I hope the Russians have lots of money. The PA is a bottomless pit. Whatever happened to the jillions Yasser pilfered?

Posted by: duh_swami at April 15, 2006 9:56 AM

Russia has an agenda.

These people need to hit rock bottom and suffer a bit so they can clear the jihad out of their eyes and see why the world has cut them off. They will NEVER change their ways if someone keeps bailing them out.

They need to grow up, take responsibility for their actions and start taking care of themselves. (This goes for other countries we support also.)

This is one welfare state that has gone on for FAR too long.

Posted by: freewoman at April 15, 2006 9:58 AM

Duh-swami, I think Arafat's widow is living in high style. And I'm sure she ain't sharing.

Posted by: freewoman at April 15, 2006 9:59 AM

What about Russia's starving, homeless, and unemployed?

Posted by: NicephorusPhocas at April 15, 2006 10:10 AM

Russia deserves to burn in hell. Those assholes will do anything to piss the US/EU off.

Posted by: Skeptic at April 15, 2006 10:17 AM

l wonder how much money given to the PA will the Russians truly give? it wont come near what the US has sent in the past, and l hope the Russians keep up the blood money for Hammas, another bottom less pit.

Posted by: Lulu at April 15, 2006 10:19 AM

NicephorusPhocas-

It is amazing that, while starving Russian pensioners are bartering their last few scraps of pitiful belongings (WW II Medals, etc.) on the streets of Moscow and Minsk to merely eat, and their daughters are selling their 'virtue' for cash to simply survive, Putin and his pimps can throw their stolen money (raked in by the oligarchs who have raped the former Soviet Union's resources since 1991) at a Muslim terrorist group.

The Russians should be in the streets screaming against this lunacy.

But are probably too malnourished to march.

It's Churchill's old saying, revisited:

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

Posted by: profitsbeard at April 15, 2006 10:31 AM

Has Suha Arafat returned any of her pilfered billions? She's keeping the French economy going, such as it is.

Posted by: Beagle at April 15, 2006 10:46 AM

Yes, what has happened to Suha's ill-gotten gains. That's EU taxpayers' money.

Posted by: Interested at April 15, 2006 10:59 AM

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/11/12/075356.php
Suha (should be Suha,ha,ha) is set to get 22 million a year.

Posted by: Carolyn2 at April 15, 2006 11:33 AM

Russia is just a contrarian state, they just have to oppose us, a "hooks in the jaws" situation.

Posted by: Carolyn2 at April 15, 2006 11:35 AM

Sue her.

Posted by: Interested at April 15, 2006 12:00 PM

Russians are stupid. They are wannable superpower, and they think, that they could afford to have sphere of influence in the Middle East, like in the old good days. In reality, they are supporting the same people, that are responsible for fueling the islamic radicalism in Chechnya. And with nuclear weapons, made with russian reactors, the Iran could dare to spread islamic revolution to the former USSR republics at the south of Russia.

And why this is a really, really, really stupid idea, Mr. Putin.

Posted by: DoktorNo at April 15, 2006 12:37 PM

And why this is a really, really, really stupid idea, Mr. Putin.
-- quoted from DoktorNo.

No, I dont think this is an "really, really, really stupid idea" from a russian perspective. I think the Russians, unlike the EU and US, have nothing to gain or loss from futher alienating themselves from the arabs.

Russia, by example, has not a tradition of free speech to care about, nor any post-colonial guild or any other artificial trauma's.

So, they give money to who the arabs "care" most about.

This has nothing to do with this subject however, but I believe when the shelling starts, Russia will be our enemy once again. Purely and only because it serves their intrests to get rid of us and the United States.

Posted by: DrWolffenstein at April 15, 2006 2:06 PM

duh-swami, freewoman and beagle, are correct on this point, regarding the previous aid which has been donated.

I watched a program not so long ago, as I am sure many of us have seen the same, highligting the conditions of the Palastinians, who apparently had no electricity, no water and schools and homes that had been destroyed, were still unsafe.
The Group Hamas were mentioned several times, in relation to projects that they hasd undertaken to help their fellow Palastinians.

