EDITORIAL
Waiting for Godobama
“Most Russians don’t care whether they are ruled by fascists or communists or even Martians as long as they can buy six kinds of sausage in the store and lots of cheap vodka.”
– – Alexander Lebed (General, Governor, Presidential Candidate)The Financial Times, September 6, 1994
It was announced last week that U.S. President Barack Obama will attend a summit with “president” Dima Medvedev in Moscow on July 6th. Hopefully Obama will be smart enough to stay away from the Moscow Metro, where his lynching would be almost assured, and will not be idiotic enough to think he’s talking to the actual ruler of Russia. Vladimir Ryzhkov, who knows the corridors of Kremlin power far better than Obama, says the American naif is dealing with a counterpart who is just “pretending to lead.”
But the more important question is whether Obama will finally have the courage and intelligence to speak up for American values, something so many heroic people in Russia desperately want him to do.
Maybe Obama will finally take the opportunity to say a word or two about the dozens of race murders that have taken place in Russia since he became president. Perhaps he’ll find time to address, however briefly, the spree of bombings taking place in Sochi and threatening American athletes who might be foolish enough to attend the 2014 Olympics there. Conceivably, he’ll let the words “Stanislav Markelov” or “Mikhail Khodorkovsky” or “Anna Politkovskaya” pass his lips, or meet with some of the heroic Russians who are still risking their lives to defend American values in Russia. He might even let “president” Medvedev know something awful will happen if he dares to poke one hobnailed toe back into Georgia — or Ukraine for that matter.
But we won’t hold our breath waiting for Godobama.
We’re not sure whether we’ve seen craven cowardice or simply barbaric ignorance from Mr. Obama so far on Russia, and frankly we couldn’t care less. What we know is that we’ve heard deafening silence, not one single word about any of the pressing national security and democracy issues that explode in Russia on a weekly basis. The best he could do so far was to “bring up” the subject of Lev Ponomarev when he met with Medvedev in London. By mentioning only Ponomarev, Obama sent the message to the Kremlin that its persecution of many more important figures is just fine. By failing to announce what Obama told Medvedev and what answer he got (for all we know Medvedev responded the way Putin often did, by asking “Who’s Ponomarev?”), the U.S. has removed all pressure on Medvedev even to investigate the attack on Ponomarev fully. Based on reports of what transpired, we believe the Kremlin’s view of Obama will be even worse for human rights in Russia than if Obama had remained totally silent. The most Obama’s mention might have accomplished is to save Ponomarev from being assassinated, while at the same time indicating the Kremlin has the green light to liquidate lots of others.
Obama thinks Austrians speak Austrian, so maybe he thinks Russians speak Chinese. He doesn’t have the slightest clue about multinational corporate tax policy, so expecting him to know much about the riddle-wrapped-a-mystery country is probably expecting too much. But if he’s really that clueless, then he needs to step aside and let someone make Russia policy who is better informed.
What we’re sure of is that this is Barack Obama’s very last chance on this blog. If he goes to Russia and remains silent or merely pays lip service to secondary issues as he did in London, we’ll consider him as much the enemy of democracy and prosperity in Russia as Vladimir Putin, and we’ll start saying loudly and often. At least you expect the faciliation of dictatorship from a proud KGB spy; from the first black American president, you expect a lot better. We’d love to support the American president, but he has to meet us half way.
The choice is yours, Mr. Obama.
La Russophobe 
He won’t speak up for American values because he does not share them. He will apologize to Russia for Bush and for America in general and he will pledge to chart a new course in improving relations between the two nations and then he will come home.
Remember when Condi Rice was there?
Condi, I think, stood up for some human values.
I hope and pray that you are wrong, Snake Oil Baron.
I fear you may be right – Obama’s “apology tour” might continue.
Change is bad. Obama should just go back to the policies of Bush and Rice. The Bush and Rice policies were so successful, I can’t imagine how it could have been better. Then comes Obama and after three months everything went so badly for our Russia policy. Russia is suddenly strong and American is weak. I heard he was a Muslim Socialist and he’s going there to give back Alaska.
Oh, and what is the color of the sky in the Bizzaro-World you freaks live in?
You’ve got your mind made up already, you wouldn’t “love” to support him as you claim, you hate him, you’ve hated him from before he was president, and you hope he fails so you can go on hating him.
http://www.michaelspecter.com/times/1996/1996_10_13_mag_lebed.html
I miss Lebed.
“Hopefully Obama will be smart enough to stay away from the Moscow Metro, where his lynching would be almost assured,”
OK, that was stupid.
do you mean the lynching comment was stupid? Because if you did I agree. That was just the frothy hate talking. If the Russians that LR hates did kill the President that LR hates, I think that would make LR happy.
Yeah, that was stupid.
But you didn’t get it why.
