Baiting the Bear: Russia and NATO.

Baiting the Bear: Russia and NATO
by Conn Hallinan at CounterPunch.org

  

Greg Krasovsky: I agree with U.S. Admiral Mark Ferguson, commander of U.S. naval forces in Europe, who is cited as saying “I don’t think many people understand the visceral way Russia views NATO and the European Union as an existential threat,”.

 

Selected excerpts:

"“Aggressive,” “revanchist,” “swaggering”: These are just some of the adjectives the mainstream press and leading U.S. and European political figures are routinely inserting before the words “Russia,” or “Vladimir Putin.” It is a vocabulary most Americans have not seen or heard since the height of the Cold War.

The question is, why?

Is Russia really a military threat to the United States and its neighbors? Is it seriously trying to “revenge” itself for the 1989 collapse of the Soviet Union? Is it actively trying to rebuild the old Soviet empire? The answers to these questions are critical, because, for the first time since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, several nuclear-armed powers are on the edge of a military conflict with fewer safeguards than existed 50 years ago.

...

First, it is the silly season—American elections—and bear baiting is an easy way to look “tough.” It is also a tried and true tactic of the U.S. armaments industry to keep their production lines humming and their bottom lines rising. The Islamic State is scary but you don’t need big-ticket weapons systems to fight it. The $1.5 trillion F-35s are for the Russkies, not terrorists.

There are also those who still dream of regime change in Russia. Certainly that was in the minds of the neo-cons when they used The National Endowment for Democracy and Freedom House to engineer—at the cost of $5 billion—the coup that toppled Ukraine into NATO’s camp. The New American Century gang and their think tanks—who brought you Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria—would to leverage Russia out of Central Asia.

The most frightening aspect of current East-West tension is that there is virtually no discussion of the subject, and when there is it consists largely of distorted history and gratuitous insults. Vladimir Putin might not be a nice guy, but the evidence he is trying to re-establish some Russian empire, and is a threat to his neighbors or the U.S., is thin to non-existent. His 2014 speech at the Valdai International Discussion Club is more common sense than bombast.

Expansionist? Russia has two bases in the Middle East and a handful in Central Asia. The U.S. has 662 bases around the world and Special Forces (SOF) deployed in between 70 and 90 countries at any moment. Last year SOFs were active in 147 countries. The U.S. is actively engaged in five wars and is considering a sixth in Libya. Russian military spending will fall next year, and the U.S. will out-spend Moscow by a factor of 10. Who in this comparison looks threatening?"

 

Please read the rest of article at: http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/04/baiting-the-bear-russia-and-nato/

As Russians Struggle to Pay Bills, Debt Collectors Mimic the Mob.

Greg Krasovsky: Sounds like Russia desperately needs a tougher version of the U.S. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act!

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Debt_Collection_Practices_Act

Things in Russia have gotten pretty bad on the debt collection front as the country's economy stagnates due to low oil prices and Western sanctions over Ukraine.

Just read this recent Moscow Times' article:

"Russia's Debt Collectors Bring Back Brutality of the 1990s.

According to Alexander Akhlomov, an executive at the United Credit Bureau, which monitors credit history, 11.5 million Russians held overdue debts by the end of December. Seven million people were more than 90 days in arrears. And an under-regulated, sometimes predatory collection industry is capitalizing on their predicament.
...
At the start of the decade, consumption was wild. "Time to have it all," said the credit companies in advertising campaigns. "Take it, you can return it later," the slogans crooned. And, as borrowing peaked and the economy stalled, a parallel collection industry grew up for those who couldn't pay.

Some banks began in-house debt recovery, but many began selling overdue loans to specialized agencies. These firms often operate on the edge of the law. "In most cases the activity of collectors is directly connected to criminality," the Prosecutor General's office said in a statement earlier this year. These agencies process more than 40 percent of bad debts, says Akhlomov — meaning that at least 3 million Russians are targeted."

See http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-s-debt-collectors-bring-back-brutality-of-the-1990s/559229.html
 
But there's some light at the end of the tunnel, as Russia's Rights ombudsman supports full ban on debt collectors in Russia:

"Russia’s new Human Rights chief Tatiana Moskalkova has told reporters that she supports a ban on private debt collectors and at the same time wants to improve working conditions of court bailiffs.