The program narrators, (as they never do when trying to make a dramatic point) did not mention the current aid being given to Arafat, and tended to show pictures of children milling around desolate streets filled with rubbish.

I have noticed over the years, that Arafat always tried to portray himself to the west as this beleaguered leader
who had been hard done by the west and Isreals IDF.
One could feel sympathy for him, but one never really knew the truth, whether his situation was as a result of our harshness or that he was a coniving self interestd Politician.

After his death,many us stood around to take account of the current situation only discover that he had not achieved anything in the last 40 years, "and I mean nothing".
The aid he recieved had also mysteriously disappeared, or was simply not being applied to the task for which it was intended.

Hamas for all its evil utterances, has done something for its people, tehy continue to help at the street level. This is why they have gained so much support.

You would have thought that with all our skill as diplomats and negotiators we would have spotted a crook, but we didn't.

Note: I remember on several occasions the Isrealis warning us (the West) that Arafat was a liar and was not to be trusted.

Posted by: Peter at April 15, 2006 2:23 PM

Have they actually gave them any money? If they did or if they do I can't believe its going to be very much. It won't come close to what they are losing from the US and EU.

Posted by: Mr Ape Pig at April 15, 2006 3:07 PM

My Dad spent 15 years in a Russian labor camp during the cold war, he lost all his teeth and hair, and he wasn’t Russian. The Russians and Muslims have alot in common, they both think they are the master race (the best), in their eyes the life of people who disagree is meaningless. I hate Russians, all American Russians ever talk about is the "wonders" of the cold war and how they were the true rulers of the world, they are so full of themselves, the cold war, Vodka, and beating their wives is the only thing that makes life worth living. My parents still laugh their ass off everytime they hear one of these losers at a bar.

Posted by: billybob at April 15, 2006 3:41 PM

I do not know why the Russians are being so stupid when they are still fighting terrorists in Chechnya. Groups like Hamaas support the expension of Militant Islam in Muslim regions like Chechnya.

Posted by: Christian at April 15, 2006 4:52 PM

Billybob-- indeed, don't they realize what would become of vodka if Sharia became the law of the land?

It would be more successful than Gorbachev's anti-drinking campaign in the '80s, for sure.

Posted by: Shinoliite at April 15, 2006 5:19 PM

"What about Russia's starving, homeless, and unemployed?"

Indeed, and their destroyed health system, young girls selling themselves into prostitution, crime rates...

Posted by: Lili at April 15, 2006 5:27 PM

Khodorkovsky and George Soros - both oligarghs and opportunists. Both of such arrogance that billions were not enough - political power is the ultimate high, mere wealth is a distant second.
And how the russians would have loved to get their hands on Soros too,
-- there was neither accord nor reconciliation at the Moscow offices of the Hungarian born American billionaire George Soros.
Instead, there were some 40 large men in camouflage gear with stun guns, hand trucks and moving vans at the Soros Foundation. They ordered the staff out of the building and then loaded documents and computer printouts from the past 15 years, as well as office equipment, onto their vans.
PUtin hates oligarchs even more if they are jews. They are a challenge to his Authority, something no ex KGB potentate will tolerate.
PUtin's Pr effort towards Hamas will send a clear message to the Jews of russia who would rise above their station and will ensure a host of military contracts from middle eastern countries including IRAN.

George Soros with his lavish gifts to the democrats national commitee have ensured his acceptance. He is little different to khodorovsky who now languishes in a Russian jail.

Posted by: chevalier de st george at April 15, 2006 5:42 PM

If Russia was a small country, my attitude would be, "Let them go to hell". However, the idea of a new Muslim country spanning St Petersburg to Vladivostok is more than I can stand.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 15, 2006 7:35 PM

Hi guys,
I hope when you write Russians here you don't mean Russian people but just some goverment officials who make these stupid statements. The vast majority of Russians hate Islamofashism and suffered for their partisanship for free speech and free thinking a lot through hundreds of years. But being brutally repressed by rulers for decades they are not used to express their thoughts publicly. Still don't forget that Russians are people of European culture and education and they are in reality on front line of struggling with islamic terrorism no matter what their foreign minister says.