‘What we’re sure of is that this is Barack Obama’s very last chance on this blog.’ –
Yeah, Obama guarantees himself sleepless nights filled with tears after your condemnation, the biggest loss he’s about to take, no doubts guys.
Ain’t you about to explode from your importance? Doesn’t then nimb bear hard on you guys, dedicated paranoids?
‘Conceivably, he’ll let the words “Stanislav Markelov” or “Mikhail Khodorkovsky” or “Anna Politkovskaya” pass his lips, or meet with some of the heroic Russians who are still risking their lives to defend American values in Russia.’
Good idea. Obama *must* meet the heroic russians — to show other (non-heroic, I guess) russians, whose values they are defending.
Neither Medvedev nor Obama is really running anything, so that much will go wrong. Now if Obama takes his “handlers” along, we should worry, as they would be working for their own interests. Really there is little good to expect from this public relations run.
The people would of course be screwed in either countrie and the “poker chips” of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Chechnya would get played. The Middle East and Afghanistan would make this another “Yalta Conferance”.
Both economies are $hited up, and nothing grand can be expected as powers ebb. No concessions, favoring anyones citizens. Just like Speaker Pellossi denied knowing what “waterboarding” meant. We will be betrayed, as usual. Why should we believe a deal can be made, other than bombing Iran? Obama disgusts me and probably the Rashans as well, who have contempt for his abilities other than being a useful fool.
“will speak up for americans values”…..??? You mean money? But you do not have money. You are all in debts. So, I guess the meaning of this is that Russians should share values with Americans. In other words, give money to Americans in the form or financial reserves and natural resources.
I am sure Obama will talk about that.
Why would the US be asking Rasha for money? This is to protect Rasha from Alchaida in Afghanistan, and to ask for transit through. All in exchange for Bombing Iran or something equally stupid. Rasha is threatening oil and gas routes from Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan into Turkey, Georgia, onto Europe. Rashans want Nuclear Energy Business with US and other cooperation. All the Moscal money is in Swiss and London Banks anyway, and would be easy to get at, if Moscal Morons do something even more stupid. Lawsuits could be coming in European Courts. Putin stays in power so that he would not be arrested for Murdering his fellow moscal apartment dwellers to start a war in Chechnya. Buffoon Obama is new to the game.
To George , Yes as usual your’re right. My conscience is clear, I did not vote for that mindless airhead, who has NO real qualifications, at best, to be president of this country. He was elected… because of the colour of his skin and due to enormous sums of money and hooplah. But, he does has a leftist agenda, and that agenda has nothing good for America. However, what we see before our eyes, is what happens to virtually every elected/seated American President: no matter what!…. they promised in order to get elected, once in power, they HAVE to do certain things, like it or not. Right now, this system-break (& thank God for it!) on his whims and leftist foolishnesses, are about all that prevents him from declaring America, another, ‘Socialist Workers’ Paradise’. I’m sure that he is very very popular in Moscow. Those gangsters over there, though they are super-criminals, yet they are
masters of deceit and conniving, i.e. no dummies! They see what a dummy is our Obamanator. I think that that reality, will for sure, ‘make America more popular around the world’…..well at least with the enemies of our country. To our friends, they must be holding their breathes, to see what betrayal of them, our President’s administration will commit next. At present, he seems determined at ruining American business and jobs. If he lasts out his term, I believe that he will go down in history, as our WORST President, ever! Heaven help Obama, if his teleprompter blows a fuse, in the middle of ‘his’ speeches!
Reader Daniel
I expect nothing from Obama as he is mired in the lefty mentality of moral equivalences where America is as bad as any of the planet’s thug regimes. He didn’t spend 20 years in the church of Reverend Wright without tacitly approving of “da*n America”.
Marc,
That’s call projection, or in more simple terms, Bush derangement syndrome. It must pain you that conservatives don’t hate him, and in fact, praise on those rare occasions where they agree with his policies (not closing Guantanamo, not releasing the abuse photos, etc.)
So, calm down and stop hating the people you disagree with. Thank you
I’m very calm, even if you read my comments with some sort of screaming voice in your head, I am indeed calm.
I don’t hate anyone, you are just projecting that one me. I am indeed particularly disappointed in Bush, because I voted for him. I don’t hate Bush. His international policy was bad and turned worse. He doesn’t cause me any derangement, just disappointment.
LR has makes no excuses that THEY are very conservative and very anti-Obama, and I thought to suggest that he gets this one last change to hear THEIR respect is laughable. THEY have no intentions of suddenly supporting an Obama/Clinton diplomacy, no matter what happens next month in Moscow.
It doesn’t’ pain me when Right Wingers support Obama, that many voted for him and that he won the election with a clear majority, not fuzzy math. I voted for him, I admire McCain very much, but the idea that something could happen to him and Palin could be president was too much to swallow.
