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lzhdan 02/20/2009 01:57 PM Report
Lili,
I have a question for you? why US don't stay and take care of their own Land? If you are interested in Russian fairytales and saying, here is one for you: "if you don't have anything smart to say, just don't say anything." Read some history books and some of the knowledagable and concise comments in this blog, and then if it is still unclear to you, ask informative questions. Nothing personal.
Lucky Barker 10/26/2008 05:51 AM Report
About war...
The Russo-Georgian war exhibited the features of a proxy war pitting US-NATO imperialism against Russian nationalism. Russian forces thwarted Georgia's armed provocations and issued a challenge to American and NATO policies in the borderlands.
When Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dimitry Medvedev ordered Russian forces to move through South Ossetia and cross the border into Georgia, they violated the UN charter. Their initial justification - defense of the Ossetians' right of self-determination - was as arbitrary as the one the United States and NATO put forward for their attacks on Kosovo and Serbia, where unlike in Russia's case their self-defense was never involved.
So, in responding unilaterally to a very real threat that had actually materialized, did Russia commit an act of aggression? Neither the UN Security Council nor the General Assembly could make that legal determination. Even if they had, Russia wouldn't have taken seriously a US-NATO charge of aggression that served only to emphasize its accusers' egregious double standards.
In the course of conducting the war, Georgian ground troops, tanks and some South Ossetian militia deliberately targeted civilians, committed acts of ethnic cleansing and wantonly destroyed civilian property in Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian capital, and in villages along South Ossetia's border with Georgia proper.
Lili 10/24/2008 09:26 AM Report
I just don't get it, why Russians don't stay and take care of their own Land. I understand and we all know that there are spheres of unfluence but how come samrt Politician can come out and state that Caucauses were and will be under Russian unfluence. GUess who's talking? Christina country, who gave them that right, GOD. Russians needs to fear that it will all come back to them. They have a great fairytale about the "The Fish and the Fisherman". How the fisherman cought the magic Fish that was making all hiswishes come true and then fisherman wanted to become more powerful than the Fish itself, and guess what he went back to the same dump where he started. I guess that's the greed... WANTING MORE...
about lavrov 09/30/2008 12:01 AM Report
The Russian Foreign Minister did not try anything hard. He is always like this. Just look on UTube his many appearances. Calm is his domina. He does not need to be psychotic like so many talking heads and Bush representatives. Competence and intelligence make all the difference in confidence and calm (as opposed to stupidity accompanied by hysterical propaganda). And the easy position he is in helps: Russia has no ideology like it used to have before. America is now governed by the ideologues from the Cold War - the American neoconservatives who keep praying for the return of the bad old days. That makes for hysteria in policy, spending and rhetoric. Let's just hope we get finally competent government for a change ourselves. The world will be so much better off.
Shaft 09/29/2008 07:56 PM Report
I have never heard of Russia's foreign minister Mr. Lavrov speaking openly, not with some concerns showing on his face anyway. His past interviews are a little more assuring than this one, although he tried to make it look more assuring. He certainly succeeded in asserting some of the points Russian representatives have been making in every opportunity they find, especially throughout the conflict between Russia and Georgia.
==>>> <<<== I think the Russians do recognize the fact that we in the West are grappled with awe as far as the current crisis in Georgia is concerned. They are trying very hard to assure the West that they have no intention of starting another cold war, at the same time they are trying to earn the respect and allowed to bully the neighborhood. I think Mr. Lavrov is by far the best man to convey Putin's policy to Western society media consumption like this very show -Charlie Rose. He tried very hard to do it in a cool and collected manner trying to comfort us all, unlike his table pounding boss –Prime Minister Putin. I sense certain fear in him that the hydrocarbon profit revenue Russia has been raking for the last few years, since snatching and took the oil company may be a scarce revenue, considering Western capitals are discussing environmental issues more and more to the liking of the oil rich Middle East and Russia. Mr. Lavrov tried to brush off the idea of renewable energy source by letting Mr. Rose know ahead of time at the biginning of the program that his country does not intend on depending on hydrocarbon revenue to implement their agenda. My take on that line is, if US were to reduce oil consumption and focus on renewable energy source such as wind, solar and other bio-fuel it would mean the greatest technological slap to Russia's future plans. Because Russia's plan depends on the amount of petrol cash gained, then using the profits to buy influence from all corners of the world especially their vision of dominating the Southern America continent. Russia has serious fear of US coming up with comprehensive energy plan including renewable energy will certainly disrupt or slow Russia's future ambition of flexing its muscle. Thanks for the good interview again, Mr. Rose.