“I would support the idea of stopping the work of collector agencies and significant changes in the work of court bailiffs – their structure, status, functions and equipment, because the current level of their salaries causes low quality of their work and a constant deficit of skilled professionals,” Interfax quoted Moskalkova as saying on Monday.

In February, chairs of both parliamentary chambers jointly drafted the bill proposing restrictions on debt collector agencies. The document directly bans debt collectors from using physical force or threats, deceit or damage to property.

The collectors are also not allowed to disclose the information about debtors – either through personal contacts with relatives or co-workers, or through various media, like the internet or outdoor advertising.

The document also allows collectors only two phone calls and one personal meeting with an individual debtor per week. It is specified that neither phone calls nor meetings can take place at nighttime.

In mid-March, the bill was approved by the government without any correction, according to mass media reports."

See https://www.rt.com/politics/340830-rights-ombudsman-supports-full-ban/

Strict government controls on debt collection practices in Russia are just as necessary in Russia as they are in the United States, as self-regulation in this industry may be just like asking foxes to regulate their raids on chicken coups:

See "New ethics code for debt collectors introduced in Russia.

A professional association for debt collectors has introduced new ethics code which prohibits the use of several excessive measures such as discussing debt with debtors’ children, Izvestia newspaper reported on Tuesday.

According to Izvestia, the National association of professional debt collector agencies (NAPCA) was behind the new ethics rules. Last code was introduced 8 years ago and contained vague definitions.

The new code prohibits the debt collectors from speaking to debtors in disrespectful manner, hiding cell number during the calls or mentioning security agencies when talking to debtors. One of the most important innovations of the code is prohibition to talk about debtor’s debt with children and “third parties” as well as prohibition to disrupt the functioning of medical, educational entities and infrastructure objects, Izvestia reported.

Other prohibitions mentioned in the code extend to sending messages to debtor’s friends in social networks, discussing debtor with his or her colleagues at work. The new code obligates debt collectors to draft strategic approach and only use approved speech templates."

at http://www.rapsinews.com/news/20160426/275969763.html


Selected Excerpt from the New York Times Article "As Russians Struggle to Pay Bills, Debt Collectors Mimic the Mob.":

"MOSCOW — They have stripped and sexually abused a woman, severely burned a toddler by firebombing a house and broken a woman’s pinkie as a warning. Gang members, bandits, mobsters? Not exactly. These are debt collectors, a peculiarly Russian variety that is flourishing amid the country’s economic turmoil.

As a punishing recession stretches into a second year, people struggling to make ends meet are resorting in growing numbers to borrowing at astronomical interest rates that many cannot possibly afford.

With unpaid debts mushrooming, collection has turned into something of a blood sport reminiscent of the shocking gang violence of the 1990s, with threats and violence by debt collectors spreading across the sprawling Russian hinterland largely unrestrained by public authorities.

“As a rule, small sums are involved in these cases, and it is easier to recover them by physical force,” said Danila S. Mikhalishchev, a debt collector turned consumer advocate. “It is easier to frighten people than to sue them.”

In 2015, the amount of unpaid debt surged by almost 50 percent to $15 billion, or about 13 percent of all personal debt, according to Alexander A. Akhlomov of the United Credit Bureau, a private organization that tracks credit ratings. A borrower making no payments for three months is considered to be in default. Just since March of last year, the number of Russians in that category has leapt to 7.5 million from 6 million, he said."

Please read rest of the article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/world/europe/russia-debt-collectors-mob.html

Ukraine’s Rightists Return to Odessa.

Ukraine’s Rightists Return to Odessa.
 
Greg Krasovsky: When the U.S. and its allies turn a blind eye on a massacre committed by pro-U.S. far-right Ukrainian nationalists, some of whom are recognized Neo-Nazis), America discredits itself as self-proclaimed cradle and defender of democracy world-wide.
 
Selected Excerpt:
  
"For two years, Ukraine’s U.S.-backed regime has balked at investigating dozens of arson deaths in Odessa and now is doing little as far-right nationalists rally for another confrontation, writes Nicolai N. Petro.

May 2 will mark the second anniversary of one of the most horrific, politically inspired tragedies in modern European history — the fire in the Odessa trade union building that killed 48 people and wounded another 200.

