort is calculating articles like here on Politico- telling us all how "high profile" Republicans are allegedly fighting like cats-n-dogs regarding the recent Vanity Fair article on Sarah Palin. But Steve Schmidt is far from relevant- as a matter of fact after bungling the McCain campaign, his career has got to be over. But for some reason, the left hangs on his every word... how about that. Rather, I'd take Kristol's version of events- if you have any interest in the truth here.

As for Meghan McCain's latest sage advice that Republicans forgive disgraced, irresponsible, and selfish Governor Mark Sanford... well, it's just about time that her daddy finally told her to shut up. I've never met one person in my life who gives two hoots what this girl has to say- why should they?

The fact is that this poor thing is so hungry for her 15 mins of fame... but sadly is too dumb to see she's only being put on TV as a tool of the Alinskyite left, and with no greater moral or intellectual authority than, say, a Levi Johnston. But now that she's had a taste, she can't handle going back to hang-out at the mall in obscurity... and man, are they making a fool out of her. You'd think her parents would have educated her on how the world works- perhaps she wouldn't have turned out to be such a useful idiot for the DNC.

The Democrats know perfectly well Obama's poll numbers are going to be in the toilet by 2012, so they've opted for pre-emptive attacks and character assasination on all fronts- and as far as they're concerned, the best defense is a good offense, coupled to Alinsky-style diversions. As indicated by their substantial efforts in her direction, Governor Palin has clearly emerged in their minds as the gravest threat to an Obama 2nd term.

And what a coincidence it is then, that all this specious "advice" for the GOP coming from Team Obama, Pelosi, Reid, assorted B-league RINOs, and the press just happens to involve the party abandoning the principles that bring it votes and/or conflict with the Obama agenda. All this in order to morph into some sort of Obama-lite, and a silent partner in Obama's stealthy, yet radical makeover of this country. Hey liberals, if we wanted your "advice"- don't you think we'd ask for it?

It’s also not difficult to see why Democrats might prefer to banter playfully about made-up GOP “scandals” and irrelevancies like Meghan’s latest drivel than debate Obama’s ongoing destruction of the country-

Back in (MSM-ignored) reality, Obama is being largely humiliated overseas, and this week Al Jazeera harshly criticized Obama's tepid and useless "support" for the protesters in Iran- who even this pan-Arabic news network said were largely pro-American. Oh well, they won't be anymore by the time Obama's done allying himself with their slave-masters- and since they're mostly the young and educated of Iran, they will be hating us for the next 50 years now. Note that Chairman O sure didn't waste any time in voicing support for a corrupt Honduran leftist, though.

North Korea's already telling us they're going to fire missiles right at us- could you imagine that crackpot trying this on Reagan's watch? He'd have made it abundantly clear that if they struck us, Pyongyang would be turned into a glass-floored, self-lighting parking lot. What does Obama do? Issue some wishy-washy statement of "concern"- then cowers under his desk.

And as reported by Sammy at Yid-with-Lid, this week, even the far-left, uber-Obama fans at Der Spiegel ripped him a new one for his ill-advised and treacherous print-money spending. Meanwhile, the socialist bastions of Germany and Hungary this week both enacted tax cuts to stimulate their economies... a stark contrast to the United States' precarious path.

What is becoming apparent is that when the Democrats' reckless pork-n-welfare spending spree fails to create any real economic gains -but stokes vicious inflation and crashes the dollar instead- the Democrats will face significant setbacks in November 2010- which is now only 16 mos away.

The moment is fast approaching when the propaganda and immoral attacks on Palin, Jindal, and others are as exposed and despised as the Democrats' serial mismanagement of America is destined to be. There is then to be a heavy electoral price for the Democrats... while history is likely to be an even harsher judge. This could play-out as the largest wasted political opportunity of all time, with the Democratic Party not wholly-entrusted with the purse strings ever again, once we all digest the price for the catastrophic folly of Obamamania.

The employment of such bad-faith media disinformation tactics -coupled to the plastic, disingenuous front that Obama presents- is absolutely un-American. Sadly, this fits-right-in with the rest of his statist, anti-freedom agenda. Many in this country are belatedly coming to realize these things... and they don't like it.

Yet another reason to put the grownups back in charge next fall-