financial perspectives 09/28/2008 08:14 PM Report
Interesting to know how the US is planning to foot the bills that are piling up, especially in the current economic crisis. Lets just recount the main figures. The Iraq war costs the US of $ 500 billion. The largest cash withdrawn in human history $ 19 billion is gone and unaccounted for after its shipment to Iraq. The recent plan for the Wall street bailout is $ 700 billion. "B" as in "Bob". Other costs (Afghanistan war, tax cuts for the richest etc. notwithstanding). The Missile Defense System will cost (conservatively) about $ 240 - 300 billion . A billion here and a hundred billion there. A trillion here and a trillion there. Before you know it - we are talking real money!
political perspective 09/28/2008 08:00 PM Report
To contribute to a fruitful enterprise of mutual understanding it pays to try any situation in reverse: how would you behave in a similar predicament? For example: How would you like it if Russia installed a missile defense system in Tijuana while assuring Americans that it was not against them but the North Koreans? And would it be ok if Russia sent troops and arms to support the Alaskan Independence Party headed by the First Dude? Especially if that party was dead set on session after, say, a lost for the Republicans election? From the majority of the comments below, i presume, not.
historical perspective 09/28/2008 07:48 PM Report
In the past 8 years the US did the following: 1. abandoned habeas corpus (all 900 years of it); 2. committed and legalized torture (esp the Spanish Inquisition's favorite - water boarding); 3. waged illegal wars based on lies (like all the counties it once condemned used to do) ; 4. spied on its own citizens (like the Stasi and the KGB); 5. cut taxes for the richest during war time (first in the history of Western Civilization). Arguably, those are more serious crimes than the (apparently) impeachable offense of lying about a felatio. You are what you do, not what you say you do it for. Skip the BS. Nobody is delusional about the current US gvt except those brainwashed by it. The US lost all moral ground to say anything at this point to anyone. When and if the US investigates and punishes those who committed the above listed crimes and only then can it regain its former standing.
Selim Guner 09/28/2008 02:10 PM Report
Ouch, this is not about armenian-turkish fight in world war I. There is no such genocide and if anybody has the guts to claim that then come on, why no Armenian governmental authority or Armenian organizations or academics in US and France do not accept to examine Ottoman archives or attending bilateral historian search committees, why do they refuse ecen academic research? So much bubble, so much noise and nothing more than that... Armenian gangs killed so many Turks and Kurds in the war and local Turks and Kurds answered that; that is the sad story.. If anybody would like to claim more than that than be a man and accept academic reseach offers on Turkish side or show that Turkish proofs are incorrect...
Irina Gould 09/28/2008 04:07 AM Report
I don't have to Google anything,David,I saw everything with my own eyes.My mother had a heart attack and I took a flight from Domodedovo to Sochi a day before the same plane was blown up by a suicide bomber.Probably you remember two planes going down,forshadowing the tragedy in Beslan.I wish somebody would pay me for telling the truth;just amazes me how ignorant and prejudiced some people are. Russian is my native language,besides English I studied French,Italian,German,Latin and Gothic.
David 09/28/2008 02:30 AM Report
Pragmatist, every single statement you made is false, good job. BTW, "Russia for Russians" is a very popular slogan in modern day Russia, together with slogans like "white power", "kill the immigrant" etc. Racially motivated murders are also very common in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
David 09/28/2008 02:22 AM Report
Pragmatist and Irina, are you paid to post this BS here? And if I may ask a personal question, do you guys speak Russian? Just curious. Irina, are you surprised that Russian parliamentary commission agreed with Russian government? If you really want to know what happened, google 'Mothers of Beslan' and 'shmel', you will find a lot of interesting stuff to read.