Numerous pleas by the United Nations and the European Union for an objective investigation into the causes of this tragedy have gone unanswered. Multiple government commissions, both local and national, have been unable to move the case forward, partly because some of the evidence has been marked secret.

Last November, the International Consulting Group, set up by the Council of Europe, issued a scathing report about this lack of progress, and the government’s apparent disinterest in bringing those responsible to trial.

Now, as we approach the second anniversary of these tragic deaths, and the commemoration of Soviet victory in the Second World War on May 9, some of the same groups involved in the first tragedy are openly preparing for a second round.

To this end, the leading nationalist spokesman, Dmitro Yarosh, the former leader of the Right Sector, was recently invited to Odessa. There he explained his credo to his followers: “I am just not a democrat. My worldview is that of a Ukrainian nationalist. I believe that popular national government is very good, but only when democracy does not threaten the very existence of the state. We sometimes play at democracy with the likes of Kivalov [a member of parliament from Odessa — NP], with [Odessa’s mayor] Trukhanov . . . but in war time this is never good” he said, adding “the enemy needs to be dealt with as he is always deal with in wartime–neutralized.”
...
All sides are now mobilizing in what is shaping up to be a decisive test of wills between government authority and the radical nationalists. The city is being flooded by radical activists, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs is telling Odessans to prepare for “hot May holidays.” The stage is nearly set for the next bloody confrontation between the “patriots” and the “fascists.”

This time, however, the West need not stand by helplessly and watch. There is still a chance of averting another tragedy, if the Western media draws timely attention to the current preparations for it. A significant Western media presence on the ground during the critical week from May 2 to May 9, could conceivably lead the radical nationalists to reconsider their violent strategy.

Turning a blind eye to the gathering storm, however, will only embolden the most radical elements in society and further erode respect for law and order in Ukraine."

Please read rest of the article at: https://consortiumnews.com/2016/04/28/ukraines-rightists-return-to-odessa/

Ukraine Seeks Ways to Recall Its Jewish Heritage.

Ukraine Seeks Ways to Recall Its Jewish Heritage.

Greg Krasovsky: Ukraine cannot honor properly & sincerely Ukrainian Jews brutally tortured & killed during the Holocaust while at the same time calling and worshiping as heroes Ukrainian Nazis (like the SS Division Galicia) and Nazi collaborators (like Stepan Bandera and OUN-UPA members and Ukrainian Nazi occupation Politzei) who actively participated in the Holocaust.

Selected Excerpts:

"The fall of the Iron Curtain and reopening to the West spurred some countries in the region to re-examine their history and to preserve and rebuild remnants of their Jewish heritage.

In Poland, commemoration of the Holocaust started with relatively small projects before mushrooming with the help of the Jewish diaspora, said Sofia Dyak, director of the Center for Urban History of East Central Europe in Lviv.

Such projects are spreading now in Ukraine as well, supported in part by public and private donors such as the American Jewish Committee and the German government.

...

Around one million Jews were killed during World War II on the territory that is now Ukraine. The Soviets largely ignored the genocidal nature of the Holocaust, referring to its victims generically as “Soviet citizens” and “civilians.”

After independence in 1991, Ukraine concentrated on reviving previously taboo national narratives, such as the fighters widely seen as heroes here for resisting the Russians and the Poles. But some of those Ukrainian nationalists also collaborated with the Nazi German invaders and were involved in the killing of Jews.

A few Ukrainian fighting units and parties today have adopted nationalist insignia and flags, which Russia uses to tar the Kiev government as a whole.

“Without having a clear history, people distort it,” said Yaakov Dov Bleich, a leading rabbi in Ukraine. “No one [in Ukraine] respects nationalists because they killed Jews, but because they fought for independent Ukraine."

Please read rest of the article at: http://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-seeks-ways-to-recall-jewish-past-1461769089

Survival of the richest: How oligarchs block reform in Ukraine.

Survival of the richest: How oligarchs block reform in Ukraine.

Greg Krasovsky: What an understatement!

So why do the U.S., EU and theri allies support Ukrainian oligarch Petro Proshenko as Ukraine's president?

Because he's a "loyal" anti-Russian oligarch?

