What Did We Do To Antagonize Russia?

In his harshest attack on Washington since taking office, Russian President Vladimir Putin blasted the United State over several issue.

The Bush regime, responded by saying it is 'surprised and disappointed' by Putins remarks. "His accusations are wrong," said Gordon Johndroe, Bush's national security spokesman.

So what exactly are Putin's grivances with the United States?

Putin bitterly lamented at the Munich Security Forum:

1. American Unilateralism, Use Of Force & Global Instability:

"we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations,"

and that:

"one state, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way."

"This is very dangerous, nobody feels secure anymore because nobody can hide behind international law."

Putin warned that the power amassed by any nation that assumes this ultimate global role:

“destroys it from within. It has nothing in common with democracy, of course.”


2. The European Missile Shield:

On the missile defense system, Putin said,

"I don't want to accuse anyone of being aggressive."

"That balance will be upset completely and one side will have a feeling of complete security and given a free hand in local, and probably in global, conflicts..." he said.

"We need to respond to this."


3. NATO Expansion:

"The process of NATO expansion has nothing to do with modernization of the alliance or with ensuring security in Europe," Putin said.

"On the contrary, it is a serious factor provoking reduction of mutual trust."

“We have the right to ask, against whom is this expansion directed.”


4. Meddling In Internal Affairs:

He said that the United States had turned the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sends international monitors to elections in the former Soviet sphere:

“into a vulgar instrument of insuring the foreign policy interests of one country.”


5. Sowing The Seeds Of Division:

Rubble from the Berlin Wall was “hauled away as souvenirs” to countries that praise openness and personal freedom, he said,

but

“now there are attempts to impose new dividing lines and rules, maybe virtual, but still dividing our mutual continent.”


6. Kosovo's Independence:

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov issued a strong warning that granting independence to Kosovo could spark a "chain reaction" among other breakaway regions in Europe and the former Soviet Union.

"If we imagine a situation where Kosovo achieves independence, then other people, people living in regions that are not recognized, will ask us: 'are we not as good as them?'"

"This concerns obviously the post-Soviet space, but also regions in Europe," he said.

"This can create a chain reaction ... we must be careful not to open Pandora's box."


7. Oil:

America backed a pipeline to deliver Caspian Sea oil from Azerbaijan through Georgia to Turkey, deliberately, in order to bypass Russia


8. US Military Bases:

Putin gave America the green light to use bases in the old Soviet Republics for its invasion of Afghanistan.

America, now seems determined on occupying those bases in Central Asia on a permanent basis.


9. Fomenting Regime Change:

Through the National Endowment for Democracy, its GOP and Democratic auxiliaries, and tax-exempt think tanks, foundations, and "human rights" institutes such as Freedom House, headed by ex-CIA director James Woolsey, America has embarked on fomenting regime change in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet republics, and Russia herself (also in Lebanon).

U.S.-backed revolutions have succeeded in Serbia, Ukraine, and Georgia, but failed in Belarus, and is stalemated in Lebanon.

Moscow has now legislated restrictions on the foreign agencies that it sees, not without justification, as subversive of pro-Russian governments.