Irina Gould 09/27/2008 09:19 PM Report
"Beslan:the mystery clarified one year later" by Thierry Meyssan:"The Beslan operation was not perpetrated by militants but by mercenaries.Its objective,therefore,was not the defence of a cause,either the independence of Chechnya or the establishment of a caliphate.It was a part of the "great game" where big powers vie for the control of the Caucasus and the resources of the Caspian Sea.Its organizer,Shamil Basaev,is deputy prime minister of a government in exile with contacts in Washington and London.He has all necessary logistics aid provided by the U.S. government through institutions known to have links with the CIA." It is fair to conclude,that those, who finance baby-eaters are baby-eaters.
Irina Gould 09/27/2008 09:02 PM Report
I don't know,David,where you get your information,but it is biased and false.Ask the young widows and children of those Alfa and Vympel guys,who gave their lives to save the hostages in Beslan,what they think of their husbands and fathers.Do they think,that their loved ones were cannibals?
Your posts make it clear,that years of anti-Russian brainwashing and indoctrination were not wasted on you.For those,opened for a different perspective,a couple of quotes on the subject.
1)"Beslan Massacre Probe Defends Russian Forces" by Peter Finn of Washington Post:
"A parliamentary commission investigating the 2004 Beslan school massacre in southern Russia...brushed aside the lingering questiones that fire from the government forces might have triggered the siege's bloody climax."
2)www.voltairenet.org/article127573.html
Pragmatist 09/27/2008 06:29 PM Report
David, you remind of someone from work everyone else laughs at, because they are clueless beyond belief, no common sense. Go back and hide in your mother's basement! Let's try to figure out who lives in Tskhinval, the capital of S. Ossetia. Children, the elderly, women, and men. Jews, Ossetians, Russians and Georgians lived peacefully in Tskhinval, until the city was bombed and attacked in a despicable sneak attack by the current Georgian regime. Of course they had their own defense forces, thankfully they held out long enough for Russian forces to race through the Roki Tunnel to relieve the besieged defenders and stomp on the Georgian military. I assume you read the article from Der Spiegel.... If apartment buildings in Georgia were hit by Russian warplanes, obviously it was not on purpose, it was collateral damage. With all of our smart bombs NATO forces still ended up hitting the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. It would be foolish to think it was attacked on purpose. Mistakes are made, it's called the "fog of war". I saw the plenty of footage of abandoned weapons and artillery shells, remember the Georgian military skedaddled all the way back to Tbilsi, leaving virtually all their war materiel behind. You either secure it, or destroy it. Oh and by the way, don't be so ignorant, learn the proper terminology it is "materiel" not material(s). Last, what's problem with people getting Russian citizenship, obviously Ossetians prefer Russians over the Georgians. I wonder why, but Georgia had a virulent racist for president, Zviad Gamsakhurdia 1991-1992, who's slogan was "Georgia for Georgians," and described the Ossetian people as "trash that has to be swept out through a tunnel".
e.f. 09/27/2008 06:01 PM Report
This character recognizes the facade shown to the world via the media by our privately owned yet western-centric programming. That's why he is detached from what affects the masses. Yet he sees how lies are the norm when it comes to politics, finance and relationships. So why should he be expected to act any different? Of course he came off as smooth as silk as so many have awed about on this comment thread. Hasn't little Bush attempt to pursuade just the same? Just like his Bush daddy can do with better results? This man is a true capitalist, looking for his payoff at the end of it all. Only thing is, the men behind his money are beyond being capitalists. It's not about money for them, it is only about control which produces power. We need to be asking ourselves: Who is trying to patent the seed used to grow food throughout the world? This altered seed which changes natural seed. Charlie needs to have a sit-down chat with that man.
David 09/27/2008 04:25 PM Report
Irina, I don't watch any TV. And 'Russians eating babies' is not as far stretched as you would think if you remember what happened in Beslan.
