Georgia Wins AGAIN!

RIA Novosti reports that valiant Georgia has induced Russia to pull its military garrison out of the country ahead of schedule, a brilliant victory in Georgia’s struggle for independence. First Georgia carries out a free and fair election in the midst of Russia’s imperialist assault, and now it wins the ouster of some of Russia’s occupation forces without firing a shot.

MOSCOW, October 10 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will withdraw its garrison deployed in the Georgian capital Tbilisi ahead of schedule, the deputy prime minister and defense minister said Tuesday.

The Tbilisi garrison houses the headquarters of the Group of Russian Forces in the Russian Caucasus and was supposed to be withdrawn after the pullout of two Soviet-era bases in Akhalkalaki and Batumi in 2007 and 2008, respectively. But a diplomatic spat following the arrest of four Russian officers in Tbilisi in late September for alleged spying prompted Moscow to review the timeframe for the withdrawal.

“I have adopted a resolution and signed a directive that the entire Tbilisi garrison of Russia’s contingent in the South Caucasus leave Georgia before December 31,” Sergei Ivanov said. “Three hundred eighty-seven Russian servicemen will leave Georgia.”

But he said the two bases will be pulled out in accordance with the schedule. “As to the bases, they will be withdrawn on schedule – from Akhalkalaki in 2007 and from Batumi in 2008 – with all the Russian equipment they hold,” Ivanov said.

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The Horror that is Serving Your Country (Involuntarily) in Russia

If you have the stomach for such things, you can view the documentary film Soldat (“The Soldier”, 2001), directed by Paul Jenkins, which graphically illustrates the horrors of hazing in the Russian military, by clicking here.

The authors describe the film as follows: “The Russian Army was once one of the greatest and most powerful armies in the world. Now it suffers from a lack of funding so that it struggles to feed and clothe itself. However they still operate conscription and it is compulsory for young Russian men to do their time. They try to run away and dodge the draft because they have heard the stories about what to expect when they get to camp: beatings from the more experienced soldiers, bad food and freezing conditions. A hierarchical and sadistic system operates there. In this observational documentary the plight of the soldiers is portrayed as comic and yet tragic.”

Thus, not only does the film document Russia’s barbaric indifference to value of individual human life and pathologically aggressive militarism, but it makes it hard indeed to imagine how anyone could possibly be intimidated by Russia’s military or even consider allowing time to pass while it becomes consolidated and more formidable using Russia’s oil windfall.

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For Cold War II, Naturally U.S. Answers with Star Wars II

Just as the U.S. bankrupted the USSR in the first Cold War by forcing it into an arms race it could not win, it can again easily do so with Russia, whose economy and population are fractions of what the USSR had to deal with. And the Russians are already freaking out over the prospect, as Reuters reports:

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia hit out on Tuesday at U.S. plans to deploy an anti-missile shield on Polish soil, saying the move was an attempt to destabilize the balance of power.

Washington is investing billions of dollars to develop a missile defense system which would use rockets to shoot down hostile missiles.

It is considering placing its biggest anti-missile site outside the United States and is talking to Poland and the Czech Republic about possible locations.

“We see this as an element of destabilizing the situation, an attempt — and no more than that — to change somewhat the strategic balance,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told a news conference.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has already said Moscow would take unspecified measures against Poland if it decides to host the anti-missile shield.

Poland has said that no decision has yet been taken and that Russian protests are premature.

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More On Russia’s AIDS Crisis

The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in Russia and its contribution to the country’s population decline. Russia has more HIV-positive people than any other European country, in part because of “extraordinarily large numbers of young people who inject drugs,” according to the United Nations (Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 10/8). The number of HIV cases in Russia has nearly doubled in the past five years, from 121 per 100,000 people in 2001 to 231 per 100,000 by the end of 2005, according to the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/31). More than half of new HIV cases are a result of heterosexual intercourse, and HIV prevalence among young people in Russia “threatens to add to the population decline by killing them before they can bring a new generation into the world,” the Times reports. According to Murray Feshbach of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, more than 80% of people living with AIDS in Russia are under age 30, compared with the U.S. and Western Europe, where 70% of people living with AIDS are older than age 30. “Even optimistically, you’re looking at 250,000 deaths a year from AIDS alone in 2020, and pessimistically, we’re talking about 650,000 a year,” Feshbach said. To combat the epidemic, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a twentyfold increase in funding this year, which will provide $120 million for HIV/AIDS treatment (Los Angeles Times, 10/8). In addition, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has pledged about $209 million over five years to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Russia, and the country is in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to decrease the price of drugs purchased in bulk with the Global Fund grant (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/21).