I don’t know where exactly you got your phD in psychology, but your diagnosis was made premature, and without full knowledge of the facts. I don’t pretend to know you or analogize you. I said “what color is the sky in your world?” because saying Rice did ANYTHING good for US-Russia relations is indeed derangement.
Really we can clearly look at our Russia policy and see what it has driven them too, and acknowledge some very real policy problems (From GHWB, to Clinton, to Bush) has brought us here. There has been a systemic failure in dealing with the end of the cold war, and the answer is not “New Cold War.” We should look at the “New Cold War,” see how much Putin wants it, and know that it must be a bad idea to entertain such notions.
Excuse me, Palin would have been, and is a better 2nd, than Biden. Mr. Plagerizer himself, if you don’t remember.
Marc,
Putin indeed wants concessions and, that is why he is “acting up”. Rasha lost the last cold war and will lose this one to. Invading Georgia was too much to swallow and Putin overplayed his hand. I voted for McCain just because he knew Rasha. I have yet to see Obama do anything to win me over. If it was Palin vs Obama definitly, I would vote for Palin as she has some knowledge and experience running a state bureaucracy. Where and whom dug up Obama I can only guess. Obama will be beaten back in diplomacy like a little puppy since being black, and ignorant is no asset in realpolitik. No country feels sorry for Obama because of his racial status and perceived descrimination. Knowledge helps you speak, i.e. when asked about the invasion of Georgia the first thing Obama could say, is we need restraint. McCain said we are all Georgians. To bad that the clown USA had decided on in the primary to take out the Republicans was Obama. Now it will take longer to sort out and reboot Rasha.
George, as you liked that much McCain’s words I would dare to ask did you feel like being Iraqi or Yugoslavian back then? Or the feeling of belonging is quite selective?
Try to reboot yourself buddy – your thoughts are getting irrelevant and illitirate. You may want to try harder to learn how the country you spatter at is written.
Back when? It would be kinda hard to feel being “Yugoslavian” in 2008, as there was no such country for years.
It would be kinda helpful get the fact again –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslavia
There WAS such a country when NATO hit it, learn the subject harder next time.
I thought “back then” meant August 2008. So when exactly was “back then”?
Back then means ‘March 24-June 10, 1999, NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia’, Robert.
And I believe I made a reference to it in my previous reply – ‘There WAS such a country when NATO hit it’ so you could read carefully.
And what does that have to do with a speech about Russia invading Georgia?
Nothing actually, as there was no such a thing as Russia invading Georgia. Just probably in some insane brains (and illitirate ones!) that cannot tell Georgia as a former USSR republic from the state of Georgia. I’m sure you saw many reports of crazyness back then:) Watch more Fox tv on the subjects to get your brains completely washed out:)))
Why should he said he’s a Yugoslavian in 1999, if even the great most of former citiziens of Yugoslavia didn’t feel this way?
Practically everyone in Slovenia and Macedonia, most in Croatia and Bosnia – and even most people in Montenegro (not to mention Kosovo). So it would be a pretty stupid thing to say, don’t you think?
Yeah, Robert, you’re really wasting your energy:) You’ve had many opportunities to have a look at the article provided just not to repeat your BS again – to no avail, alas.
Are you stupid or something? Why do you count Slovenia, Bosnia, Croation etc. but not Serbia that was really under attack back then? And it’s Serbia mostly that was called Yugoslavia back then. Sure thing, it feels much better for guys like you to repeat ‘smart’ and ‘knowledgable’ BS than just to spend 3 minutes on reading.
Not really sure you’re capable of understanding that but this is KNOWLEDGE that makes difference in a talk and separates facts from ‘pseudo facts’ based entirely on propaganda things with no valid ground to start from.
This is a trend, Robert, nowhere you see the questions requiring you to think and/or research a little there is an answer from you.
“Are you stupid or something?” You said “Yugoslavian” and “Yugoslavia”, and not Serbia.
I pointed out that the VAST MAJORITY of people who lived in Yugoslavia in 1990 since then decided that saying “I am Yugoslavian” totally sucks donkey ass and either voted to not be a Yugoslavian or foight to not be a Yugoslavian. And even the Serbs decided to be called “Serbs” in the end (whom in fact they were since 1990, as the ever-shrinking Yugoslavia was only a farcial facade – and they changed the name of the remaining federation even before Montenegro & Kosovo both declared their independence, Kosovo from Serbia).
In sum, only a person really stupid or naive (either one) would say “I am Yugoslavian” or “I feel being Yugoslavian” in 1999 (and completely retarded in 2008).
Yet again, you have no idea of how they felt back then. And also, saying I’m Texan means I’m not American for example? Haven’t you even thought about that? That every Serb doesn’t mind being called Yugoslav? Don’t tell they mind! I know whatI’m saying in regards to this country.