David 09/27/2008 04:22 PM Report
Pragmatist, your ignorance in these matters is remarkable. Tskhinvali is populated by Ossetian separatists who hold Russian passports and fight Georgia, so where did you expect them to run other than to Russia? And why are you so sure Russians were destroying war materials and weapons? There are no weapons in apartment buildings.
Irina Gould 09/27/2008 03:00 PM Report
David,if you watch CNN,Fox and read "New York Times" you would also believe,that Russians eat babies for breakfast.
Pragmatist 09/27/2008 02:55 PM Report
David pull your head out of the sand.
Russia was not attacking peaceful civilians just like our troops in Afghanistan didn't bomb 90 peaceful Afghans on purpose.
What the Russians were destroying was war matériel: ammo dumps, ammo depots, abadoned military hardware, artillery, etc. And before you say Russia used too much force ala "shock awe" tactics, it's not supposed an even fight. We didn't give a chance for Hussein to regroup his military, we pounded the heck out the Republican Army from land, sea, and air.
One of the craziest things Saaksvili said in his interview was that Russia started attacking Tskinvali. If that was true, why did the refugees run to Russia for protection instead of to Georgia???? Duh!?!?! Also world renown conductor Valery Gergiev, conducted a requiem concert in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali in remembrance of the victims of the recent fighting. David are you going to tell me that Gergiev is also wrong or something???
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,578273,00.html (DID SAAKASHVILI LIE?
The West Begins to Doubt Georgian Leader)
ouch 09/27/2008 02:40 PM Report
Selim, being Turkish, you should be one of the last people around to try and define Genocide. I guess what your people did during the Armenian Genocide (Ermeni Soyk?r?m?) also didn't count. Your comment would make Goebbels proud!
David 09/27/2008 02:35 PM Report
Is it in Russian army's code of honor to steal boots from dead enemy soldiers? Where the Russian soldiers instructed to rob local civilians or is it just their nature of petty thieves? How come Ossetians evacuated civilians three days before the war, did God almighty tell them the war was going to start or was it their Russian masters who told them they were going to invade? Why did Russian army continue bombing apartment buildings AFTER the war ended and OUTSIDE of the war zone, which resulted in more civilian deaths than the war itself? The greatest injustice in the world is that these guys can not be brought to the Hague and prosecuted for their crimes, compared to what they have done Milosevic's wrongdoings is a child's play.
Selim Guner 09/27/2008 02:16 PM Report
The performance of Lavrov was cool but at the same time it shows how untrustable Russians are; how come he could say that Americans and Russians are similar people; that was not only out of touch but also almost a joke... As a Turk I know both peeople and let me tell you that ity is totally wrong and I believe that Mr. Lavrov knows that well too. By the way Russiand calling of Georgian assault to Ossetia as a genocide is a memorable absurdity; any historian or diplomat would laugh at that. Georgians did a wrong-calculated move and I believe that they should not have caused so many Ossetiand casualties but genocide is a far far thing.
rich 09/27/2008 09:08 AM Report
It is absolutely true that the United States has its military forces planted in close proximity to Russia while the opposite is not true. Objectively, that is unfair, but as an American we should try to maintain this unfairness as long as possible. The fact that we could put missiles and missile defense systems so close to Russia's border is a sign of our geopolitical dominance over them. It is not a question of fair or unfair. It is a question of power.
Dave Levy 09/27/2008 09:01 AM Report
Listening to the debate tonight, one thing both candidates agreed to, Russia is a beast.
They applauded Georgia's resistance to Russia's invasion. Yet, are they right? What would we do if Cuba, or Venezuela or Mexico joined a Russian dominated group of nations? Did we care that we were the bully during the Cuban Missile crisis? Let's be honest, Russia has 40,000 nukes..only 100 can destroy US completely. That is why we will never fight the Ruskies...no matter Georgia or the Ukraine, which have had dismal relations with their bigger neighbor. We didn't fight them during the entire cold war, not directly that is. I don't want my city of Los Angeles nuked over two breakaway republics..or Georgia, unless it's our State of Georgia. The F.M. of Russia has lots of nerve..lieing to Rose, but he has the upper hand in this confrontation.
