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TENSIONS BETWEEN THE major powers have pushed the world closer to a new Cold War, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has said.
The 83-year-old accused the West, particularly the United States, of giving in to “triumphalism” after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the communist bloc a quarter century ago.
The result, he said, could partly be seen in the inability of global powers to prevent or resolve conflicts in Yugoslavia, the Middle East and most recently Ukraine.
“The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some are even saying that it’s already begun,” Gorbachev said at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, close to the city’s iconic Brandenburg Gate.
Gorbachev called for trust to be restored through dialogue with Moscow, and suggested the West should lift sanctions imposed against senior Russian officials over the country’s support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. Failure to achieve security in Europe would make the continent irrelevant in world affairs, he said.
Gorbachev presses his hands in concrete attached to a piece of the Berlin wall during a reception at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, yesterday.
Gorbachev’s comments echoed those of Roland Dumas, France’s foreign minister at the time the Berlin Wall fell.
“Without freedom between nations, without respect of one nation to another, and without strong and brave disarmament policy, everything could start over again tomorrow,” Dumas said. “Even everything we used to know, and what we called the Cold War.”
President Barack Obama appeared to share some of Gorbachev’s concerns for Europe, though he blamed Moscow for the current tensions.
Paying tribute to the East Berliners who pushed past border guards to flood through the Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, Obama said in a statement Friday that “as Russia’s actions against Ukraine remind us, we have more work to do to fully realize our shared vision of a Europe that is whole, free and at peace.”
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History should be kind to Gorbachev He brought some freedom to the USSR and didn’t intervene when soviet satellite regimes fell in Eastern Europe
Russians call Gorbachev “Mickey the mark”, as in mark of the devil not just his trademark blotch. That should tell you what their history will make of him. His legacy is one of hope dashed having lead the country to a near total breakdown. Still, the most animosity is held for the drunken power hungry gangster traitor Yeltsin.
There was a lot of hope when it all fell of real democracy, unfortunately Russia has never known anything but an Autocrat being in charge, the only thing that’s changed is the ideological hym sheet they sing from, a substantial portion of the people there still vote for the Communist party that will tell you how successful the shock theraphy from Larry Summers and his ilk turned out in making Russia capitalist.
I recommend anyone watch the youtube documentary on how putin came to power (I think thats the actual title) theres video of it where Yeltsin is sitting there smiling to himself then suddenly he gets up ”I’M LEAVING!” and says goodbye to a clearly v surprised staff, the only person in the place who did not look surprised was Putin..
It’s not the Russians I’m scared of.. I see radical Islam as the biggest worry to global peace. You could even say a third world war has been going on since 11 September 2001. But this war is not like the previous two, because this war has no end. Very sad
Eejit.
Re Jason
‘radical Islam’ has been used as a tool and explored by Western intelligence articles for their geopolitical needs. We saw this in Libya, now in Syria. We saw it in Bosnia. We saw in Afghanistan and the Mujadeen.
Like beheading off duty soldiers in London Horgay?
Very true. Radical Islam has become a convenient scapegoat for substantive political/economic problems on a global scale and especially in the developing world. It’s just another bogeyman the great western powers have tried to focus people’s attention on now that Communism isn’t the worldwide menace it used to be.
With 9/11, the U.S. government finally had the pretence it needed to launch a reasserted project of global geopolitical dominance. Really, what has killed more people in the last 13 years? Radical Muslims, or the combined efforts of the G7 military powers?
Did Western intelligence agencies, engineer Lee Rigby getting hacked to death on a busy street in London? Did Western intelligence agencies engineer the Birmingham Islamist school takeover? Did Western intelligence agencies, order that lunatic to go on a shooting rampage at the Canadian parliament?
Get a grip, sometimes the fault lies with the accused.
I’m not saying the Americans are angels either but it’s more a clash of ideologies, in fact Islam versus the west has been going on for thousands of years already and will continue long after were gone.
