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| Russia |
| Putin-controlled Russian media churn out anti-American propaganda |
| 2004-05-06 |
| Whatâs interesting is that the bulk of the weapons turning up in jihadi hands are of Russian (and not Chinese, as I had expected) origin. Thereâs this really complex set of interactions going on, where the Russians fight one set of jihadis and sell weapons to another (who may in turn provide these weapons to the jihadis who are fighting the Russians). Richard Pipes was right - the Russian threat was not primarily the result of Communists taking power in the Kremlin - it has always been a problem of Russian imperial aspirations, which preceded Communism and has continued after the fall of the Communist Party from power. Aleksander Grigoryev, an editor for Washington ProFile (search), a non-profit international wire service that pumps American news into the hands of Russian-speaking subscribers, said the misunderstanding between the two cultures is at an all-time high. He said a lethal combination of the war in Iraq, the Russian view of American foreign policy and culture, along with a state-run media that thrives on anti-U.S. bias, has led to a growing âhatredâ for the American way of life among the Russian people. âRight now, state-run Russian media is a huge engine of anti-American propaganda,â said Grigoryev, who added that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, which Russia did not support, took these feelings over the top. âThis problem is extremely serious.â "Iraq broke down relations completely," said Zlobin, adding that the Russian people turned quickly on Americans when the United States led a coalition to invade Iraq despite its failure to get a U.N. resolution, which Russia opposed. "Itâs become a state policy to hate Americans." But the State Department has distanced itself from charges against Russia. In a February briefing following Secretary of State Colin Powellâs visit to the region, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones said both countries are working together on fighting terrorism in former Soviet strongholds. Talks over Russiaâs sale of weapons to Iran and its nuclear program have also been progressing. "We are able to talk about these issues in quite an open and frank manner, and thatâs valuable," Jones said. |
| Posted by:Zhang Fei |