Slavko 09/27/2008 08:59 AM Report
I am deeply concerned that the volumes of lies that Mr. Sergei Lavrov has espoused in the interview with Charlie Rose.
Minister Lavrov spoke volumes about how the Georgian government acted against South Ossetia yet remains silent on acts of brutality/genocide against Ingushetia & Chechnya remain un-acknowledged and continue to this very day. Nevermind very active acts to counteract the Ukrainian government's move in the UN to make the government of the Soviet Union listed as a government that acted in genocide -- specifically the Famine of 1932-33 in Ukraine. What are they hiding?
The Russian Empire is back -- the experiment with democracy has been terminated with a bullet to the head (Russian style). The announcement in the past day or increasing the military might and nuclear arsenal of Russia speaks volumes. We are dealing with a nation that only thinks of power in physical means and will choose any means necessary to propagate their political goals.
The Russian government has escalated the issuing of passports to ethnic Russians in Ukraine, Moldavia, Georgia, and other fSU states. I understand they are now trying to undermine the Baltic states thru this same behavior. Is NJ, NY, and Alaska next?
Last point -- 60% of the cabinet are KGB -- During the Soviet Union one out of five KGB directorates was focused in on disinformation. Do you think they stopped this practice?
I think not.
This "gentleman" is a practitioner of this methodology.
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee -- Russian Imperialism is back. Face the facts.
Randy 09/27/2008 01:47 AM Report
I have read news releases from many neutral foreign publications. 99% of them state that Georgia provoked Russia in the recent conflict. Lavrov referenced 'Der Spiegel', the german publication on the show. Why would the germans 'lie' and state that Georgia started the conflict? I thought they were on our side? Russia has every right to be concerned about the surrounding nations turning to NATO and the U.S. planting missiles in Poland only 100 miles from the Russian border. How would you folks like it if Russia planted missiles in Cuba??? Remember our response in 1961? And you can't understand why Russia is concerned about our activities in their region? How arrogant!
tony 09/27/2008 12:48 AM Report
As a british citizen Mr Lavrov makes our foreign minister and that of the USA look like amateurs.He argued his points firmly and calmly.You dont have to agree with him but at least he comes across as intelligent and polite and measured as opposed to reactionary and full of bs.
ken hines 09/27/2008 12:33 AM Report
I was very impressed by Minister Lavrov and how well he handled delicate matters of disagreement. He seemed to absorb criticism deftly and did not return in kind or otherwise diminish himself. His language was nuanced and he did not stray from points or get rattled. Then I think of Condoleeza Rice and how processed and rigid she seems. Surely the Soviets are laughing up their sleeves at our ineptitude and amateurism. Our 'partnership' with them is severely damaged and there is a really big world out there that will not survive another cold war.
Sveta 09/26/2008 10:39 PM Report
Americans are extremely racist people. Americans oppress Helpless blacks, Asians and Hispanics. Hopefully, when racist Americans become the minority, America will be a nice country.
Bob 09/26/2008 09:41 PM Report
I was immensely impressed by the Russian foreign minister's demeanor and cogency in contrast with Condoleeza Rice's scripted public statement this issue. I had not anticipated that this would be my reaction. I wonder how much of the present confrontation over issues between the two countries is directly attributable to Bush administration policies over the past eight years. He has screwed up over most everything else (Mission Accomplished and Katrina, for instance); it is reasonable to assume that he would perform no better in our relationship with Russia.
Saba 09/26/2008 07:50 PM Report
S.Lavrov is very good at lying and turning the truth upside down. He needs to be careful before accusing Gerogians of genocide of Osetians. The real Genocide started 10 years ago when Osetians and Abkhazians backed by Russians attacked peaceful Georgian population and make then leave those territories. Since then Russians have been playing the role of peacekeepers but not even one Georgian refugee has been returned to their homes. Instead they gave Abkhazians and Osetians Russian Passports and were holding these cards with Osetia and Abkhazia for decades against Georgia, so the Country could never break free. So the Plan of taking these territories away from Gerogia was well planned not in August or June or December but 10-15 years ago. When it comes down to Osetians and Abkhazians, Russians armed former criminals of those regions who kept attacking Georgian villages, kidnapping people, raping and killing peacfeul Georgian population for years.
