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| Russia |
| Putin makes televised address to people of Russia |
| 2004-09-05 |
| President Vladimir Putin has addressed the people of Russia on major radio and television channels in the aftermath of the brutal hostage-taking in Beslan, North Ossetia, that ended in the deaths of about 350 people. Following is the full text of the address. |
| Posted by:GK |
| #9 Sure thing, Comrade. Give my regards to Tsar Putty, will ya? |
| Posted by: .com 2004-09-05 11:32:11 PM |
| #8 Khodorkovsky should have been shut down and imprisoned ten years ago. The prime task in Russia is not the protection of the private property that was prikhvatizyennoe or stolen under Yeltsin. It's restoring the effectiveness iof the state. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-09-05 11:29:59 PM |
| #7 Well, the State just acquired one hell of a hard currency generator with the Yukos seizure. I only wonder how much will get to the paycheck of a cop or nurse. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-09-05 11:27:12 PM |
| #6 In other words, Putin's speech may be a harbinger of New Thinking re foreign affairs a la Gorbachev's climbdown in 1985. The Russian elite may now be starting to recognize the merits of tilting away from Iran and aligning with the US, Israel (whose population is 20% Russian) and maybe Turkey. The India ties could be restored quickly as well. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-09-05 11:20:57 PM |
| #5 Putin is referring obliquely to what every Russian (but almost no westerner) recognizes is the root cause of most of the misery and squalor in his nation: the near-total disintegration of the Russian state as an effective, efficient provider of public goods. Since 1991, Russia has endured a state that -- cannot pass crucial, basic laws (like PSA legislation that's essential if Russia is to attract the $100 billion it needs in foreign capital to upgrade its rickety oil industry); -- cannot enforce the laws it has; -- cannot pay pensions; -- cannot pay state employees better than third world wages; -- cannot prevent the theft of much of the nation's wealth and military assets; -- cannot protect its borders or put down minor, third-rate rebellions such as the Chechen one; -- cannot prevent the inexorable drift of Russia's far east provinces into Chinese vassal status; -- cannot provide better than third-world medical care to a population that has the worst health, by far, of any industrial nation. Putin's speaking in code and admitting the obvious, core truth: the Russian state has been criminalized. It is decrepit. It is incapable of defending its people or enabling them a dignified existence. You won't read this in the mainstream western media because the idiots who fly into Moscow for a two-year rotation don't have any sources in or knowledge of the key institutions that actually run the country: the security services and the industrial bandit organizations. But this is indeed a momentous speech. What it means is that Breslan is viewed in Russia as their 911. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-09-05 4:56:29 PM |
| #4 Angie, That had me scratching my head too. Infact something is lost in the translation B, or something. Or else Putin is stilled to stunned to make sense. That police were bribed must have to do about how the economy thingy is broken. I think he's trying to get the Russian people to realise that it's their moral responsibility to keep the country together. To quit acting like common theives. That there is an enemy that needs to be defeated. BUT, did he name that enemy? Other than the Terroists and Those that organize them. Does he think Iran is a threat? I would if I were him. |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-09-05 1:49:18 PM |
| #3 I found the speech to be confusing - I have no idea what Putin is saying. I wish someone, in the know and not a part of the MSM (not believable), would translate. |
| Posted by: B 2004-09-05 1:08:08 PM |
| #2 “We are living in a transitional economy, which does not meet the requirements or the level of development of society and its political system..." True, but that sounds like the standard chum thrown out to placate libs ( 'you have to understand how the people justify terror, these people are poor and desparate, blah bla bl...') “... we let corruption mute our judiciary and law enforcement systems" somewhat amusing statement coming from Putin, given his employment history, but it is still a remarkable admission from the head of the Russian government. |
| Posted by: jules 2 2004-09-05 11:36:21 AM |
| #1 I must admit that we did not give a close look to the processes unfolding in our own country and abroad, or anyway we failed to react to them properly. I am very impressed by this statement. Does this mean he's not going to play nice with the Iranians? Some want to tear away saucy piece of our wealth, while others help these aspirants in so doing. They still believe that Russia poses a threat to them as a nuclear power. That is why this threat must be eliminated, and terrorism is just another instrument in implementing their designs. But what does this mean? Who believes Russia's nukes pose a threat? "This threat must be eliminated" -- is that what the terrorists think, or is that what he thinks? (A saucy piece?) |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2004-09-05 11:17:25 AM |