Re Jason
Talking about a warped view of the world. So you get all worked up over a soldier getting attacked in the UK, yet when the UK takes part in genocide against the Iraqi people it’s a ok. The UK implemented genocide against Iraqis with their sanctions against it and then taking part in an unprovoked illegal invasion leading to the deaths of a million plus Iraqis. A little perspective would be nice Jason.
‘yet when the UK takes part in genocide against the Iraqi people it’s a ok’
I’m intersted to know when the UK enacted a genocide against the Iraqi people. And sanctions against a dictatorial regime that had previously invaded two sovereign nations and used chemical weapons against it’s own people certainly do not count as implementing genocide.
So one British soldier getting killed = “Aaaaaarrrrrrrrgh!!!! The evil Muslims are going to kill us al!”
Whereas over half a million Iraqi deaths (according to Lancet) due to British-US created instability and chaos = “No biggie. Sure they’re only collateral damage to keep us all safe”.
Stellar use of logic.
America is the problem and its little state it helped create israel. till both state vanish, there wont be peace on earth
and they can stick their poppies where the sun dont shine.
Radical Islam has killed more then one person you cretin.
Yes, and the G7 have killed far more, making them the greater threat.
Well said, Eoin.
Since when did the G7 become a military alliance?
Re Scipio
I like debate. I really dislike it though when people pitch in, such as yourself here Scipio, who haven’t got a clue re the topic.
The UK/US enacted and lead a regime of sanctions against Iraq so barbaric it led to the deaths of least 500,000 children. They didn’t enforce them against the Iraqi Kurds and let them have thousands upon thousands of exemptions. It was genocide. Look up genocide in the dictionary Scipio. Inform yourself.
The Russians can at least be counted on to act rationally in their own interests. Putin does not want a war in Ukraine or with NATO, all he’s doing is redressing what he sees as the imbalance with the NATO blue creeping close to his borders, so he’s gonna push as hard as he can SHORT of war to redress that and look the tough guy back home (Same reason Merkel treats her fellow EU leaders like garbage, for domestic consumption).
The Russians won’t start a war with NATO or use nukes, but if an Islamic group got it’s hands on HEU they’d have no problem setting off a 10KT bomb in the center of London or NY or Washingon, the Russians know they’d immediately get one back if that happened (At minimum) but there would be nobody to retaliate against if a terrorist group did it, and even the people who plant it would be prepared to die. An enemy that does not fear retaliation and is not afraid to die is far more dangerous, and AQ has already been playing with chemical weapons.
The fools playing the Iraq war also means now that if there is ever a real danger of a chemical or nuclear terror attack it will be boy who cried wolf because of what happened in Iraq and nobody will take it seriously until it’s too late.
Islam is a cancer, i have seen the evil of it first hand in Africa.
Religious wars never end because nodody will admit that God is a man made invention.
Horgay, you are throwing out another one of your dishonest arguments here. Saddam Hussein is responsible for all those deaths. He had a life of luxury while the Iraqi people suffered. It’s well documented so stop lying.
From the horse’s mouth. Some peoples’ lives count less in washington and westminster. Once upon a time Paddies weren’t worth much either.
Scipio, the simple answer to all three of your questions is yes. Anyone who doesnt see that is blind
You ask me it’s already started.
Ain’t that the truth.
I agree with Chomsky. The US is the world’s leading terrorist state and perpetrator of genocide.
Good man Horgay….you must like your Chomsky “a la carte,” based on the fact that Chomsky ridicules 9/11 conspiracy theorists who claim the U.S. Orchestrated the 9/11 attacks
Chomsky hit the nail on the head
Re Stephen
So I must agree with everything he says. I’m not allowed to agree with some of his ideas. Come on now please. No one knows what happened on 9/11. The official explanation has fallen apart and is now a conspiracy theory too.
No one in their right mind believes in the American government version of 9/11, its like Pearl Harbour or the Bay of Tolken
@Horgay I’ve read everything there is to read on 911 truth and there are very (painfully) simple explanations for every ? they raise, so no it has not fallen apart at all.
You also don’t seem to have a clue what the word genocide means, it means ”the attempted extermination, in whole or in part, of a population”, on it’s worst day the US has never come close to that.
