US Congress to Consider Lifting Jackson-Vanik Amendment Next Week

______________________________

Next week, the US House of Representatives should resume discussions on trade normalisation with Russia. Next Tuesday, a House committee in charge of legislative proposals will hold a working meeting to consider the lifting the notorious Jackson-Vanik Amendment targeting Russia and Moldova. The House has placed a notification of the meeting on the internet. Enacted in 1974, the Jackson-Vanik Amendment made closer trade ties between the USA and the USSR contingent on Soviet Jews’ freedom to emigrate. The amendment remains in force, although it’s regularly waived vis-à-vis Russia since 1989.

Over 500 American companies in the Coalition for US-Russia Trade urged the Congress to ratchet up work on a draft bill to establish permanent trade relations with Russia. Voice of America reported Friday that they submitted a joint letter to US President Barack Obama asking him to cooperate with Congress on eliminating the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. The coalition pointed up that as long as the USA dithers on enacting Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), American business will have to watch foreign competitors snatch the best deals that “will lock in commercial relationships for years to come”.

10 November 2012

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_11_10/US-Congress-to-consider-lifting-Jackson-Vanik-amendment-next-week/

Editor’s Note:

A coalition of neoconservative Republicans and interventionist Democrats block action on getting rid of Jackson-Vanik. In short, Jackson-Vanik remains because of domestic American political concerns, not because of any real force that it may retain. After all, there’s no bar to Jews emigrating since 1989… many of them have returned since then, fancy that. In fact, Rav Lazar, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, went from Brooklyn to Russia in the 90s, and he’s a member of the RF Public Chamber and a member of Putin’s “outer” inner circle (that is, he’s close to VVP, but he’s not one of the siloviki). The situation addressed (badly) by Jackson-Vanik no longer exists… therefore, it should go in the shitcan. Now, if we can do this, we can also shitcan such overly-expensive Cold War relics as NATO and American deployments on the European continent. The Europeans are perfectly capable of their own national defence… but we should continue deployment of American forces in the UK, which is part of the Anglosphere (and part of the American FEBA based on the GIUK Gap and the English Channel). We can’t afford such hegemonic fripperies anyway, can we?

BMD

10 September 2012. You Can’t Make Shit Like This Up… “GRU ‘First Orthodox Regiment’ with Russian Veterans of Chechen Wars Created in Russia”

The original post image in all its low-res glory… it’s a good example of Langley “black propaganda” (it’s published in the UAE, a key American ally)

_______________________________

According to Russian opposition sources, which fear that the emergence of such regiments marks the creation of death squads of the KGB-controlled Russian Orthodox Church, the task of the group is terrorist attacks outside Russia and suppression of the White Revolution inside. On 18 August, the group Holy Russia announced, “Our voluntary Orthodox squads began patrolling Moscow and Moscow Oblast“. The group leader Otrakovsky, a veteran of the Chechen Wars, said in a statement, “We inform everybody… when we detect individuals who show aggression to priests (ideological aggression, there is no other in Russia: Kavkaz Center), we reserve the right to take appropriate action”. The internet website of Otrakovsky’s group appeared in December 2011 in the midst of the Russian White Revolution {I have no idea what the “White Revolution” is: editor}.

Participants of the “First Orthodox Regiment” conduct paramilitary training. the websites of “Holy Russia” said, “On 22 July, the first tactical training of the warriors of the First Orthodox Regiment named after the Commander of Heavenly Forces Archangel Michael took place in a wooded area”. Men in black or camouflage with pistols and Kalashnikovs are seen on photos published there. As stated in the report of this training, “Our task is to protect clergy from hostile attacks, defend our Fatherland in case of invasion from the outside, and protect the honour and dignity of Russian citizens”. Particularly alarming is the readiness of the group “to protect the honour and dignity of Russian citizens” because it envisages terrorist attacks outside Russia. Russia consists entirely of Russian citizens and there’s no need for such a task inside Russia.

The leader of “Holy Russia” remarked on his sharp dislike of the White Revolution in an interview to a Georgian TV channel on 26 August, saying, “So-called opposition leaders are the enemies of our Motherland. Once in power, these blasphemers will destroy our Church”.

10 September 2012

Kavkaz Center.com

http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2012/09/10/16643.shtml

Editor’s Note:

Incoherent shit, isn’t it? Both Republican neocons and Democratic “humanitarian interventionists” slobber over stuff like this with glee and support it with American aid. Orthodox people should reflect that most of the konvertsy support such mindless rot, NOT the Church or the Rodina. Crazy world, ain’t it?

