Putin's Apologia and the Post-Cold War Russian Narrative

The text of Putin's 18 March speech can be found at this link:

http://praguepost.com/eu-news/37854-full-text-of-putin-s-speech-on-crimea

Very interesting. His arguments are pretty sound and logical and they are in line with what some have been saying since the 1990's.

Our media will not report any of this. Dare anyone ask why?

It's the same reason they never really let us hear what Bin Laden was saying. They don't want to open up the discussion.

Just today I was finishing up the year 2001 with my kids and one of the last items of the year, just after the Shoe Bomber, was the US withdrawal from the ABM treaty of 1972.

For Russia, a country just getting up off of its knees in 2001 that was quite a move, quite a declaration. Quite a kick in the face.

I firmly believe the US had strategic designs on the Middle East and Central Asia going back to the end of the Cold War. They never wanted to integrate Russia into the NATO framework and never wanted Russia to become even a regional power again. Of course this was silly. Unless you're going to carve up Russia, just its expansive Eurasian geography demands that it will always have regional interests.

Russia is not like other countries.

Call me a real cynic but I also believe (quite strongly) that the US position vis-a-vis Serbia had more to do with NATO expansion, European consolidation and timing than anything else. I don't think the USA cared one iota for Bosniaks or Kosovar Albanians. The actions in 1995 and 1999 were about geostrategic planning and I knew it even as I was a link in the logistics chain.

If Serbia under Milosevic wasn't going to accept the new order he had to be eliminated. Historically that would have been impossible. Russia has always stood by Serbia. There have been three times in modern history (post-Vienna/1815) when Russia was down. Every time a 'big move' is made.

The first time was after the Crimean War. A cast down Russia afforded Bismarck an opportunity to move and his actions ultimately led to German Unification which completely changed the balance of power and geopolitics of Europe.

The second occasion was the Russian Civil War. Russia was invaded by the Western Powers and a host of allies. By the skin of their teeth the Bolsheviks hung on but the lesson was never forgotten.

And finally, the 1990's when Russia was on its knees. The United States kicked it repeatedly and did all it could to weaken them and loot the country. I don't think even the warmongering Reagan would have done what Bush and Clinton did. I'm probably wrong there but the Russians have not forgotten any of it.

Putin is an evil man but he's not a fool. He loves his country and takes his responsibilities seriously. As I've said repeatedly his actions, his thinking...they are logical and no more immoral than that of his critics.

It's not that I want to defend Putin. It's that I can't stand the lies flowing from Washington and the corporate media.