SOURCE: KAISER NETWORK

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

More On Russia’s AIDS Crisis

The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in Russia and its contribution to the country’s population decline. Russia has more HIV-positive people than any other European country, in part because of “extraordinarily large numbers of young people who inject drugs,” according to the United Nations (Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 10/8). The number of HIV cases in Russia has nearly doubled in the past five years, from 121 per 100,000 people in 2001 to 231 per 100,000 by the end of 2005, according to the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/31). More than half of new HIV cases are a result of heterosexual intercourse, and HIV prevalence among young people in Russia “threatens to add to the population decline by killing them before they can bring a new generation into the world,” the Times reports. According to Murray Feshbach of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, more than 80% of people living with AIDS in Russia are under age 30, compared with the U.S. and Western Europe, where 70% of people living with AIDS are older than age 30. “Even optimistically, you’re looking at 250,000 deaths a year from AIDS alone in 2020, and pessimistically, we’re talking about 650,000 a year,” Feshbach said. To combat the epidemic, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a twentyfold increase in funding this year, which will provide $120 million for HIV/AIDS treatment (Los Angeles Times, 10/8). In addition, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has pledged about $209 million over five years to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Russia, and the country is in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to decrease the price of drugs purchased in bulk with the Global Fund grant (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/21).

SOURCE: KAISER NETWORK

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

More On Russia’s AIDS Crisis

The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in Russia and its contribution to the country’s population decline. Russia has more HIV-positive people than any other European country, in part because of “extraordinarily large numbers of young people who inject drugs,” according to the United Nations (Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 10/8). The number of HIV cases in Russia has nearly doubled in the past five years, from 121 per 100,000 people in 2001 to 231 per 100,000 by the end of 2005, according to the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/31). More than half of new HIV cases are a result of heterosexual intercourse, and HIV prevalence among young people in Russia “threatens to add to the population decline by killing them before they can bring a new generation into the world,” the Times reports. According to Murray Feshbach of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, more than 80% of people living with AIDS in Russia are under age 30, compared with the U.S. and Western Europe, where 70% of people living with AIDS are older than age 30. “Even optimistically, you’re looking at 250,000 deaths a year from AIDS alone in 2020, and pessimistically, we’re talking about 650,000 a year,” Feshbach said. To combat the epidemic, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a twentyfold increase in funding this year, which will provide $120 million for HIV/AIDS treatment (Los Angeles Times, 10/8). In addition, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has pledged about $209 million over five years to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Russia, and the country is in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to decrease the price of drugs purchased in bulk with the Global Fund grant (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/21).

SOURCE: KAISER NETWORK

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

More On Russia’s AIDS Crisis

The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in Russia and its contribution to the country’s population decline. Russia has more HIV-positive people than any other European country, in part because of “extraordinarily large numbers of young people who inject drugs,” according to the United Nations (Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 10/8). The number of HIV cases in Russia has nearly doubled in the past five years, from 121 per 100,000 people in 2001 to 231 per 100,000 by the end of 2005, according to the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/31). More than half of new HIV cases are a result of heterosexual intercourse, and HIV prevalence among young people in Russia “threatens to add to the population decline by killing them before they can bring a new generation into the world,” the Times reports. According to Murray Feshbach of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, more than 80% of people living with AIDS in Russia are under age 30, compared with the U.S. and Western Europe, where 70% of people living with AIDS are older than age 30. “Even optimistically, you’re looking at 250,000 deaths a year from AIDS alone in 2020, and pessimistically, we’re talking about 650,000 a year,” Feshbach said. To combat the epidemic, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a twentyfold increase in funding this year, which will provide $120 million for HIV/AIDS treatment (Los Angeles Times, 10/8). In addition, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has pledged about $209 million over five years to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Russia, and the country is in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to decrease the price of drugs purchased in bulk with the Global Fund grant (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/21).

