What’s Eating President Vladimir Putin?
Whilst the U.S. media continues its obsession with Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell - the world continues to spin. In Europe however - there appears considerably less ’spin’ and plenty more shudder! Russia has been flexing its economic muscle over former Soviet countries and a significant portion of the European Union. Its weapon? The supply and price of Russian Natural Gas and Oil. Mother Russia supplies the majority of the natural gas and crude oil supplies of a significant number of European countries including - no less - the industrial power-house Germany!
Russia recently shut-down (literally) the so-called ‘Friendship’ pipline - the Druzhba - after the country of Belarus imposed a heavy new tax on Russian Oil flowing through the Druzhba pipeline - which transverses Belarus. This was in retaliation to Russia’s unilateral doubling of Russian Natural Gas prices for Belarus and other european nations. The Druzhba pipeline delivers a substantial portion of Europe’s oil needs and can and does provide serious implications for the economic vitality and security of the European Union.
Belarus and Russia today announced a hasty compromise - in a less than warm statement by both sides.
Russia has an almost perfect monopoly over Europe - EU members and former-Soviet nations - as the sole provider of Natural Gas.
So the question posed is … what’s eating Russian President Vladimir Putin. As he nears the end of his constitutionally-limiting final term in office - why is he so determined to play economic hardball with his former-soviet neighbors and, more importantly perhaps, the European Union?
The newly elected German Chancellor Angela Merkel - rightfully pissed off - today announced a state visit to Russia, arranged with very short notice and utmost haste. The purpose - ‘to discuss gas and oil policy’.
Heads of State are, by job description - conversant and frequent purveyors of all things touchy-feely. So when Chancellor Merkel - and current EU president - denounces Russia’s actions and suggests Russia has “destroyed (the) trust” of Germany and the EU - she is basically calling President Putin a sheisskopf - and perhaps rightfully so!
Last week the Congressional Research Service (CRS) [a department of the Library of Congress] - put out an updated report for Congress entitled ‘Russian Natural Gas: Regional Dependence‘. This report effectively suggests Europe is completely at the mercy of Russia for its supplies of natural gas and oil and no practical / medium-term alternative can be made. Putin knows this only too well!
According to the EIA - Energy Information Agency - Russia holds the major of the world’s known natural gas reserves (42%) - followed by the Middle East (34%) and the United States (15%) - with a small remainder scattered around the globe.
Nations within Europe are only too aware of the economic risk involved in this most rotten of circumstances and are clearly keen to find alternative arrangements. You can be sure Germany will press its intellectuals into finding something much sooner than previously agreed. Finland - 100% dependent on Russian natural gas - puts it quite succintly in their report ‘Dimensions of Energy Supply‘ published by the Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency.
‘Security of supply of energy is key element for the functionality of the modern societies. … According to the statistics of the year 2004, about 70 % of the imported energy is imported from Russia. This means that 50 % of the total energy use in Finland has a Russian origin. Is this really a diversification of energy procurement or a dependency?’
Many observers of Russia’s recent antics suggest more than frustration and genuine fear that President Putin’s Russia is returning to the aggressive posturing of the Soviet days of old - complete with the associated global insecurities this presents … of a nuclear-capable bad guy building negative influence around the world!
Ben Stein is not just a game-show host with an interesting accent. He is and most probably shall continue to be a very influential political wonk. A former speech writer for President Nixon and Ford. An editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal and multiple author.
His recent written contribution for in Military.com (a terrific portal for the military establishment and political hawks) sums it up very well indeed:
“Everyone is worrying like mad about the Moslems taking over Europe. It may well be that Russia has beaten them to the punch. Europe is now in chains of oil and gas, marked “Made in Putin’s Russia.” NATO is meaningless. The pride of France and Germany and Italy is in vain. Energy trumps all else, and Putin sure looks like he has won a very, very big prize.
Someone, please tell me I am wrong. I don’t even dare to want to be right about this.”
A number of blogs cover all-things Russian - news, events, opinions - and their content adds to the feeling that Putin’s Russia has motives that are not necessary in the best interests of those around it! La Russophobe | Publius Pundit are fine examples.
Russia’s sticky fingers reach across the globe and - of late - seem to undermine the actions of the Bush Administration and even the European Union. Examples; Iran’s nuclear ambitions; the Chinese appetite for weapons; unilateral discussions with Venezuela’s Chavez.
As China’s military might continues to expand - and play catchup to that of the United States - the largest provider of conventional weapons to China is, of course, Putin’s Russia.
How time flies! Did it not seem only yesterday President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin were hand-holding buddies complete with invites to the Crawford ranch, fellowship at G8 meetings, united and joint positions on efforts to control radioactive materials, terrorism and nuclear proliforation?