Alex,
I was always against war in Iraq. I have been proven right since that blew the lid off things. I did want to blow to hell the Serbian ethnic cleansing regime. The war and in Yugoslabia made me sick of hearing about the (Scurbs and Scroats). Not even a real country and more like rasha. Rashans are not Slavic and the name was given to it by Peter the first. Russ is Ukraine’s name and much older. Alex I spatter Rasha first thing every morning in the toilette. Your another maggot in the pile that you call Russia.
Which name was given by Peter the Great buddy? Haven’t you spattered your brains accidentally this morning?
I will not give you more links to enlight you on origin or etymology of the word Rus or Russia – I assume you still can use Google before posting another clear example of your ignorance. Also I’ve always thought that being calm and polite is a good thing. And yet, many people have much better things to do than ‘spatter Rasha first thing every morning’. You may think of getting married, having kids and spending your limitless anger on more positive stuff. You may call me any word, buddy:) You want it to be maggot – let it be so:) You’re so laughable man!
Somebody said: “If one looked in the New York City phone book, at only the first 20 names, under any letter section, and then randomly/blindfolded picked out one name from those 20 to be President, that person would be better fit for that office than Barack Obvama!”
For myself, I don’t care if our President came from the planet Zarkon, and has purple skin with white polka-dots! What counts is character, intelligence, and what he BELIEVES. Mr. Obama is a low-life product of the crooked Chicago-democrat thug political machine, and a proven hater of America and American values. Chicago, the city where cemetery residents famously vote, ‘early and often’, is the place that gave him his political foundation.
My only hope for America, is that wiser heads than his, will prevail over him, and stop him from doing too much damage to us, or those allies abroad that we need to defend from aggressive imperialistic neo-soviet Russia. I do agree that McCane was not a glorious alternative, but at least he would have been more predictably-a loyal American, and more stable. Day by day, I see growing disenchantment with Godobama, and more poor dupes who voted for him, muttering to themselves: ‘but, I thought he was different than he is showing himself to be now!….I should have voted for McCane/Palin!’. Putin/Medvedev clearly adore Obama!
Just my thoughts…….
Reader Daniel in America
Reader Daniel
” I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University. “…….William F. Buckley, one of America’s greatest conservative thinkers.
OMG russophobes are so computer illiterate they have to use wordpress :(
To ‘Sergei’ or whatever is your real name: So, are you a Russo-philia person? Aren’t you ashamed, to worship such a vile gangster run country as that? Who uses, ‘wordpress’? You are just another Putin internet goon, that’s all. Your words are not worthy of any respect whatsoever!
Reader Daniel
The Snake Oil Baron had it right the first time. Mr. Obama’s apology tour has just begun. It will not end as long as Mr. Obama has more concessions to make, and more appeasement to brutality to perform.
I say this out of love for Mr. Obama, because I still hope that this elegant and articulate man, this clean man of many faces, will finally wake up and understand his own programming. But it is unlikely that he will ever do it. Colour me sad.
I can’t wait to see when Obama does to you Yankee blockheads what Gorby did to the USSR! :-D
To All Commie-Borschtheads Everywhere:
To ‘Eugene’ or whatever is your real name, comrade: And, I cannot wait to see what/and when will be the final nail in your KGB-run ‘Russia’, when the Putin/Medvedev gang, totally ruins you Commie-Rusky-Borschtheads, and then you flee to Australia or Canada or America for refuge, as ‘political refugees’! Perhaps, China will take you in, and allow you to settle in their newly seized far-east provinces, once part of the RF? You can have Obama, as our gift to you.
R.D.
But the more important question is whether Obama will finally have the courage and intelligence to speak up for American values . . .
Even Pravda can see that Obama does not share American values.
@”Yet again, you have no idea of how they felt back then. ”
Yeah. People in (say) Sarajevo see the limited bombing of Belgrade on their TV and think “hey, I was wrong to vote & to fight for not be a Yugoslavian BACK THEN, being shelled and sniped at for years… I am now Yugoslavian for the solidarity with those poor Serbs who at least are on the receiving end of the barrel”, eh?
Actually, there were many people feeling Yugoslavian in Sarajevo BACK THEN (“back then” being in 1992), but the Serbs proved them totally wrong quickly:
That’s also for the Serb nationalist attitude to the real (non-ethnic cleansed) Yugoslavia and their avoidance of war (and genocide).
1. It was the same as South Ossetia 08.08.8.
2. There is opinion that it was NATO provoke to attack Serbija. At least there are no evidences against Serbia.
3. Many of Serbian were also killed by muslims and croats.
4. The Serbska Republic in Bosnia has rights to became separated from Bosnia as well as Kosovo, Abckazia, S. Ossetia did.