You just make yourself look ridiculous and ruin your credibility throwing hyperbole like that around when there is so clearly no basis for it.
Re Ryan
The US bombed Iraq back to a pre industrial basis yet left it with all the burdens of a modern industrial society. The destroyed everything needed for a civilian society(water systems, hospitals, etc) and then proceeded to impose sanctions on that country to further destroy Iraq. It was genocide.
It’s not hyperbole. The US also actively supports genocide. East Timor etc.
Putin is trying to restore what comrade Gorbachev broke up – “the greatest geopolitical disaster of our time” – Putin mustn’t be allowed to impose his will on sovereign nation states who have already once broken free from communist USSR. Anne Applebaum had written some really good stuff on this already.
Whatever.
Re Jason
You are quoting the Washington Post. The major US newspapers such as the Post, NY Times etc have shown to be in collusion with the US Government. They have become essential mouthpieces for US Foreign Policy. The editors are CIA assessts.
The breaking up of the United States would be the greatest event to happen in a long time.
I’m quoting a respected journalist, expert on Russia, wife of Radek Sikorsky, former Polish minister for foreign affairs. Applebaum had written several books on Russia and it’s totalitarian past. You should read them, educate yourself.
Western Mainstream Media has lost all credibility.
If you want to quote someone you should quote them accurately rather then regurgitating intentionally Washington propagnada which is what that misquote is.
What Putin actually said was:
I would like to bring those who think this way back to reality, to the facts. To do so, I will recall once more Russia’s most recent history.
Above all, we should acknowledge that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century. As for the Russian nation, it became a genuine drama. Tens of millions of our co-citizens and compatriots found themselves outside Russian territory. Moreover, the epidemic of disintegration infected Russia itself.
Individual savings were depreciated, and old ideals destroyed. Many institutions were disbanded or reformed carelessly. Terrorist intervention and the Khasavyurt capitulation that followed damaged the country’s integrity. Oligarchic groups – possessing absolute control over information channels – served exclusively their own corporate interests. Mass poverty began to be seen as the norm. And all this was happening against the backdrop of a dramatic economic downturn, unstable finances, and the paralysis of the social sphere.
Here is the full transcript.
http://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2005/04/25/2031_type70029type82912_87086.shtml
The US tried to break up in 1861 but was prevented by the political elite, America will fall apart soon , once China is the number one economic power in the world its only a matter of time before the states fall apart
Yank Keep away from Russia borders, or you will pay, Russia is not the weak power of the 1990s and in debt to the American/Jewish IMF……NATO has surrounded russia and its only a matter of time before europe pays for washingtons strategy, war mongers are those yanks and their european bitches
As said above, Putins quote is taken out of context. For Russians the sober era ended in disaster. The idea that they’d want to restore it is laughable. Jason’s quoting the wife of Sikorsky on the Wapo. Is that the same liar who claimed he heard Putin say to Donald tusk that they’d share Ukraine between them, only to finally concede it was all lies? What a joke quoting the Wapo, a pathetic neocon rag with zero credibility
@ablitive why are you reading mainstream media then?
Padriag O’Traged Just because someone reads something doesn’t actually mean they have to believe in it..
The only cold war Im worried about is to heat the house for the winter.
If Russia decides to cut off the gas this winter we can only blame the United States / NATO for interfering with and breaking its word after the unification of Germany not to expand its war mongering empire into Eastern Europe.
Frank. The Gas is the only thing keeping the lights on in Russia at the moment. In case you missed it through Ruble is in free fall, Wealthy Russians are deserting like rats from a sinking ship, there is zero investment going in and billions being pulled out. So the last thing Putin is going to do is shut off the only source of income they have left.
Mick Jordan It won’t be too long before the Yankee Petro Dollar will also crash..
My prediction is that Ebola will soon spread across the US assisted by freezing cold weather and usher in the cashless control grid. (With all the help from BHO)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZkSSURCm3FI/TPn4DzXTRlI/AAAAAAAALFs/LjDdFBdQopI/s1600/atm_dees.jpg
Frank. Maybe you can predict the winning Euromillons numbers for me while your at it.
