Blog @ MoreWhat.com

While the recent decision by the Nobel committee to award the 2009 peace prize to President Obama focused more attention on the US leader no more will be said about it in this post. US diplomatic strategy, success or failure, foreign policy and the role of the US State Dept and White House will be. All the talk about rebuilding America’s image, hope and change, a nuclear free world and ends to conflict needs a reality check. How are things going so far?

Not necessarily in order of importance what is on most peoples’ minds these days in terms of international relations or foreign affairs? From the US perspective the countries of note would include Russia, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, North Korea and Iran. Of course the perennial favorites not yet mentioned would be any country in the Middle East. Israel and its neighbors are still without solutions. Russia and China are still vying for top dog honors with the US on the world stage. Upstarts Iran and North Korea at the very least want a seat at the cool kids table. So nothing much has changed.

Here’s a brief recap of events in US diplomatic strategy with a ‘new’ President and Secretary of State.

Still no progress in Palestinian/Israeli peace talks

NECN/ABC) - President Barack Obama’s Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, left the region Sunday after failing again to get Israelis and Palestinians back to the bargaining table. The breakdown of peace talks is taking a toll on Obama’s prestige among Palestinians.

President Obama’s Middle East peace envoy on another trip to the region - more meetings - more handshakes with Israelis and Palestinians - but still no progress, no movement in the peace process.

Not a surprise to see a headline expressing failure in Middle East diplomacy no matter who is involved.

What about Iran?

Putin Says Iran Sanctions Talk Premature

By VOA News
14 October 2009

Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says it is premature to discuss sanctions against Iran for its controversial nuclear program.

And the view from the US Secretary of State…..

“I believe if sanctions become necessary, we will have support from Russia,” Clinton told ABC television in an interview on Wednesday.

This is merely a continuation of the impotent international community’s response to Iran’s nuclear weapons program that was essentially confirmed again with yet another lie exposed with admission of the previously hidden enrichment facility already known to the Obama Administration. And no one will visit the plant until later this month. Like that will solve anything.

Which makes this next sham almost laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic.

Obama to Preside at UN Security Council

By Margaret Besheer
The United Nations

The United States has taken over the rotating presidency of the 15-member United Nations Security Council for the month of September. U.S. President Barack Obama and other top U.S. political figures will be at the world body this month to highlight issues of importance to the United States.

Another rhetorical masterpiece expressing the desire for a nuclear free world without the substance to support such a notion. The exclamation point is provided by the appeasement strategy reminiscent of a similar process that helped usher in WWII.

And what was the defining achievement by press accounts for the SoS Hillary Rodham Clinton?

Hillary Clinton Helps Turkey, Armenia Open Border - ABC News

Clinton uses diplomatic muscle in Turkey-Armenia row | Politics …

Turkey, Armenia Agree to Ties; Clinton’s Skill Tested (Update1 …

The Daily Star - Politics - Clinton hails Turkey, Armenia steps …

Clinton Helps Save Historic Turkey, Armenia Accord - International …

A more accurate appraisal of Clinton’s participation may be the following…..

Clinton to Attend Turkey-Armenia Normalization Deal Signing

By David Gollust
State Department

The State Department said Thursday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will fly to Zurich to attend Saturday’s signing of accords to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia.

A simple visit to the US State Dept website would bear this out. At least in terms of demonstrating that this State Dept is essentially no different from any other feeble attempt by heads of state to display their conviction to foreign relations or determination to improve conditions in the world. A visit to the website while producing this post featured the following items:

Positive Future for U.S.-Russian Relations

Finding Common Ground With Russia

Secretary Clinton Travels to Europe

U.S. Supports Peace in Northern Ireland

U.S. Supports Emergence of Afghan Government

U.S.-U.K. Advancing Shared Values

U.S.-Ireland Working Together

and travel puff pieces?

So much for the hope and change of a new administration in the US and statements expressed to suggest foreign policy would be successful.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The approach of the general election featuring the selection of a new President in the United States has seen an incredible amount of turmoil surrounding the current political season. The war on terror while producing success such as the troop surge in Iraq has fallen on the deaf ears and blind eyes of the Democratic party as they criticize the party occupying the White House in the form of President Bush and also offer no congratulations that the US has suffered no further attacks on American soil during his watch. Struggles in the financial sector are also blamed solely on the President and his party by the members of the political opposition.

These situations are not an entirely American ordeal of course as the leaders of Russia in the form of Vladamir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev are experiencing similar controversy. The report below may suggest a change in tone from the Kremlin although recent events are more reminiscent of the Cold War than not. Two Russian Tu-160 bombers left Venezuela this week after conducting air patrol flights in the region. They may return in November for a joint exercise that hasn’t been seen since the Cold War that Putin claims he doesn’t want to be ‘dragged into with the West.’

