Putin's Tirade
The video and the text of President Putin's stern condemnation of the US-led war, which he calls a "Big political mistake."
"The first Russian casualties of war in Iraq."
That's how the head of the Lotoshino village described himself and his fellow villagers, who had made big plans to host Vernon Jones, the 'CEO' of DeKalb county and self-proclaimed friend of Michael Jordan. Jones decided to cancel his trip to the remote Russian farming community due to the war in Iraq. Here is the video of all the things the village had planned for Jones, including a disappointed milk maid and a long-tongued cow. Here is the text of the report.
Russian Eye on Iraq
This page seems to be a running war news ticker, complete with countdowns to each wave of American bombs to fall on Baghdad.
After Saddam
The Russian government is officially against the war in Iraq, but they've already expressed an interest to work with the next Iraqi leaders.
Bush Bashing
Even former Soviet leader Gorbachev is doing some Bush bashing at the end of this article, which also features this memorable quote from a Kuwaiti man, "Bush is a real man," Ahmad Hussein Ahmad said, fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand. "His dad liberated Kuwait and now the son will liberate Iraq."
World War Three
Of course, Vladimir Wolfovich Zhirinovsky, the foul-mouthed leader of the LDPR, has called the war in Iraq the beginning of World War Three.
Give'm Hell, Harry
Here is a video report from Konstantine Syemin, a Russian reporter aboard the USS Harry Truman. (Here is the text version.) That a Russian journalist can wander freely about a US military vessel makes me hopeful. Syemin films the crew working on the flight deck, sailors eating in the dinning hall, and even a Muslim sailor praying in the ship's secluded prayer space. Hopefully world events will make it possible, perhaps in a few years, maybe sooner, for Iraqi journalists to be so welcome aboard US vessels as well as in the US itself.
Free Crank Calls
Here is a story about a Russian phone company is giving away free calls to Russians if they want to call the White House and rant at Bush. Many are taking advantage of the offer and making the calls.
Putin's Puzzling Position
The Guardian has this piece analyzing Putin's stance against the US war in Iraq, which threatens his important strategic relationship with America. In Russia, though the majority of the population is against the war, few are protesting in the streets. There were a few hundred communists, prone to pathological protesting and some protestors who were paid by the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.
After the meeting, "party worker Volodya began to give out cash", said the paper. Many protesters demanded more money because they had "waved the flags well" or because "they brought their husbands with them".
Protests
This Moscow Times article has this remarkable quote:
A placard hanging around the neck of a 66-year-old woman read
"Saddam Hussein, Today's Stalin."
The sign was meant as a compliment, not an insult, said the self-acknowledged Stalinist, who gave her name only as Raisa Alexandrovna.
"Saddam is acting right. He's not giving up,'' she said. "They will fight to the last.''
Posted by Xander at March 20, 2003 07:30 AM | TrackBack