Russia just pisses the US and Britain off because they cant be bullied. Who’s more likely to start a war? Russia or the US . Red thumbs for Russian green for the US
Talking about ISIS. A lot of people in Europe do not realize that Russia under Putin’s “managed democracy” is the same threat to Europe as radical Islamist. “The biggest tragedy of 20th century was collapse of USSR” as per Putin. Not WW1, WW2, Chernobyl disaster etc. but collapse of USSR. And because USA and Europe were behind the collapse the idea of his life is new USSR and collapse of Europe and US. If you looking at Russian media, movies etc. It is all sharpened for idea of “Russian World” theory and “Russia is getting up from it’s knees”. He does not give a damn about human casualties for “his great mission of collector of “Russian lands”" you can see it from the start of his career. As a example is “Kursk” tragedy where in first two days he refused NATO help and Russia did not have equipment to save the sailors and Beslan tragedy where Russian troops and pro Russian militia killed more kids then the Chechens who were holding these kids as hostages.
Orthodox-Communist (strange how these two can combine, but they can we see) ISIS supported by Putin in Donetsk& Lugansk.
Here is official promo video (confirmed by the separatists) of “peoples court”. Rebel commanders as judges and around 100 people raising hands in approval. The guy in handcuffs is suspected rapist. Of course there were no DNA tests, no neutral defense lawyer etc. Sentence to “Death Penalty” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8UQ76dSLuI
The “legal defense” of the “rapist” was his father.
In defense of his son he said that his son did not rape anyone and that the women his son “raped” came to his son’s house after they were drinking together in the bar.
Continue….
Continue.. The father of the convinced says that the women and her son lived together and she was coming home drunk from the bar.
The commander of the rebels agrees on this and say: “He has a point”
-Woman has to be a guardian of home. What type of mothers these girls who go out to pubs and bars are becoming?
-If women want to be a good mother she has to be dedicated to her husband and stay at home and do some knitting at home.
Some noise among the people majority of whom are 50+
-Yes, that’s wright.
The commander continue..
-So from tomorrow patrols will be arresting all woman who goes out. You have to stay at home and bake.
Russian media reported that he was joking. Do you see any people inside who were laughing?
And not a joke at all that after this farce called a court the convinced was shot by the death squad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMah2QPDvTI
And here are kids soldiers http://news.bigmir.net/ukraine/857332-DNR-otkryto-verbuet-na-vojnu-detej–daet-im-zvanija-lejtenantov–video-
and cut heads of killed Ukrainian soldiers which the rebels were going to send to relatives
http://nnm.me/blogs/neekto/ukrainskie-karateli-prislali-materyam-doneckih-opolchencev-otrezannye-golovy-synovey/ This picture was posted on one of the accounts in Russian V Kontakte social network. After a backlash from the Russians who were visiting that page. The pictures were deleted (Google cache has a long memory) and in 2 days were shown in Russian mainstream media under headings “Ukrainian hunta cutting heads to Donbass fighters”.
Any similarities with ISIS?
Why don’t you have a warm war this time?
*passes the factor 5000 sunscreen*
You might wanna move out of Dublin if one of those ever looks likely (no conventional war between NATO and Russia would stay conventional long, one side or other would be forced to use tactical nukes then it’s a short jump to strategic weapons), the countryside will seem very attractive all of a sudden….
Wanna know the most disturbing thing, one sentence, it’s all over our civil defense plans for this situation for what were meant to tell the public as a nuclear war unfolds, they’re the most disturbing words you could hear in an emergency: ”Stay tuned to Radio Eireann”
The handbook from the 60s is disturbing to say the least but hey the government sent us all iodine tablets in the 80s that may still work….
http://www.dailyedge.ie/nuclear-handbook-ireland-995420-Jul2013/
Gorbachev never intended for the Soviet Union to disintegrate but events got ahead of him and he lost control. Putin is trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. But all he is succeeding in doing is destroying the Russian economy and Russia’s reputation internationally.
