Gorbachev Says NATO Growth Aimed At Isolating Russia

Source: Ria Novosti

MADRID, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has said that calls from the U.S. and other Western powers to bring Ukraine and Georgia into NATO are purely aimed at isolating Russia.

"Why does NATO need these countries? To fight against Iran? This is just ridiculous," Gorbachev told Spanish agency EFE.

NATO refused at its summit in April to let Georgia and Ukraine into the Membership Action Plan, a key step for membership in the 26-nation alliance, but promised to review the decision in December. The countries had received strong U.S. backing for their bids.

In their drive to bring the post-Soviet countries into the alliance, Western powers are trying to "lock Russia in," Gorbachev said.

He also said that in the U.S. there are "certain circles who are pushing the country toward confrontation and NATO expansion, to earn large amounts of money from the production of new armaments," and that the world now faces the threat of a "return to geopolitical games."

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Russia "does not want to command" the world, but is "fulfilling its international obligations, while avoiding illegal games," Gorbachev said.



Read more: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080908/116627355.html

as long as she seemingly stands in the way of 'our' war with Iran. Chaney is so desperate he'll start a war in Georgia if he has to to get his way. If he can tie Russia up there then I'll be he'll do a preemptive strike on Iran. He's salivating at the thought of all that oil and the private corporation profits from supporting another war. $58.00 per plate of food, $100.00 per load of laundry, $90.00 to dump the garbage out in the desert, a war with Iran...priceless.

Purveyor

I believe NATO should be very carefully to go into the former soviet union states. Not because it is "russian back-jard" and they have the right to do what ever they want to them. But because Russia are very touchy to let NATO, so close to it own border.. Er, the United States so close to its own border.. For the moment it is not the other member of the NATO alliance who are pushing for membership for Ukraine and other member, but the US.. And the US have provoked Russia in so many ways the last coupe of year.. And US, or at least the administration really believe that Russia would not do something, when it is almost clear for everyone with a half a brain, that this is not to help the "small country" in the Central Asia and Caucasus to protect them self against russian aggression.. This is to provoke something with this states, so US can claim that they have to be given emergency membership into NATO. And then article 5 would be in action before we understand what happend...

I can understand both the former union members point of view, but also Gorbatsjovs point of view. It was bad enough to lose the "empire". but to let a old enemy on their doorstep, that is a whole another game.. And that is what is happening now. And the russians know they are wounder able in the caucasus region. It have been in centuries been told as the "soft underbelly" in the russian empire. And many country who have been in war with Russia, have worked hard to get Caucasus on their side, by "friendship" or by force. And I fear that many of the former soviet union member would learn the hard way, that the US are no easy "big brother" than the old "big brother":. Not with the Neo-Cons in charge that is.. They are worse than the stalinist at Soviet union in the 1950s... Far worse, more like the Nazis, who once worked hard to make slaves of everyone who could be "registered" as "germans"... The "old europe" as mr Rumsfeld was putting it before the Iraq war, was maybe not that easy to play with as the "New europe". But then the "old europe" had some respect for Russia.. The "New Europe" really believe that US would be there to protect them, if Russia was to be stubborn, or worse, tell them something about the real power of the Russian armed forces..

Poland, who have a old, old grudge against Russia, have definitely provoked Russia, with the Missile system that US want there - alleged to protect against rouge missiles from Iran and North Korea.. Who silly because if that was true, then the invitation the former Russian President Putin had, to put the "shield" on a former air force base where the US and Russian together could work together, to keep the evildoers in Iran and North Korea at hand.. But no.. The genial evil mr Chenney say no, and therefore the whole system was collapsed. And now will Poland have the rockets, just miles from the russian borders... And the russian are right, when they are afraid that they could be pointed, not against Iran and North Korea, but against Russia...

And they have been telling the world, that they have pointed their missiles against European cities and other places of interest and if Poland/USA was to be to much provocation in their action, everything is on the table... Included nuclear weapons.. Sound like exactly what the US are telling the world doesn't it?

And on a side note. Many of the former Soviet union member, specially in the Caucasus are have oil and gas, or infrastructure to transport the oil and gas from where they are been produced, to the rest of the world. For the most part, the infrastructure was been build when they was part of the Soviet Union, and after the breakdown they was coming into the nations... Today Russia Need the pipelines to sell their gas and oil. But if the pipelines are in "enemy hands" then they could close the infrastructure to russian oil fields. And it is definitely in Russian interest to keep the pipelines open.. Even if it means they have to "take into their own hands" to do it...

No doubt in my mind that the current Administration in the US want to provoke something with Russia. Not an all out war, that is not in their interest.. But a "shooting war by proxy" so the world, and to the point China and Russia are in no way possible to protect Iran against war is possible.. I would no doubt for a second that this administration are willing to do what ever to get their goals...

I fear the worst, but hope for the best Even this administration can't do more bad thing, than they have been doing already, can they?.. I hope not... But I fear what they can do, even on the "eve" their administration... For some "Profit".

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

with such issues, particularly Russia, since it's directly NEXT DOOR TO ALASKA!!!

if not her, then where is our other self-proclaimed russian expert kindasleezy?!

NATO's war on Yugoslavia was an abomination!

The US is a paper tiger--unable to deliver on anything beyond looking formidable. If McCain is elected we will see what happens to paper when the world ignites a fire beneath it. Time to build those bomb shelters.

we encouraged georgia's invasion of abkazia and s. ossettia

and goaded russia into acting

production of armaments." That is the primary purpose of a cold war. Stir the pot, create fear and insecurity and reap the rewards of big arms deals and wars.
Yeah, that's the solution. And lots of death and destruction.

That's what one does when the only cards they hold (or care to hold) are stockpiles of weapons.

Of course Russia ain't doing so bad in the arms and military equipment sales department either.

Or is he peddling purses again?

"The first President George Bush convinced his Soviet counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachev, that a free Eastern Europe and a united Germany would benefit the long-term interests of Russia. Gorbachev accepted Germany’s unification when he was assured that NATO would not be extended to the East. “Not one inch!” were the exact words of the reply made by Secretary of State James Baker."

That promise was then broken, first by the Clinton administration, then by George W. Bush.

divide Germany again as a gesture of good faith :)?

Russia which is the giant next door. They would be better off to join a Russia-sponsored military alliance or just stay totally neutral like Switzerland.

Maybe we should suggest the same thing to Latin American countries regarding the US?

lol

contain Russia. So . . . I'm not really sure what his point is.

And in light of Russias recent actions I can see why so many former soviet vassals are considering joining up.