Just like in the old days of the Cold War, Russia flexed its muscle in a small way with the Tupolev jets but in a more symbolic but provocative way with its nearly simultaneous testing of a new ICBM. The Bulava carries six warheads and can travel 10,000 km. Not surprisingly the Russian media expressed the missiles ability to penetrate any future missile shield. A statement likely directed against the US plans to install missile shields in Poland or elsewhere to protect allies from the likes of Iran or other ‘rogue’ nations bent on expanding their influence through terrorist actions.

The apparent change in tone from Mr Putin was not likely in response to European Union members limp challenge to Russia’s thumping of nearby Georgia. After ruling out sanctions, the EU held a meeting and then condemned Russia for the move. Do you suppose they are somewhat timid due to Russia’s control over so much of their oil supply?

Almost mirroring US financial sector woes Russian President Medvedev blamed the move on Georgia as risking the orderly flow of business in the financial markets of Russia. More turmoil and upheaval in Russia may be faced by the ‘privileged class‘ with ties to the West, international finance centers and of all things NATO complicating their agenda. It may be difficult to tell if the Georgian conflict and repercussions from it were responsible for the need to prop up their markets with this week’s 20 billion cash infusion or if Russia was simply experiencing the same problems the rest of the world was.

Perhaps after some time to digest current events and take the world’s temperature, Putin took a different approach to public affairs in the report below. Just like the financial woes in the US and elsewhere, politicians may be making too much of it too soon. If in six months we’re hearing no more of it the proof that most of the talk was purely political will be obvious. Just as obvious as the players doing nothing to prevent future problems and that they were just being politicians.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Putin Rejects Cold War, Backs Economic Integration

By VOA News
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says his nation is seeking full integration into the world economy and will not be dragged into another Cold War era with the West.

Mr. Putin was speaking to Russian officials and business leaders in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Russia is becoming “increasingly authoritarian” and “aggressive.” At an event hosted by the German Marshall fund, Rice delivered her strongest comments to date about Russia’s invasion of Georgia and other recent actions.

She said the U.S. goal is to make clear to Russia’s leaders that their choices are putting Russia, in her words, “on a one-way path to self-imposed isolation and international irrelevance.”

She said that for Russia to reach its full potential, it must be fully integrated into the international political and economic order. She said Russia is in the “precarious position of being half in and half out.”

In Moscow, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said Thursday that relations with the United States remain a priority for Russia. He said it would be politically short-sighted to squander the achievements and potential in relations by reviving stereotypes of the past.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

By VOA News
15 November 2007
A Russian opposition political party says it has asked the country’s Supreme Court to disqualify Russian President Vladimir Putin as a candidate in next month’s parliamentary elections.

A spokesman for the Union of Right Forces, Nikita Belykh, told reporters in Moscow the president’s position as head of state gives his United Russia Party an unfair advantage in the December 2 vote. United Russia has put Mr. Putin at the top of its list of candidates in the parliamentary election.

Belykh said the president’s candidacy for parliament, while he maintains control of all of the organs of power in the country, violates Russian election law.

Tuesday, Mr. Putin said a victory for his United Russia Party in the elections would give him a “moral” right to retain influence after he steps down from the presidency next year.

Russia’s constitution bars him from seeking a third consecutive term.

Opinion polls suggest that the United Russia Party will win a majority of seats in the State Duma.

The Union of Right Forces is one of a number of political parties that have lost parliamentary seats and political influence since Mr. Putin assumed office in 2000 and later changed procedures for parliamentary elections.

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
07 November 2007

Russia’s lower house of Parliament has voted unanimously to suspend the country’s participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, considered to be a major element of European security.  VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports.

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, voted 418 to 0 to suspend the country’s compliance with the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty.

The unanimous decision confirms a suspension plan announced in July by President Vladimir Putin in response to a U.S. proposal to build a missile defense system in Central Europe.  Washington says the system is designed as a defense against Iran, but Moscow views it as a threat to Russian security.

The CFE treaty was adopted in 1990 by NATO and the Soviet Union to set limits on conventional weapons such as tanks and aircraft.  But the Soviet collapse changed Europe’s military equation and Russia now wants to amend the treaty to correspond with its current security needs.

However, NATO countries say Russia must first fulfill its commitment made at the 1999 Istanbul summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to withdraw its military from the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Georgia.