SOURCE: KAISER NETWORK

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

More On Russia’s AIDS Crisis

The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people in Russia and its contribution to the country’s population decline. Russia has more HIV-positive people than any other European country, in part because of “extraordinarily large numbers of young people who inject drugs,” according to the United Nations (Murphy, Los Angeles Times, 10/8). The number of HIV cases in Russia has nearly doubled in the past five years, from 121 per 100,000 people in 2001 to 231 per 100,000 by the end of 2005, according to the Federal Service for the Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/31). More than half of new HIV cases are a result of heterosexual intercourse, and HIV prevalence among young people in Russia “threatens to add to the population decline by killing them before they can bring a new generation into the world,” the Times reports. According to Murray Feshbach of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, more than 80% of people living with AIDS in Russia are under age 30, compared with the U.S. and Western Europe, where 70% of people living with AIDS are older than age 30. “Even optimistically, you’re looking at 250,000 deaths a year from AIDS alone in 2020, and pessimistically, we’re talking about 650,000 a year,” Feshbach said. To combat the epidemic, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a twentyfold increase in funding this year, which will provide $120 million for HIV/AIDS treatment (Los Angeles Times, 10/8). In addition, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has pledged about $209 million over five years to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Russia, and the country is in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to decrease the price of drugs purchased in bulk with the Global Fund grant (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/21).

SOURCE: KAISER NETWORK

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Sean Guillory Offers Proof of Russia’s Child Pogrom against Georgian Kids

Laying to rest any doubt, Sean Guillory offers readers photographic proof of the outrageous demands by Russian police for the identity of Georgian children in Russian schools, the first step in a potential pogrom. He has copies of the official orders with translations. The only question now is, what will Russia do tomorrow that will be so outrageous as to make this seem like kid’s stuff?

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Sean Guillory Offers Proof of Russia’s Child Pogrom against Georgian Kids

Laying to rest any doubt, Sean Guillory offers readers photographic proof of the outrageous demands by Russian police for the identity of Georgian children in Russian schools, the first step in a potential pogrom. He has copies of the official orders with translations. The only question now is, what will Russia do tomorrow that will be so outrageous as to make this seem like kid’s stuff?

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Sean Guillory Offers Proof of Russia’s Child Pogrom against Georgian Kids

Laying to rest any doubt, Sean Guillory offers readers photographic proof of the outrageous demands by Russian police for the identity of Georgian children in Russian schools, the first step in a potential pogrom. He has copies of the official orders with translations. The only question now is, what will Russia do tomorrow that will be so outrageous as to make this seem like kid’s stuff?

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Sean Guillory Offers Proof of Russia’s Child Pogrom against Georgian Kids

Laying to rest any doubt, Sean Guillory offers readers photographic proof of the outrageous demands by Russian police for the identity of Georgian children in Russian schools, the first step in a potential pogrom. He has copies of the official orders with translations. The only question now is, what will Russia do tomorrow that will be so outrageous as to make this seem like kid’s stuff?

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Sean Guillory Offers Proof of Russia’s Child Pogrom against Georgian Kids

Laying to rest any doubt, Sean Guillory offers readers photographic proof of the outrageous demands by Russian police for the identity of Georgian children in Russian schools, the first step in a potential pogrom. He has copies of the official orders with translations. The only question now is, what will Russia do tomorrow that will be so outrageous as to make this seem like kid’s stuff?

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !

Chechnya-related Violence Continues to Spread

MAKHACHKALA, Russia Unknown gunmen sprayed a police post in the violence-afflicted southern Russian province of Dagestan with gunfire on Wednesday, killing two policemen, officials said. The attackers drove up in a car to the roadside post where five policemen were on guard before opening fire and making their escape, said the region’s deputy interior minister, Magomed Ismailov. Dagestan neighbors Chechnya, where a separatist conflict has raged for most of the past 12 years. Despite the end of large-scale fighting, daily attacks continue and the violence has increasingly spread across the rest of Russia’s impoverished and mainly Muslim North Caucasus.

Thanks for reading La Russophobe !