To Russia, With Love, the Supreme Burrito is Not So Tasty...

Paul Krugman
David Ignatius
Clifford Levy

"It is not the time to find out who is in the more difficult position or who is tougher. It is time to join efforts”. - Dmitry Medvedev



What a magical world we live in. I went to bed last night after the polls had closed on the Mexican mid-term elections, and the mini drama of Honduras not letting their president land in an airplane at the national airport. I awoke this morning to find the focus is in another part of the world entirely, as Barack Obama is visiting Russia. Russia's view of the US has degenerated over the last 20 years, initially soured when we didn't offer help after their government collapsed. They then sank into corruption, organized crime, and wishing for the good old days of Communist rule. Electing Vladimer Putin was as close as they could get...

The Economist reports that: "Mr Obama will be talking about America’s national interests, in the hope that some of them may overlap with Russia’s. The irony is that while Mr Obama and Mr Medvedev have pledged “to move beyond cold war mentalities and chart a fresh start”, the central topic of talks is nuclear-arms control, just as it was in the 1980s. What America seeks, given the chilly climate, is another détente.

The two are aiming to bring their deployed arsenals down below the 1,700-2,000 level by 2012, as was agreed in 2002. That agreement depends for its counting rules on an earlier strategic-arms reduction treaty, START-1, concluded after the end of the cold war, which expires in December.

Russia has tried to link the issue of nuclear-arms control to the subject of America’s missile-defence shield, which it opposes. Hawks argue that Russia should not agree to any further arms reduction—a view supported by most Russians, according to an opinion poll. Yet Russia needs the new arms treaty more than America. Its nuclear arsenal is ageing fast and it cannot afford another arms race, particularly at a time of economic crisis. Agreeing to mutual cuts in nuclear warheads and launchers is the only chance Moscow has to preserve some semblance of parity with America.

Mr Obama massaged the Kremlin’s ego when he told the Russian press that America and Russia were nuclear superpowers and their partnership should be based on the principle of equality. By implication, however, Russia should behave not as rogue state, but as a great state: calm, responsible and able to control its borders, nuclear materials and technology." The end result will be an announcement lowering the nuclear stockpiles of both countries, which actually had been worked out months ago, this is the photo op...

As a human interest piece, the NY Times on how Russia television portrays the US, and one Mikhael Leontyev in particular: "When Barack Obama and Dmitri A. Medvedev meet behind closed doors here on Monday, among those on tenterhooks will be the television commentator Mikhail V. Leontyev, who has built a career on his relentless hectoring of the West.

In his prime-time slot on state-controlled Channel One, Mr. Leontyev, equal parts Rush Limbaugh and Oliver Stone, has derided the United States as “a great power with a broken back,” “a country where armed psychopaths regularly roam educational establishments” and “a parasite that owes the world $53 trillion." Mr Leontyev is a state sponsored right wing hack, brought on after the news for his special commentary. So, was our own Rush Limbaugh sponsored by the Bush administration? I know there are people who say that Keith Olberman is sponsored by Obama's administration, but he doesn't make anywhere near the $400 million per year that Rush does... Does right wing hackism pay more?

Feeling neglected and left out of the news cycle, TPM reports that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayetollah Ali Khameni wanted to show that he's as tough an old bird as some nameless general by announcing: "Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Western countries on Monday against interfering in Iranian affairs after its disputed presidential election, state television reported. "We strongly warn leaders of some Western countries not to interfere in Iran's internal matters ... The Iranian nation will react," Khamenei said." Proving again, that he's just an empty mouthpiece for the Revolutionary Guard, who have finally admitted that they have taken over the country. Again, notice that Ahmadinejad is out of sight and laying low. He will soon be back, as brash and brazen and more inciting than ever. Now I see why he distributed chickens during his campaign, they were describing his personality, not buying votes...

The British, who have one Embassy employee still in jail, reacted by saying: "It remains our top priority to get all of our embassy staff released as soon as possible," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. "We are continuing intensive discussions with the Iranian authorities and our international partners to resolve this."

But most surprising were the statements issued by France's Nicholas Sarcozy: "Really, the Iranian people deserve better than the leaders they have today," he said at a news conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, pledging France's full support for Britain in the dispute over the embassy detentions. "We are totally in solidarity with our British friends vis-a-vis the Iranian leadership. They can count on our total solidarity," Sarkozy said. "We were particularly shocked by attacks on the British government that were very unjust, out of proportion."

For the best, up to the minute reporting on what is going on in Iran, read Nico Pitney's blog on the Huffington Post. It is very depressing, but you can see the scope of the lies that the government is using, trying to brainwash the people with this Western interference bit. It makes a sad mockery, manipulating the investigation of the death of Neda Aga-Soltan, may she rest in peace...

Late night jokes should return tomorrow. I can hardly wait for Jay Leno to begin his new show as he always had better jokes, often copied by the Letterman staff.