In remarks to lawmakers, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kisliak brought up the Baltic countries as another of Russia’s concerns.

With the Baltic countries’ accession to NATO, says Kisliak, the issue of a gray zone has emerged on our borders.  The problem is that having left the Soviet Union, the Baltic States are not covered by any arms-control regime.

Russian officials say the Duma decision can be reversed if NATO countries ratify an amended version of the CFE treaty.

Some Western countries are concerned that Russian withdrawal from the current CFE treaty could raise tensions and lead to a new arms race.

But a military analyst in Moscow, Pavel Felgenhauer, says an arms race is unlikely because - in his view - Russian military industries are in no condition to produce large quantities of weapons.  Felgenhauer is concerned that CFE suspension will lead to greater secrecy in Europe.

The analyst says that inspections, advance warnings, announcements and everything that goes into fostering transparency from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ural Mountains will no longer exist.

The vote by the State Duma to suspend the CFE Treaty must be approved by the upper house of Parliament and signed by President Putin.  Both are expected to do so.  The suspension is scheduled to go into effect December 12, but President Putin is also being given the authority to reverse the decision.

By VOA News
17 August 2007

Russia is resuming long-range bomber flights after a 15-year suspension.

President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he ordered patrols of long-range aircraft to begin immediately and said they will be permanent.

The long-range bombers are flying missions over the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.

Fourteen long-range bombers took off from seven airfields across Russia early today. The Russian military and media report that NATO planes are escorting some of the bombers, but NATO will not confirm that.

The Soviet Union used to conduct long-range bomber flight with planes carrying nuclear missiles. The practice ended when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Mr. Putin told reporters that Russia is resuming strategic long-range flights because other countries have not stopped these kinds of flights, creating what he called security problems for Russia.

Russia, receiving a boost from high oil prices, is spending more money on its military budget.

Last week a Russian military plane flew near the U.S. military base on the Pacific island of Guam, but the U.S. military said it did not get close enough to be intercepted.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

By Suzanne Presto
New York
16 August 2007

Presto report (mp3) - Download 587k audio clip
Listen to Presto report (mp3) audio clip

Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations says the Security Council should not take any action on Georgian allegations that Russia violated its airspace until after officials of the two countries carry out their own investigation. Suzanne Presto has more on the story from VOA’s United Nations bureau.

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin says Russian and Georgian experts will jointly probe allegations that Russian fighter jets entered more than 75 kilometers into Georgian territory and launched a guided missile on August sixth.

Georgian officials said the missile fell near a village outside the pro-Russian breakaway region of South Ossetia, but did not explode.

Moscow denies such charges.

Churkin says a high-level Russian delegation, led by the chief of staff of the Russian Air Force, has been dispatched to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

“Of course, our hope is that in the course of those bilateral contacts, this matter will be clarified,” he said. “This is our hope. There are of course all sorts of efforts to, as I said, to create, you know, some stir around this issue, unfortunately, from the Georgian side.”

Last week, Georgia’s deputy representative to the U.N., Irakli Chikovani, called the alleged missile incident a Russian “act of aggression,” aimed at disrupting Georgia’s democratic advances.

And Georgia has pressed international bodies, including the Security Council, to investigate alleged multiple violations of Georgian airspace.

The Security Council Thursday discussed the alleged missile incident. Afterward, the Council’s Congolese President, Pascal Gayama, said the body will continue to follow up.

Russia’s ambassador notes that while the reported incursion has captured the interest of some Security Council members, he hopes that the matter will not require Security Council action.

“Some delegations were proposing an official statement, initially, then a press statement,” he added. “But we explained to colleagues that this would be premature for the Council to make any kind of a statement of this sort, simply in view of the ongoing discussions and consultations between the Russian and Georgian experts.”

Churkin says it is too early to know what role the Council will play in any investigation. Russia is one of five permanent members of the Security Council.

On Wednesday, Georgian officials said a team of international experts determined that a plane flew into Georgian airspace from the Russian side.

But Churkin dismissed that assertion, saying Georgia is creating confusion by calling on multiple groups to investigate. He says the Russian and Georgian delegations should be given the opportunity to investigate thoroughly.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with Georgian Ambassador Irakli Alasania on Wednesday to discuss the missile incident.

By VOA News
16 August 2007

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says a U.S. missile-defense plan in Europe is a threat to countries across much of Asia.

Mr. Ahmadinejad spoke in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan Thursday, at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The group includes Russia, China and four former-Soviet Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Iran has observer status.