THe whole World needs to realize that Russian governors can't be fair, wise or democratic. It's either- drunkard fool like Yeltzin or brutal former KGB general like Putin, what will come up of this country but Trouble!!!
maureen 09/26/2008 01:24 PM Report
Now this is what a Foreign Minister should be:
knowledgable,very intelligent,very articulate and skillful. He would eat Palin alive in communication, as would most upper branch politicians around the world. Hopefully, USA will finally realise that dummying down their representatives to give the poplution edible soundbites will eventually lead the rest of the world to believe we are all morons...if not already!!!
Dave Levy 09/26/2008 11:29 AM Report
Sure, sure, we have not fought Russia directly, but perhaps he forgot about all those arms shipments to Korea during the 3 year war, or his country's invasion of Afghanistan, and aid to North Vietnam...or perhaps billions in military assistance to the Arab world in 67, 73 and the War of Attrition (Sam Missiles move up to the Sinai). Maybe he forget that Russian planes were being loaded with troops in 73, forcing US to move fleets to the Med. Sea. Charlie was too polite to this guy as usual..with our adversaries, including several Iranian interviews. Why didn't Mr. Rose inquire about those missiles Russia is supplying both Iran and Syria, which they claim are defensive (a good defense is the best offense). Why is Russia building those nuke plants in a country that exports oil? Why not build Iran's oil infrastucture instead? He knows that at the flip of a switch, Iran can make atomic bombs..and if it looks like a duck, walks and talks..like, it must be. The IAEA after all their efforts, still cannot determine Iran's true intentions. Why not pressure Iran with sanctions that work, instead of putting a band-aid on the problem?
Bottom line: he made Putins Russia seem like just another fledgling democracy..evolving into something resembling the US and Europe. Well, when Russia builds an intelligence base in Cuba and builds on it's momentum in Venezuela with more weapons and more joint maneuvers, what will Russia's excuse be? BTW, we were that close to nuclear war in Cuba, thanks to the Soviet's long range nuclear armed missles. Perhaps he should be reminded.
Douglass Montrose-Graem 09/26/2008 11:19 AM Report
One last "morning-after" thought: Did your guest assert: Russia strong?but Russia's economy has at least two fundamental weaknesses [a\ The current collapse/panic on the Moscow stock-exchanges and [b\ endemic corruption, allegedly worse than in Nigeria! Charlie, I know its easy to come up with some zingers AFTER an interview but your guest's clever manipulation of the facts should not go unchallenged
Preston 09/26/2008 10:59 AM Report
Haven't seen this show yet, but the issue of this issue is, if you look at the map, Ossetian territory is right in the middle of Georgian territory, and the russians consider Ossetians to be russians and insist the Georgians don't touch the Ossetian russians; which the Georgians are tempted to do because of all the disrespect that they had to endure during the Soviet russian occupation... Who's right and who's wrong? Well, quite frankly, An objective person would sympathize with Georgia. But after seeing how the Georgian President has been railing. I say F him! He's a F-ing belligerent Stupid Ass! Maybe him and Putin can have a death match in the ring and save some innocent lives.
Cayman 09/26/2008 10:56 AM Report
Bill - Please, don't think that people in the US are far away and did not study the history of Russia, Georgia and the USSR at school. Don't abuse their attention, please. You are right. Georgians and Ossetians are completely different peoples. Georgians always lived there because it used to be part of the Kingdom of Iberia. Ossetians are Iranian people and gradually were coming from the Steppes of Scyphia (now Russia) through the Caucasus Mountains down to more fertile lands at the border of Georgia during the latest thousand years, like Mexicans come to the USA now, for example. And at last, they counted up to 70% of the local population there. But it does not mean that it got Russia.
