Lukashenko Begins the Arrests of Political Rivals

The blogosphere is ablaze with stories about how Adolph Lukashenko has begun to arrest those who challenged him in the recent s0-called “election” for the presidency of Belarus, in which, of course, Russia actively supported Lukashenko’s return to power. Starting with Alyaksandr Milinkevich, pictured.

One can only speculate about how long it will be before Lukashenko starts the killings. One is reminded of Russia, and the sudden killing of Galina Starovoitova just before she could gain a serious political foothold. Coopt them or kill them, that is the neo-Soviet model. Jail is just an intermediary step, a means to an end.

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

More on Russia’s Brutality at Katyn

Here’s a wonderful article from the Konnander security blog on Russia’s malignant behavior at Katyn and afterwards, and action being taken by courageous Poles to get justice. This topic has already been documented below by La Russophobe. Not until Russians can face up to Katyn will there be any hope for their country.

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Ukraine to Join NATO – Another Sharp Blow to Russia

First Kazakhstan posts a quarter-page ad in the New York Times declaring war on Russia and alliance with America, then Ukraine declares itself on track for NATO membership. Hmmm, I wonder why all those ex-Soviet slave states HATE Russia so much? I guess they are just confused like La Russophobe and the rest of the clear-thinking world. Sad thing is, all the Russians would have to do is have an Orange Revolution and Russia might lead the world. But Russians prefer their national sport: cutting off the nose to spite the face.

As RIA Novosti reports:

KIEV, April 28 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine is ready to start implementing the first stage of NATO Action Plan this year in a bid to join the organization, the country’s foreign minister said Friday.
Borys Tarasyuk said at an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, that he positively assessed Ukraine’s cooperation with the organization within the framework of the intensified dialogue. Foreign ministers of NATO member countries said they supported Ukraine’s intention to join the organization and the country’s efforts to achieve this goal. On Thursday Mikhail Kamynin, the spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said NATO enlargement and the accession of Ukraine and Georgia to the bloc was a sensitive issue for Russia, which would need to spend considerable sums on reorienting its military capabilities.

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Russia vs. America in Economic Growth

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. economy has recorded explosive growth this quarter, up more than double from the last quarter.

As the Post reports, in the first quarter of 2006, U.S. economic growth was 4.8%, while in the last quarter of 2005 it was only 1.7%.

Now a rather ignorant person might say that Russia has more impressive ecnomic growth than America does, since Russia’s rate of growth in the past few years has been between 5% and 8%.

What that person would be overlooking is the economic base of the two countries. The Russian economy is worth $1.5 trillion at most (that’s only if you inflate it using phony “purchasing power” numbers) while the U.S. economy is worth at least $12 trillion.

That means that when the Russian economy posts 8% growth it is only worth $120 billion.

However, when the American economy post 4% growth, it is worth $480 billion.

In other words, half as much economic growth in America is worth four times as much money.

Now, to be sure, America has twice as many people as Russia has. So when Americans carve up their growth, each person would not get four times as much as a Russian, but rather only twice as much.

In other words, with 4% growth each American gets $1,600 while with 8% growth each Russian gets only $800. And it’s only $800 for a Russian if you believe that $800 buys the same quality medical care in Russia or in America, or the same quality of whatever product you want to buy with it. If you think Russian-made products are often of lower quality than their American counterparts (think of comparing a Lada with Taurus), then the $800 must be reduced to an even smaller figure, maybe as small as $400.

And then of course there’s the famous fact that Russia doesn’t have a middle class. In other words, Russia never comes remotely close to equally dividing national wealth, so some Russians will get $1 million when the economy grows and most will get $0. In America, the middle class is much more viable and shares a much bigger slice of economic growth.

In other words, with 4.8% growth America is blowing Russia right out of the water.

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !