A thought-provoking analysis by Kasparov. I especially like his
quotation from President Reagan.


http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...5Fcommentaries

KGB State
by Garry Kasparov

When Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrives at Camp David for next
week's summit, President Bush will be welcoming the leader of a
democratizing nation, a staunch ally in the U.S.-led war to defend the
free world.

Right?

Wrong.

The world view that designates Mr. Putin as America's democratic ally
is part of the same fragmented U.S. foreign policy in which the
Pentagon has emerged as the most efficient branch of government.
That's not to fault the Pentagon, which in its ability to cover any
significant task in remote quarters has proved ready and efficient.
But where the State Department and National Security Council should be
providing diplomatic coverage and a plausible strategic rationale --
which certainly does exist -- for the global "War on Terror," there
has been failure. Instead of offering us a new vision of global
development, on the scale of Winston Churchill's historic 1946 "Iron
Curtain" speech, the current administration has reduced its foreign
policy to a vehicle of crisis micro-management.

* * * In precisely that spirit, while huge debate goes on over Iraq,
the administration has missed entirely the crises it is now helping
cook up in Russia. The policy of "Punish France, Ignore Germany and
Forgive Russia" has been one of the worst blunders of U.S. foreign
policy in recent years. Condoleezza Rice's rush to "Forgive Russia" in
fact was received by the Putin regime as a green light for any drastic
actions Mr. Putin might care to take in moving toward a KGB regime
back home.

In general, Washington still underestimates its influence on Russian
local affairs. Behind the sharp anti-American rhetoric and rage
against the U.S. "imperialistic agenda," there is huge respect for
America's economic and military power. Unfortunately, America's
unbalanced support for President Putin is preventing any serious
opposition from being formed. Instead, the Kremlin enjoys with growing
impunity the power to crush any potential opposition.

[...]

In Washington, there is a false belief that while America wages its
War on Terror, relative "stability" and relative "democracy" in a
Russia with a relatively cooperative president need inspire no
worries. Forgotten, it seems, is the creed with which Ronald Reagan
won the Cold War: "We must be staunch in our conviction that freedom
is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few, but the inalienable and
universal right of all human beings."

[...]

Indeed, President Putin has been playing a clever game of reaping
benefits from both sides of every major international crisis. While
the Russian Foreign Ministry kindly offers the U.S. its mediating
services, Russia's military and security wings work behind the scenes
to bolster rogue regimes, thus adding value to Mr. Putin's bargaining
chips at the geopolitical table.

Astonishingly, nearly 50% of the top positions in Russia's
governmental structures are occupied by Mr. Putin's former KGB
colleagues. This newly emerging Russian ruling elite (no longer
content with having squirreled away billions of dollars in foreign
banks), sits in ambush, anxiously awaiting the moment when it can cut
the throat of U.S. imperialism. Five years ago, then FSB chief
Vladimir Putin spoke the truth when he said, "There are no ex-KGB
officers!" Will the West ever learn?

On 18 Sep 2003 09:17:12 -0700, wrote:

A thought-provoking analysis by Kasparov.

FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced on 17 July, that the
opening of the Ponomariov-Kasparov world chess championship match in
Yalta should be held one day before the start of the CIS summit. The
first moves on 19 September 2003 should be made by President Vladimir
Putin and President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine.



http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...5Fcommentaries

KGB State
by Garry Kasparov


Wall Street Journal, September 18
(...)

While
the Russian Foreign Ministry kindly offers the U.S. its mediating
services, Russia's military and security wings work behind the scenes
to bolster rogue regimes, thus adding value to Mr. Putin's bargaining
chips at the geopolitical table.


(...)

Five years ago, then FSB chief
Vladimir Putin spoke the truth when he said, "There are no ex-KGB
officers!" Will the West ever learn?

Can you imagine how the Russian President Vladimir Putin would have
reacted to Kasparov's commentary if he had to make the opening moves
of the (cancelled) Ponomariov-Kasparov match in Yalta tomorrow?

Gerald Schendel
Kandern/Germany

wrote:

A thought-provoking analysis by Kasparov. I especially like his
quotation from President Reagan.