Russia has led opposition to U.S. plans for a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. The U.S. has said the system would counter threats of attack by rogue countries, including Iran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the meeting that attempts to solve global problems unilaterally are hopeless. He encouraged strengthening what he called a “multi-polar” international system to ensure security and opportunity for all countries.

The Central Asian summit also discussed the fights against terrorism and narcotics, environmental protection and economic development, with a particular focus on energy and transport links.

After the summit, the leaders of all six SCO-member countries - Mr. Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon and Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev - are to head to Russia to watch joint war games.

The SCO was founded in 2001 by six nations - Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

You see, Bush and Putin can play nice. It may just be for now. It may not solve the problem. But they can play nice. A little good German food, some wodka and a cigar or two and everything is better. Let’s review this in a month or two. Press conferences at G8 summits are never something you want to rely on for assurances of good behavior. Besides, Azerbaijan is just your ordinary peace loving country, right?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Surprise offer defuses U.S.-Russia missile spat

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany (CNN) — U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Thursday at the G8 summit in Germany to cooperate on missile-defense systems, apparently cooling tensions between the two leaders.
“We have an understanding about common threats, but we have differences. The difference is the ways and means in which we can overcome these threats,” Putin told reporters after a one-on-one meeting with Bush.
While the United States wants to install missile-defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic — a plan that has severely irritated the Russians — Putin said he suggested using an existing radar station that Russia rents in neighboring Azerbaijan. That way, all of Europe would be protected, he said at a joint news conference.

If the previous post does not show you that Senator Harry Reid is a contradction then understand he said they would not cut and run in Iraq or raise taxes. Right at the moment the tax thing is secondary. He said they would not cut and run. Senator Reid would you kindly explain the report below if you are not planning on cut and run?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

US Senate Democrats Draft Plan to Revise Military’s Iraq Mission
By VOA News
23 February 2007

Democratic Party leaders in the U.S. Senate are working on legislation that would effectively revoke the 2002 resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.

Senate Democratic aides say the proposal, which is not expected to be adopted, would limit the U.S. military’s mission to training Iraqi troops and police forces, securing the country’s borders and combating terrorist forces. Regular combat forces would be withdrawn by next year.

The proposal, drafted by Senator Carl Levin, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Joseph Biden, who chairs the Foreign Relations panel is set to be presented to other Democratic senators next week.

If accepted, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would likely attach the proposal to an anti-terrorism bill. If passed by the Senate, which is not likely, the revised authorization would also have to be passed by the House and would be subject to a veto by President Bush.

Democrats and the independents aligned with them hold a slim 51 to 49 majority in the Senate, but hold a more comfortable majority in the House of Representatives.

The 2002 resolution gave President Bush authorization to take military action against Iraq, because of its alleged arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. In a speech last week, Biden said the original resolution is now irrelevant because the WMD program did not exist, and former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is “no longer there.”

The bill is the latest effort by Senate Democrats to challenge President Bush on his Iraq policy. A vote on a non-binding resolution criticizing Mr. Bush’s plan to deploy an additional 21,000 troops to Iraq failed in the Senate, but was passed in the House last week.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the House of Representatives are considering a proposal by lawmaker Jack Murtha that would link funding of the U.S. military mission in Iraq to strict conditions on troop readiness and training standards.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Right Nation, Leaning Straight Up, Maggie’s Notebook, and basil’s blog, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Putin accuses U.S. of making world unsafe

Gates and McCain sit stone-faced as the Russian leader assails American militarism during a speech at a Munich security conference.
By Peter Spiegel, Times Staff Writer
February 11, 2007
MUNICH, GERMANY — Russian President Vladimir V. Putin berated the United States in a major speech Saturday before senior American and European officials, declaring that Washington’s militarism had fostered global instability and forced vulnerable nations to seek nuclear weapons.

Putin accuses US of arrogance
Putin: US has incited an arms race
Putin says domineering US destabilizes global security
Putin accuses US of bid to force will on world
Putin says US wants to dominate world
Russia’s Putin blames US policy for nuclear race
Us Expresses Surprise At Putin Remarks
US “disappointed” by Putin criticism
US defense chief calls for partnership with Russia
NATO chief calls for partnership with Russia

See what happens when you lose superpower status. You start criticizing the only country to which that term is currently applied. Some of your former colleagues from the KGB are suspected of operating a black market on nuke material and technology. So let’s not be so free with the accusations. Just a little review would include the Cold War, the Eastern block, the Cuban missile crisis, Afghanistan and Chechnya. There are many more examples, but you seem to be the only one who needs a history refresher. At the worst, both the United States and the former Soviet Union can be blamed for the inability to resolve problems between the two countries since WWII.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com