-Caveat Lector- Russia's Anger Makes for War Talk J.R. Nyquist March 30, 1999 When US and NATO warplanes struck Yugoslavia last week, President Boris Yeltsin warned of a global war. But Western leaders have seemingly scoffed at Yeltsin's statement, and those of other Russian leaders. By ignoring such peril, Western leaders have taken a casual approach to Russia that may be intensifying Russia's growing animus toward the West. To date, no high level meetings between Russian and American officials have been arranged to address Moscow's concerns. The usual anxiety about US-Russian relations is almost non-existent. At the State Department, James Rubin offered the belief that "President Yeltsin, Prime Minister Primakov and Foreign Minister Ivanov see the value of keeping the relationship (between the U.S. and Russia) on track, and not letting someone like Milosevic derail everything that's at stake." Yet the relationship is not on track. After the air assault on Yugoslavia began last Wednesday the Russians froze their relationship with NATO. They pulled Russian ground troops out of the Bosnia Stabilization Force. They also expelled the NATO representative in Moscow. Ominously, they discontinued their cooperation on the Y2K problem -- a problem that could have catastrophic consequences for Russia unless they receive Western help. Then, the Russians canceled a planned visit by Pentagon officials to discuss the dismantling of Russian nuclear weapons. Worse still, according to Russian news reports, the Kremlin is contemplating the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons and bombers to Belarus. Belarus is Russia's invasion pathway to Europe. An alarm has been sounded throughout Russia. When NATO bombs began falling on Russia's ally, Yugoslavia, the banner headline of Kommersant, a business newspaper, simply said: "The Blow." Segodnya's ominous headline explained: "It's war. The Americans cannot convince the Serbs, and Russia cannot convince the Americans." Vremya's headline stated: "NATO planes have attacked Yugoslavia as well as Moscow's international authority." On Saturday Russian lawmakers, meeting in emergency session, passed a resolution 366-4 that called the NATO air assault on Yugoslavia "an act of aggression that is a gross violation of the UN Charter ..." The four page resolution further stated: "The aggression against Russia's ally Yugoslavia is seen as a serious threat to Russian security." Nikolai Zyubov, an independent political analyst, has stated that due to NATO air attacks on Serbia: "Russians are far more anti-American today than they have ever been." But more than this, he pointed out that Russia now feels threatened. Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Russian Communist Party declared: "The Americans have gone down the path of Hitlerism. The use of force has become the main argument in their policy, and so have blackmail, bombs and threats." The liberal Russian newspaper Izvestia called NATO's bombing campaign a "royal gift" to the Communists in the Russian Duma. "The Party of retrogrades," said Izvestia, "does not require a new strategy at all, as the NATO alliance has of its own accord provided proof of the slogans of anti-American propaganda." Russian outrage has been apparent at the US Embassy in Moscow. Angry Russians have pelted the US Embassy with eggs. The protestors are often heard shouting anti-American slogans. One placard said: "NATO go to Hell." On Sunday the protest almost turned violent when an attempt was made to use a grenade launcher against the Embassy building. Afterward, one of the Russian protesters snarled: "I hope the Russian government will understand and take this unique chance to start a war against the enemies of the Russians and of all Slav people." A leading Russian analyst, Leonod Radzikhovsky stated that "xenophobia, envy and hatred of America are deep rooted feelings in Russia." And now these feelings have been awakened. Valdimir Zhirinovsky, wearing a military uniform, called for Russian volunteers to fight NATO. "The Third World War started on March 24," he said. Thousands of young Russians have answered Zhirinovsky's call. Colonel General Viktor Chechevatov, commander of Russia's Far East Military District, has offered to lead a combined Russian force of "volunteers and regulars" into Yugoslavia. The Russian foreign minister, Igor Ivanov, spoke of the unity of the entire Russian nation in the face of America's bid for "global domination." He called it the worst crisis since the Second World War. The usually polite Ivanov further accused NATO of "blatant genocide," saying that NATO bombs have killed approximately one thousand Serbs. Ivanov has also called for the criminal prosecution of those responsible for the bombing. "We have extreme measures in reserve," warned Ivanov. "The NATO aggression against Yugoslavia is a very big mistake by American diplomacy and by Clinton," Ivanov said. Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, a likely candidate for the Russian presidency in 2000, compared the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. "The missiles were a problem for peace," said Luzhkov. "This is even worse." Vice Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, commander of Russia's Northern Fleet, told Itar-Tass on Wednesday that: "The Northern Fleet is ready to carry out any order issued by the Supreme Command to defend Russia's interests." On Saturday a powerful division of the Northern Fleet put to sea, including the heavy missile cruiser "Petr Veliky" and the aircraft carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov." On Monday the Russian Pacific Fleet left Vladivostok on "maneuvers." The deployment by Russia of both her Atlantic and Pacific fleets --neither of which have a direct relationship with the Kosovo conflict close to the Mediterannean -- should have set off alarm bells that Russia may have plans to widen the war, and soon. Since last summer, Russia has been dramatically increasing the number of nuclear warheads carried by its naval ships. Why is Russia now moving so many ships carrying such weapons onto the high seas? And what is the status of Russia's lethal submarine force? >From all appearances, American officials have ignored this significant Russian deployment of warships, just as they have ignored President Boris Yeltsin's dire warnings of a widened war. Has Clinton led NATO into a potentially disastrous confrontation with Russia? Not only have American and NATO officials failed to foresee the consequences of Russia's anger, they are doing little to soothe that anger. Contempt for Russia's diplomatic and military strength remains. Russia's fear and frustration in the wake of the bombing of Yugoslavia will continue to grow. The end of the crisis is nowhere in sight. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. 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