BMD

IRNA Reports that Iran Threatened Israel with Missile Strikes in Retaliation If Israel Attacked It

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Commander of the Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution

______________________________

On Sunday, IRNA quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Commander of the Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (also known as the Pasdaran or Revolutionary Guard), as saying that Iran would retaliate with new domestically-produced anti-radar ballistic missiles if Israel attacks the Islamic Republic. Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday, Hajizadeh said that Iran was in the final stages of producing new anti-radar ballistic missiles with a range of 300 kilometres, “able to target any radar centres on land or sea with high accuracy and destroy it several times faster than the speed of sound”.

Hajizadeh announced that Iran would start a three-day military drill on 2 July in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province that would include missile launches of various types. The drills are in response to an EU-brokered embargo on Iranian oil exports, which comes into effect on Sunday. On Sunday, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi downplayed the sanctions’ effect, saying, “These sanctions have existed for many years, nothing’s happened, so, one shouldn’t anticipate anything new”. Western nations suspect Iran, which is already under four sets of UN Security Council sanctions, of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons programme, but Tehran insists it needs nuclear power solely for civilian purposes.

1 July 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/world/20120701/174346407.html

Editor’s Note:

The chance of any “October Surprise” centred on an attack on Iran grows dimmer by the day (conversely, such a Surprise focusing on domestic concerns becomes more probable). Now, with Russian and Chinese guarantees, the USA and Israel are left holding a bag fulla shit, and they look more ridiculous with each passing day. Interestingly enough, Wafflin’ Willy’s bellicosity is a sign that he’s desperate to fire up his base. Frankly, most Americans don’t give a hoot about the Iranian nuclear programme… it’ an Inside the Beltway concern. The danger’s past… once Lavrov appeared in public with Salehi, it put the kybosh on an attack.

There’s another reason why the Beltway Insiders hate the Pasdaran. In most militaries, the officers are from the bourgeois class, or, as college graduates, are imbued with its ethos. The Pasdaran’s officers, in the main, are men of the working class who came up from the bottom, and most of its senior ranks (both commissioned and non-commissioned cadre) are combat veterans of the Iran-Iraq War. That’s to say, they aren’t filled with the smirky godlessness or smarmy pseudo-religiosity of the West. I’ve met Pasdaran officers… they’re not ogres; they don’t have horns and hooves. They’re mostly men of modest background and means who haven’t forgotten where they came from; they fight for the people and their Faith, not for the profit of the One Percent. That’s the REAL reason why both the Interventionists and Neocons hate the Pasdaran and demonise them. Why, they refuse to kiss America’s naked bum at high noon in the public square… and that’s CRIMINAL!

Crack open a bottle… the bellicose yawping from Mittens and the GOP means that they’re weak… not that they’re strong. The ACA ruling put a torpedo in their guts (now isn’t the time to comment extensively on that… that’s fodder for a post of its own). The Republicans are beheaded chickens scampering aimlessly across the barnyard spraying all and sundry with their blood and gore.

That’s why there’s going to be no attack on Iran. Bet on it.

BMD  

Orthodox priest attacked in Libya

______________________________

Archimandrite Joachim of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria and all Africa was attacked at St George Church in Tripoli, its parishioners are Greeks and CIS citizens. An unknown gunmen fired at the priest when the latter was standing in the churchyard, but he wasn’t wounded. Greek and Cypriot diplomats issued a protest to the Libyan government over the incident.

5 May 2012

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_05_05/73883379/

Editor’s Note:

The neocon Republicans and Interventionist Democrats cream their jeans over the new Libyan government. Actually, the place has descended into anarchy, which suits the Western multinational corporations just fine. You see, the money that Gaddafi “wasted” on social programmes will now flow into the already-swollen coffers of the McMansion dwellers. Isn’t that SPECIAL? Who cares if they shoot at priests? The money’s flowing to the RIGHT PEOPLE now… THAT’S what important. I observe that the inordinate cost of the attempt by the American political/economic ruling element at enforcing global hegemony by the multinational oligarchs has bankrupted the nation… it has crippled it for the next generation, at least (if not more… Reaganite voodoo economics sucked away at the substance of the economy). Those McMansions bear a very dear price tag, indeed… borne by the ordinary sloggers out there, not by the snotty affluent effluent filth who inhabit them. God DOES see and He SHALL judge.

If you vote for the Republicans, you vote for greed, torture, “the survival of the fittest”, and no regulation upon the most feral amongst us… Remember their motto… “Be silent, you ungrateful bastard, or you’ll find out what the Patriot Act‘s REALLY all about…”

The Nazis, at least, took care of the German working class (there’s no Tea Party equivalent of KdF)… the American Republicans do NOT… draw your own conclusions.

BMD