Douglass Montrose-Graem 09/26/2008 10:54 AM Report
"Two morning-after-thoughts" One: 315 of 450 members of Russian Duma ["parliament'"?\ belong to Putin's party - does not it's swift actions to accept two Georgian provinces "petition" to Join Russia another example of Russian "RUBBER-STAMP democracy"? Two: - CHARLIE, please invite Secretary Baker to explode the Kremlin mythology about alleged promise not to expand Nato to include Hungary, Poland and others. Anyway, even if some vague promise was made [during negotiations but never formalized\ to the Evil Empire, how can it possibly have any validity, after that empire has collapsed?
Bill Burger 09/26/2008 10:23 AM Report
What many people do not realize is the depth of history that is attached to the Georgia/South Ossetia crisis. The Ossetians are a completely different people from the Georgians. They have different languages and cultures. There are even physical differences between the two tribes. The South Ossetians belong to the same lineage as the North Ossetians, who no one debates is a part of the Russian Federation. The difficulty and temptation for Georgia is the geography - 15,000 foot mountains separates North Ossetia from South Ossetia.
70% of South Ossetia is comprised of Ossetians, 30% are Georgian. When Georgia broke away from Russia in 1991, the Georgians claimed South Ossetia as belonging to Georgia. The Ossetians have their own viewpoint and disagree with this Georgian assumption. In fact, many of the Ossetians hold Russian passports already. In 2006, the Ossetians held a vote to see if the people wanted to be a part of Georgia - 90% voted to remain under the umbrella of the Russian Federation. So, this is NOT an issue of Russia attempting to extend its territory. It is an action where Russia is coming to the defense of the their peace keepers and their passort-holding countrymen.
Do you not think Russia could take Georgia if they truly wanted it? Consider Chechnya. That country has provided them an excuse to take it by force if they wanted to extend their 'empire', as so many claim is their intent. So where is the proof that Russia is intent on expanding their territory??
The Georgian military has launched four major attacks into South Ossetia since it has broken away from Russia. How would the US react if Canada attacked the state of Maine? Would we stop at the borders between the two countries? No, certainly not. We would go into Canada, take out their military support in the region, and likely set up a naval blockade. That is part of what Russia has done.
Lavrov is a talented speaker. Today's US politicians would do well to learn from him. He answered every question directly and did not deviate or attempt to deflect what came his way.
The Bush administration - and McCain - need to get their heads out of this cold war mentality and try to work together with Russia for the good of man kind.
Moses Mphahlele 09/26/2008 10:03 AM Report
Unlike someother foreign ministers, Mr Lavrov s calm, doesnt throw tantrums like the Milliband and the Rices of today.
He is not governed by emotions but by the fundamental interest of his country.
JonB. 09/26/2008 09:42 AM Report
It is so amazing with what facility and a straight face Mr Lavrov lies and obfuscas the issues. The man learned well from the kgb.
Charlie, why didn't you ask the hard questions and not accept the runaround aswers?
GB 09/26/2008 04:51 AM Report
Outstanding interview. We came closer to the truth of many matters in one hour than the GOP fear/spin teams force fed us over the past eight years. Thank you.
Roses to Charlie 09/26/2008 04:46 AM Report
This was yet another great interview--and one that should be delivered to the candidates for our high offices, and also members of Congress, who seem to have a lot to do right now. In order for our "United Nations" to keep building the capacity to be united, and to actually make progress on seeing a true family of nations emerge, there is no way other than dialogue that respects the "other." The U.S. has to get greater insight into the entity we are dealing with today. Charlie Rose points the way--it is most helpful to listen first. If our leaders would only watch the whole interview, they might see some wiggle room for all kinds of new understandings and agreements to blossom. We are the peace we've been looking for.