Has Russia fallen into hands of a corrupt KGB agenda? The European media continues to cover the murders of a slew of Russian dissidents with ambiguous links to Russian intelligence and the Kremlin. Either bad things are stewing or something is really eating Vladimir Putin - either way - this is not good at all!
Posted on January 10th, 2007 under Belarus, Corruption, EU, Europe, KGB, Merkel, Natural Gas, Russia, oil • 
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January 11th, 2007 at 12:01 am
[...] Via La Russophobe, new(ish) blog Opinionist.com has more on Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, noting that “Russia has an almost perfect monopoly over Europe - EU members and former-Soviet nations - as the sole provider of Natural Gas.” [...]
January 11th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
What’s Eating Putin?…
A look at the feud between Russia and its neighbors over natural gas an oil. (Opinionist)……
January 11th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Can you produce the same kind of graphic for oil as you have for gas? That would be interesting.
February 22nd, 2007 at 4:05 pm
[...] those simple days have been replaced by a greatly weakened U.S., an energetic Russia with newfound monopolistic energy wealth, and a destabilized and fractured ‘war on terror’ against an Islamofascism that makes [...]
June 13th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
[...] see ‘What’s Eating President Vladimir Putin?‘ [...]
June 26th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
I smell another rise in gas and oil creeping up on the general public yet again. MMmmmm Sounds familiar.
July 19th, 2007 at 8:11 am
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.
Noble Americans,
Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused by the US administration as well as the tragic consequences of US interference in other countries;
Were the American people not God-fearing, truth-loving, and justice-seeking , while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes any objective portrayal of current realities;
And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and protect freedom and human dignity and integrity;
Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you.
While Divine providence has placed Iran and the United States geographically far apart, we should be cognizant that human values and our common human spirit, which proclaim the dignity and exalted worth of all human beings, have brought our two great nations of Iran and the United States closer together.
Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking, and both seek dignity, respect and perfection.
Both greatly value and readily embrace the promotion of human ideals such as compassion, empathy, respect for the rights of human beings, securing justice and equity, and defending the innocent and the weak against oppressors and bullies.
We are all inclined towards the good, and towards extending a helping hand to one another, particularly to those in need.
We all deplore injustice, the trampling of peoples%q% rights and the intimidation and humiliation of human beings.
We all detest darkness, deceit, lies and distortion, and seek and admire salvation, enlightenment, sincerity and honesty.
The pure human essence of the two great nations of Iran and the United States testify to the veracity of these statements.
Noble Americans,
Our nation has always extended its hand of friendship to all other nations of the world.
Hundreds of thousands of my Iranian compatriots are living amongst you in friendship and peace, and are contributing positively to your society. Our people have been in contact with you over the past many years and have maintained these contacts despite the unnecessary restrictions of US authorities.
As mentioned, we have common concerns, face similar challenges, and are pained by the sufferings and afflictions in the world.
We, like you, are aggrieved by the ever-worsening pain and misery of the Palestinian people. Persistent aggressions by the Zionists are making life more and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine . In broad day-light, in front of cameras and before the eyes of the world, they are bombarding innocent defenseless civilians, bulldozing houses, firing machine guns at students in the streets and alleys, and subjecting their families to endless grief.
No day goes by without a new crime.
Palestinian mothers, just like Iranian and American mothers, love their children, and are painfully bereaved by the imprisonment, wounding and murder of their children. What mother wouldn%q%t?
For 60 years, the Zionist regime has driven millions of the inhabitants of Palestine out of their homes. Many of these refugees have died in the Diaspora and in refugee camps. Their children have spent their youth in these camps and are aging while still in the hope of returning to homeland.
You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it.
Who can deny such broken promises and grave injustices towards humanity by the US administration?
Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants to side with or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the US administration disregards even its own public opinion and remains in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Let%q%s take a look at Iraq . Since the commencement of the US military presence in Iraq , hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, maimed or displaced. Terrorism in Iraq has grown exponentially. With the presence of the US military in Iraq , nothing has been done to rebuild the ruins, to restore the infrastructure or to alleviate poverty. The US Government used the pretext of the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq , but later it became clear that that was just a lie and a deception.
Although Saddam was overthrown and people are happy about his departure, the pain and suffering of the Iraqi people has persisted and has even been aggravated.
In Iraq , about one hundred and fifty thousand American soldiers, separated from their families and loved ones, are operating under the command of the current US administration. A substantial number of them have been killed or wounded and their presence in Iraq has tarnished the image of the American people and government.
Their mothers and relatives have, on numerous occasions, displayed their discontent with the presence of their sons and daughters in a land thousands of miles away from US shores. American soldiers often wonder why they have been sent to Iraq .