Russian banks are running out of foreign currency, the Ruble is in free fall its at 60 Rubles to the Euro at the moment and falling. Wealthy Russians are running for cover in the West. Investment in Russia is non existant. Oil and Gas prices continue to fall so Russia can’t rely on those and China is hovering like a vulture waiting to pick over the bones of what’s left dirt cheap. Putin has done as much damage to Russia in the past year as Yeltsin did in his entire time incharge. Ukraine is Putins “Bridge to Far”.
Mick Jordan Putin is more concerned about warmongering USA / NATO shit*ting on its doorstep from the Eastern front.than he is about expanding.
The Zi0nist Governed United States along with its puppet allies are the greatest threat to human democracy today.
So Frank Russia didn’t invade Georgia, Trandinistra or Ukraine then? Those Guys in Russian military uniforms with Russian military equipment were actually Martian Lizard Men?
Mick Jordan Russia is on the defensive, It is fearful of cockroach warmongering nations that have already made the Middle East desolate.
If this was not the case why have they decided to place their borders so close to US / NATO military bases?
http://caravantomidnight.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nato-russia-war.jpg
So invading your neighbours is being defensive?
Whatever the rights or wrongs of the US administration I think it’s time for Europe to stand on their own and forge a new relationship with Russia.
This slavish pandering to Washington’s every whim is causing ever more instability on the continent and we have to accept that we can benefit more from good relations with Moscow than by stirring the s*it on Washington’s behalf.
The US know they can’t abandon defence of Europe without jeapordising their own interests so let’s take advantage of the weaknesses of both sides.
Its all been driven by Washington and is all to do with 2 things:
1- China
2- Russia and China wanting to move away from the US Dollar as the currency of oil trade!
Gorbachev is talking sense here. The only way is for Washington to drop the war rhetoric, drop the sanctions and sit down and talk honestly with the Kremlin. Russia cannot be bullied or trash talked and Obama is attempting both, issuing threats, sanctions and even publicly stating that Russia poses a threat to humanity along the lines of Ebola and ISIS. No that’s not a joke a sitting US president actually said that.
Gorbachev you destroyed the soviet union and caused it to collapse , you should have nuked Berlin and Washington before you vanished,,,,,,,, Russia is on the rise again along with China while America slides down the pole into hell.
America is finished …70 trillion in debt and they make nothing only guns and weapons
What fantasy land do you live in?
Traolach O’Breasail
# The Great Babylon is falling.
And here is the report from OSCE about Russian tanks. Putin’s supporter were asking for some credible info as they did not trust to Ukr. Goverment. Here we go http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/126483
Over the past twenty or so years american forces have invaded over 20 countries .
over the past twenty years
Russia has invaded Ukraine, Georgia, Afghanistan, Moldova, and Chechnya. Russia has also interfered in the internal affairs of each of these sovereign nations on behalf of separatists who are Russian speaking citizens.
Yes on behalf somewhat
War is not the russian way to my mind yes they ain’t perfect
All the USA seem to do lately is blown stuff up in the desert syria being the latest
Where were the USA when kids and women where getting ripped to shreds by the iserail forces in gaza
Bombing one of the most heavily populated areas in the world (bombs made in the USA )
If the U.S. And the mighty WEST want to take the moral high ground on every event in the world they should at least try harder to do a little good sometimes to seem like they are actually speaking and acting for me and you
Tackle global warming
Poverty
Social issues in there own bloody countries
He does both Stephen you idiot.
“I think the Bush administration would have had to be utterly insane to try anything like what is alleged, for their own narrow interests.” – Noam Chomsky
TBH Chomsky is not the best guy to be reading.Even from a modren left wing point of view he is kind of leftover from the dying days of the 60′s peace and love movement lashing out at anything he sees a ‘the man’.
Maybe instead of pointing out the flaws he could offer a few solutions.
If you get a chance try this guy who argues a reform of capitalism instead of adopting a socialist model.
have your say