The lesser of two geo-political evils?

My heart weeps for ordinary Ukrainians who are being driven into utter poverty by Ukrainian oligarchs and held hostage by corrupt Ukrainian politicians and their sponsors (foreign & domestic).

Selected excerpt:

"And while Ukraine suffers from many types of corruption, it is the penetration of its politics by the super-rich oligarchy that forms the main obstacle to reform.

Wealth is concentrated in few hands in Ukraine. Before the Euromaidan protests of 2013 the assets of Ukraine’s 50 richest individuals made up over 45 percent of GDP, almost five times as much as in the US. Politics in Ukraine is extraordinarily expensive, with campaign expenditures running at hundreds of millions of dollars. And oligarchical media ownership further strengthens the hold of the wealthy over Ukraine’s democracy.

The author highlights two key areas, the judiciary and Ukraine’s state-owned enterprises, where the nascent process of ‘de-oligarchisation’ has failed to take hold. Control over the courts means that there have been no high-profile leading figures from the Yanukovych era brought to trial. And Ukraine’s state-owned enterprises siphon off government funds to the pockets of oligarchs, providing further funds for them to control events in Kyiv."

Please read rest of the article at: http://www.ecfr.eu/publications/summary/survival_of_the_richest_how_oligarchs_block_reform_in_ukraine6091

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Left-wing, Antiwar Voice in Ukraine Assaulted by Rightist Extremists.

Left-wing, Antiwar Voice in Ukraine Assaulted by Rightist Extremists.

"On April 22, the leader of the Union of Left Forces (Союз Лівих Сил) of Ukraine, Vasyl Volga, was attacked in Zaporizhia, southern Ukraine by ‘activists’ – extreme nationalists – of the Azov Battalion and Syla Natsii (Force of the Nation). Volga and his colleagues came to Zaporizhia to present the program of their party which fights for the cessation of war in Ukraine, the restoration of peace and integration of Donbass back into Ukraine.
...
Ukrainian democracy indeed. People who do not agree with the current Kyiv regime are being intimidated into silence – jailed, attacked physically or, like journalist Oleh Buzyna, killed. Freedom of opinion is crushed. Vasyl Volga said that the puppeteers of the far-right extremists who attacked him in Zaporizhia want to discredit him by labeling him a “separatist”. These puppeteers are making huge profits by sending young Ukrainians to war.

 
The Union of Left Forces led by Vasyl Volga was founded in 2008. The party advocates a neutral status for Ukraine, the restoration of close ties with Russia and the creation of a common space of security and cooperation which would include Russia and the European Union (from the Atlantic Ocean to the Kuril Islands in the Pacific.
 
In domestic policy, the party defends the idea of the socialization of the economy; the decentralization of political power into a “soft” federalization which would grant regions of Ukraine autonomy in defining cultural policy; the introduction of Russian as a second official language of Ukraine; and implementation of the European Charter of regional and minority languages.
 
 The Union of Left Forces is one of the courageous voices in Ukraine fighting the nationalistic oligarchic regime that has driven the country into an economic abyss and a fratricidal civil war."

Please read the rest of the article at:  http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/26/left-wing-antiwar-voice-in-ukraine-assaulted-by-rightist-extremists/

Ukrainian President Poroshenko set up secret offshore firm during the heaviest fighting in East Ukraine.

Ukraine’s leader set up secret offshore firm as battle raged in Donbass.

With a Commander-in-Chief like that...

"Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, set up a secret offshore company in the British Virgin Islands at a time when his troops were being wiped out in a bloody battle with Russian troops and pro-Moscow rebels.

Leaked documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca show that Poroshenko registered the company, Prime Asset Partners Ltd, on 21 August 2014. Records in Cyprus list him as the firm’s only shareholder. They give his official address in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev – apartment 39, Hrushevskoho Street.

The registration coincided with one of the most notorious fights in the war in Ukraine, between the Ukrainian army and Kremlin-supplied insurgents. On 20 August 2014, government troops found themselves surrounded in the eastern city of Ilovaisk. As many as 1,000 soldiers were killed as they tried to retreat under rebel and Russian fire. Several hundred more were wounded or captured."

See http://gu.com/p/4t2k8?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Blogger