MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Putin wants Trump to be his ally in fighting terrorism
Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday said he needed friends in his fight against terrorism and invited US President-elect Donald Trump to normalize relations between the two countries, which have deteriorated considerably under Barack Obama. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesVladimir Putin said he needed friends in his fight against terrorism ,
Dec 02nd, 2016 - 01:42 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Well, if they stopped killing innocent civilians and supporting a dictator,
let food and medicines get in, he might well have had a few friends,
but until Russia stops what it is doing, I doubt the Americans will side with them.
just my opinion.
He should lock himself up if he really wants to fight terrorism...
Dec 02nd, 2016 - 02:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I was not aware Russia was killing innocent civilians and barring the entry of food and medicine. Please help me learn about that. Source?
Dec 03rd, 2016 - 02:31 pm - Link - Report abuse -1With Russia it's doubtful whether you will find a source...
Dec 03rd, 2016 - 04:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0...but one doesn't stay in power, ruling the Country in an iron grip of fear without terrorising one or two folk...
I think Stalin created it as a Russian Folk tradition...
@ owl61
Dec 03rd, 2016 - 05:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“In less than a year, Russia has killed more civilians than ISIS”:
http://uk.businessinsider.com/russia-isis-civilian-deaths-united-nations-syria-2016-8?r=US&IR=T
Think it's mainly the Syrian government, allied with Russia, that has been blocking aid, but there was an airstrike on a UN aid convoy that was probably done by Russian planes, although it could have been Syrian planes with Russian weapons:
www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/syria-aid-convoy-hit-air-strike-161005101005945.html
A BEAUTY CONTEST WITH NO WINNER.
Dec 03rd, 2016 - 08:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0First, it wasn't clear from your comment that you were referring to the Syria conflict war zones. The link you wrote and that site's link to the report of the SNHR doesn't mention blocked food /medicine into the Syrian war zone or anywhere else as far as I could tell. Am I wrong?
Yes, Russia is siding with the oppressive, dictatorial Assad regime against jihadi forces who wish impose a theocracy and who have committed serious war crimes themselves. As you may know, killing civilians is not necessarily a war crime if the opponent uses civilian places from which to carry out hostilities. The jihadis do so. All in all, I don't think Russian is any more guilty of war crimes than the opposition who have occupied certain Syrian territory and who commit atrocities without airplanes.
In conclusion, your point that Russia would have friends if it stopped etc....is not persuasive. Russia's conduct does not seem either illegal or irrational. It is allied with the Syrian government who condones its conduct - it seeks to destroy the sources of Islamic fanatic jihad terrorism. To the extent these jihad forces seek to overthrow the oppressive regime, I think Russia's conduct is aligned with US interests. (The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know.) I think Trump is an obnoxious buffoon, but if he can improve US relations with Russia, that is a good thing.
Why the Fcuk would anyone want to improve relations with Russia...
Dec 03rd, 2016 - 11:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0They should be kept alienated and isolated they only understand and respect strength and would prey on and take advantage of any weakness...
Never encourage them...or give them an inch or they will take a.......country
Whoops...too late....
@ owl61
Dec 04th, 2016 - 12:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0It wasn't my comment, I was just trying to be helpful by giving you links. I don't agree with everything Briton said, but I do think he has a point.
Russia is attacking all the rebels in Syria of every kind, although it's mostly attacking the ones closest to Syrian government held areas, which do not include Daesh. There are lots of groups with different aims, and not all want to impose a theocracy. The Kurds, for example, just aim to establish a separate Kurdish state.
Russia is also accused of war crimes for eg targeting hospitals and unarmed civilians, and using banned cluster munitions.
So Russia's conduct is illegal, although I agree it is not irrational. On the contrary I think Russia has done very well out of it's military adventurism, and Putin may well be inclined to see if he can go further.
The only way for the US to improve relations with Russia is the let Putin have what he wants, which most people in the west do not want to do for obvious reasons.
@ Voice
Back when the Russian economy was collapsing it might have been a good idea to improve relations and give them a hand. They didn't exactly get a positive picture of what democracy could do for them, so it's not so surprising they turned to Putin.
@ DT
Dec 04th, 2016 - 10:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0Likewise when the USSR broke up and the Cubans were starving it would have been a good time to reach out. Instead the U.S. increased sanctions hoping to starve the Cubans into submission. It did the opposite and consolidated support for the Castros and confirmed the belief that they must stick together and fight the common enemy. And it made the Cubans more self-sufficient and less likely to need the help of the U.S.
@ ElaineB
Dec 04th, 2016 - 12:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0True. I've always thought the US policy towards Cuba was remarkably irrational. They act like they think they own Cuba and have a perfect right to dictate what happens there and tell the people what kind of government to have.
I guess it's not so surprising lots of Latin Americans cheer for Castro despite the fact he was just another repressive dictator who stifled dissent to stay in power.
@DT
Dec 04th, 2016 - 02:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You are right that a significant number of Americans believe they own Cuba and they 'want it back'. It is a nonsense but comes back to people believing what they want to believe.
It reminds me unpleasantly of the Russian attitude to Ukraine and their other neighbours.
Dec 04th, 2016 - 06:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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