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...5Fcommentaries

KGB State
by Garry Kasparov
[snip]

Garry Kasparov is a great chess player, but why would I care
about his political views?

In article ,
wrote:
A thought-provoking analysis by Kasparov. I especially like his
quotation from President Reagan.


http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...5Fcommentaries

KGB State
by Garry Kasparov

When Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrives at Camp David for next
week's summit, President Bush will be welcoming the leader of a
democratizing nation, a staunch ally in the U.S.-led war to defend the
free world.

Right?

Wrong.

The world view that designates Mr. Putin as America's democratic ally
is part of the same fragmented U.S. foreign policy in which the
Pentagon has emerged as the most efficient branch of government.
That's not to fault the Pentagon, which in its ability to cover any
significant task in remote quarters has proved ready and efficient.
But where the State Department and National Security Council should be
providing diplomatic coverage and a plausible strategic rationale --
which certainly does exist -- for the global "War on Terror," there
has been failure. Instead of offering us a new vision of global
development, on the scale of Winston Churchill's historic 1946 "Iron
Curtain" speech, the current administration has reduced its foreign
policy to a vehicle of crisis micro-management.

Let's hope the American people in 2004 bestow Bush with the same fate
that the English chose for Churchill after WWII.

Now back to our regularly scheduled chess programming. Someone please
let Gary know too.
--
Keith A. Lewis

I am interested in his view if for no other reason than that he is
from a different country and so can help fill us in on the pulse in
that country. The article made for interesting reading and I happened
to agree with a few points he made. For me this lends credibility to
other things he said but I didn't know before.

I agree its silly to give more credit to a celebrity's views on issues
they are not a celebrity about. However it seems just as silly to
give them less credibility because they are a celebrity in a different
area.

Briarroot wrote in message ...
wrote:

A thought-provoking analysis by Kasparov. I especially like his
quotation from President Reagan.

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...5Fcommentaries

KGB State
by Garry Kasparov
[snip]

Garry Kasparov is a great chess player, but why would I care
about his political views?

joe mccarron wrote:

I am interested in his view if for no other reason than that he is
from a different country and so can help fill us in on the pulse in
that country. The article made for interesting reading and I happened
to agree with a few points he made. For me this lends credibility to
other things he said but I didn't know before.

I agree its silly to give more credit to a celebrity's views on issues
they are not a celebrity about. However it seems just as silly to
give them less credibility because they are a celebrity in a different
area.


Good points. I guess I'm just a bit fed up with Kasparov
specifically, and chess players in general, who seem to
think that because they exhibit prowess at a game, they
have something to contribute to *any* discussion. :-/

LISTENING TO KASPAROV

By Larry Parr

When Garry Kasparov switches from one chess party line to another or
when he goes on about countries about which he knows little, everyone is
well-advised to read his books on his title matches.

But when Kasparov writes about Russia, he is to be listened to.

Some of you may remember the debate Kasparov had with U.S. foreign
policy maven Jeane Kirkpatrick directly following the coup against Gorbachev.
Kasparov said the whole thing would be over in three days, and Kirkpatrick and
the foreign policy establishment laughed at him, though politely mind you.

The coup lasted still less time.

The underlying point of Kasparov's article is so true: nation's have
no friends, only interests. The favorable publicity accorded Putin is
atrocious. His conduct in Chechnya should put him in The Hague instead of
Milosevic, a far less sanguinary criminal. Russian conduct in Chechnya has
been on a par with the campaigns of World War II. Our president's "friendship"
with Putin speaks for itself.

Putin is a KGBist, not a "friend" of George Bush or America. One hopes
that Dubya is smart enough to figure out that much. Already, reports come in
about Russian aid to the Taliban, and we may expect as I wrote over a year ago
that the Russian security service will soon begin aiding Islamic saboteurs
against our new military bases in Central Asia.

Kipling's Great Game does not change, though we are now the other
player rather than the British. In due course we will leave Central Asia after
having further impoverished America by wasting our resources.

How refreshing were Kasparov to extend his point that nations have no
friends, only interests, to America's relationship with Israel.

But he won't. In that lies the dishonesty of his political position.