TABS 09/26/2008 04:10 AM Report
Well we could always start a rant and pound our shoe on the table that Mr Lavrov in so many words called the US Secretary of State Condie Rice, "A crazy bitch" over the comments she made that were critical of Russia. Mr Lavrov has a deft way of obstufication by piling up facts and details to justify Russian actions as the wronged and/or misunderstood party in the matter. Most of what Mr Lavrov said was the "Official" speaking boiler plate of diplomats. However when Mr Lavrov said "nobody is perfect" then we got to the heart.---------------------------------------------------------------------What is exactly wrong with the Russian response is their defensiveness and inability to admit any wronging doing or mistakes on their part. In this world no body is perfect, everybody makes mistakes as Mr Lavrov later admitted. Those are the key words that indicate self reflection and thus balance in the deliberation of matters. Absence of that admission is an adversarial position of I'm right and your wrong.
Slava 09/26/2008 02:35 AM Report
It is well known that Lavrov is a very skilled diplomat S of B, and he showed it again today. Admittedly, in the last 7 years the US foreign policy hasn't been very different from that of Russia. However, while the US has the public spirit and constitutional checks and balances to restore sanity to the domestic political leadership every 4 to 8 years, Russia has neither. That is why people all over should be genuinely scared of today's Russia!
Douglass Montrose-Graem 09/26/2008 01:53 AM Report
One must admire your courage to confront such accomplished deceivers as Lavrov. A few random questions: Was it the Russians, or the Georgians which violated the terms of the cease-fire negotiated by Sarkozy? And still do? Did we misinterpret Putin's remark about [in his view\ the catastrophic nature of the Soviet/Russian Empire's demise? And Teheran rants about the destruction of Israel? How many TV outlets are left in Moscow which are truly free and independent? Is it understandable that the Afghans distrust Moscow, considering it organized a brutal war of unprovoked aggression against the Afghan people? Did the UN agency discover deep deception about Iran's nuclear program not long ago, and therefore has good grounds for being suspicious about the Mullahs' intentions? One could go on and on...But I admire Lavrov's ability to sidestep some of your questions, by lengthly dissertations and by changing the subject. In 1945 I survived the gulag "experience" - yet I love the Russian people - therefore I'm sad to see the Kremlin's current ignominious backsliding into...?
RE Mant 09/26/2008 12:27 AM Report
It is clear that the US still doesn't trust Russia, but it is probably due largely to the current govt's seeming interest in recovering the Soviet Union's lost territory, which they no doubt think of like China sees Taiwan. On the other hand, the current US admin has acted from the first as if the Cold War were still on. What the Russian intent is regarding Iran I don't know, but I can certainly see them feeling the balance of power would be upset by US intervention there. Communism, I think, fell less from anything inherent in it, than from a failure of the Russian ppl to live up to it, as seen clearly in the chaos of the first years of the new regime. Some idealists may wish otherwise, but it doesn't change the fact the the Russians themselves largely welcomed the reassertion of law and order, and the return of property stolen by what can only be seen as a mafia. I don't see that as necessarily meaning a failure of democratic and free-market principles, nor do I see anything wrong with the desire to insure social justice in such a transition. Perhaps, as with China, improving economics will bring improving politics.
Cheryl 09/26/2008 12:01 AM Report
Thank-you for this very thoughtful and enlightening interview. Very interesting to get a front seat to this interview and not have to depend on a version filtered thru another distorted lense. Thank-you Charlie Rose.
sock puppet 09/25/2008 10:24 PM Report
Bill - God's dictum is plain: all the planet's oil belongs to his chosen. Some of it is merely misplaced. Called redistributing the inventory.
Bill Burger 09/25/2008 09:03 PM Report
I am interested in gaining Lavrov's perspective on why he believes the west has reacted the way they have regarding the Georgia/South Ossetia incident. Why, all of the sudden, is the US so keenly interested in coming to the defense of the Georgian power structure when it was the Georgian military that initiated the attack on the 70,000 civilians of South Ossetia? The Bush administration didn't make any where near as much a commotion about Darfur where hundreds of thousands have died. My guess - it is about the oil pipelines that run through this region. Isn't that sad? So I guess it is okay for the US military to invade what ever country it wants on the basis of what ever trumped-up charges we can muster? Sounds awfully hypocritical. By the way, I am a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division.