I consider it extremely unlikely that you, the American people, consent to the billions of dollars of annual expenditure from your treasury for this military misadventure.
Noble Americans,
You have heard that the US administration is kidnapping its presumed opponents from across the globe and arbitrarily holding them without trial or any international supervision in horrendous prisons that it has established in various parts of the world. God knows who these detainees actually are, and what terrible fate awaits them.
You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and Abu-Ghraib prisons. The US administration attempts to justify them through its proclaimed “war on terror.” But every one knows that such behavior, in fact, offends global public opinion, exacerbates resentment and thereby spreads terrorism, and tarnishes the US image and its credibility among nations.
The US administration%q%s illegal and immoral behavior is not even confined to outside its borders. You are witnessing daily that under the pretext of “the war on terror,” civil liberties in the United States are being increasingly curtailed. Even the privacy of individuals is fast losing its meaning. Judicial due process and fundamental rights are trampled upon. Private phones are tapped, suspects are arbitrarily arrested, sometimes beaten in the streets, or even shot to death.
I have no doubt that the American people do not approve of this behavior and indeed deplore it.
The US administration does not accept accountability before any organization, institution or council. The US administration has undermined the credibility of international organizations, particularly the United Nations and its Security Council. But, I do not intend to address all the challenges and calamities in this message.
The legitimacy, power and influence of a government do not emanate from its arsenals of tanks, fighter aircrafts, missiles or nuclear weapons. Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest for justice and compassion and empathy for all humanity. The global position of the United States is in all probability weakened because the administration has continued to resort to force, to conceal the truth, and to mislead the American people about its policies and practices.
Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this behavior and they showed their discontent in the recent elections. I hope that in the wake of the mid-term elections, the administration of President Bush will have heard and will heed the message of the American people.
My questions are the following:
Is there not a better approach to governance?
Is it not possible to put wealth and power in the service of peace, stability, prosperity and the happiness of all peoples through a commitment to justice and respect for the rights of all nations, instead of aggression and war?
We all condemn terrorism, because its victims are the innocent.
But, can terrorism be contained and eradicated through war, destruction and the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocents?
If that were possible, then why has the problem not been resolved?
The sad experience of invading Iraq is before us all.
What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration brought for the American people? It is regrettable that for the US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American people and of the other nations of the world.
What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors?
I recommend that in a demonstration of respect for the American people and for humanity, the right of Palestinians to live in their own homeland should be recognized so that millions of Palestinian refugees can return to their homes and the future of all of Palestine and its form of government be determined in a referendum. This will benefit everyone.
Now that Iraq has a Constitution and an independent Assembly and Government, would it not be more beneficial to bring the US officers and soldiers home, and to spend the astronomical US military expenditures in Iraq for the welfare and prosperity of the American people? As you know very well, many victims of Katrina continue to suffer, and countless Americans continue to live in poverty and homelessness.
I%q%d also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in the US :
The United States has had many administrations; some who have left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by the American people nor by other nations.
Now that you control an important branch of the US Government, you will also be held to account by the people and by history.
If the US Government meets the current domestic and external challenges with an approach based on truth and Justice, it can remedy some of the past afflictions and alleviate some of the global resentment and hatred of America . But if the approach remains the same, it would not be unexpected that the American people would similarly reject the new electoral winners, although the recent elections, rather than reflecting a victory, in reality point to the failure of the current administration%q%s policies. These issues had been extensively dealt with in my letter to President Bush earlier this year.
To sum up:
It is possible to govern based on an approach that is distinctly different from one of coercion, force and injustice.
It is possible to sincerely serve and promote common human values, and honesty and compassion.
It is possible to provide welfare and prosperity without tension, threats, imposition or war.
It is possible to lead the world towards the aspired perfection by adhering to unity, monotheism, morality and spirituality and drawing upon the teachings of the Divine Prophets.
Then, the American people, who are God-fearing and followers of Divine religions, will overcome every difficulty.
What I stated represents some of my anxieties and concerns.
I am confident that you, the American people, will play an instrumental role in the establishment of justice and spirituality throughout the world. The promises of the Almighty and His prophets will certainly be realized; Justice and Truth will prevail and all nations will live a true life in a climate replete with love, compassion and fraternity.
The US governing establishment, the authorities and the powerful should not choose irreversible paths. As all prophets have taught us, injustice and transgression will eventually bring about decline and demise. Today, the path of return to faith and spirituality is open and unimpeded.
We should all heed the Divine Word of the Holy Qur%q%an:
“ But those who repent, have faith and do good may receive Salvation. Your Lord, alone, creates and chooses as He will, and others have no part in His choice; Glorified is God and Exalted above any partners they ascribe to Him. ” (28:67-68)
I pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations and indeed all nations of the world with dignity and success