Posted by: Humanist at April 15, 2006 7:43 PM

Humanist

For our sake, I hope you are right. Nothing would be worse not just for humanity, but for the entire infidel world, than Russia reciting the Shahada

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 15, 2006 8:06 PM

I would love to know what the Russian Eastern Orthodox and especially the Cossacks think about rising muhammadism in Russia. The former has already had to deal with enough of an assualt on their faith from the Reds and the latter have a history of not liking anyone forcing anything on them.

Posted by: Eisenhund at April 15, 2006 9:28 PM

1) US still gives a lot of money to Palestine for so called humanitarian projects. They are supposed to be direct grants to schools, hospitals and such, but you know all that money will get repatriated for buying weapons. And all those leftist NGO's supposedly helping the palestinian government with logistics and such are just terrorist enablers. So, before you criticize Putin, know what your own government does.

2) Russia has 20 million Muslims in a country of 145 million, which is 12%, 1.5 million in just Moscow. They have a war in Chechnya. They have completely Muslim republics where tensions can increase if fundamentalist forces take over. If they give some scraps to Hamas and appear like they are pro-muslim, it will be easier for them to deal with their own population, harshly when necessary.

3) If the Middle-East no longer has friends in the West, Russia and China are strategically happy to offer them friendship (sell them weapons and such) for their oil money or oil in the case of China. Strategically, it might make sense, especially if you do not that throwing oil on fire will cause an explosion that will reach Russia.

4) Russia is anti-semetic and their politicians are anti-semites. The public does not see this Palestine as connected with Chechnya (even though Chechen rebels publicly offered military help to Hamas). They see this as sticking it to the Jews and people support that. If pleasing your own people is not politically smart, I don't know what is.

5) Who cares about Hamas. The best thing that happened to Israel is that Hamas took power. Now they have legitimate reasons to attack them. They do not have that faggot Arafat crying his big arab tears our to everybody how big bad Israel mistreats him. It is better to have enemies who are admit they want to kill you, when whose who kill you and when tell you how much they tried to make peace with you.

6) The shithold of Palestine is not the problem. the only problem in the fight with Islam is Saudi Arabia and who supports it, you do taxpayers. They are the ones who spread all the hate, all the suicide bombers and all the money around. Saudi Arabia is the only axis of evil country and if it is eliminated and their mosques are eliminated, the world can return to more or less stable situation.

Posted by: mosmike at April 15, 2006 10:57 PM

I agree eisenhund, not only would I like to see what the cossacks think I would love for a cossack to rule Russia. They dont take shit and they dont like anyone who is not orthodox especially muslims. A pretty good combination from where I stand.

Posted by: pissedoffcanadian at April 15, 2006 11:02 PM

Putin needs to get that KGB mindset outta his brain, and FAST... before it's too late!

One would've thought that after the Beslan episode he'd wake his arse and realize that the enemy is Islam and its adherents, NOT the US/UK/EU.

Bloody idiots!

Posted by: Vikk at April 16, 2006 4:33 AM

The Cossacks have already reformed many of their hosts from pre-Soviet days, particularly in the Ukraine and Caucasus republics. They make up the police forces in a substantial percentage of the region, and keep bandit and insurgent activity low. Cossack military units also serve as a more palatable alternative to the Russian Army, as they are famed for very high levels of discipline and represent the native peoples of their respective nations. And yes, with few exceptions, they tend to be very Orthodox and don't like anyone messing with the Church.

Posted by: Eisenhund at April 16, 2006 4:47 AM

Putin is making an important mistake here, but well, the politicians, are almost all, rubbish. They are sold to the arbs money. There isn´t honor.

Posted by: Franze at April 16, 2006 7:57 AM

Did somebody say Evil Empire?
We are still the good guys.

Posted by: templar at April 16, 2006 8:50 AM

Can you imaging what the Hamas government will owe to Russia. Nothing is for free!
___

This act of Russian generosity - is definitely showing something of the unity of the Arab Brotherhood in the Middle East. Yes, they all agree that they want Israel out - but paying for it - has produced lukewarm support.

I am not mad at Russia – what the Hamas election has done is to expose the Arab double dealing – where is all the ‘kill or hate the Infidel’ rhetoric – now? Now it’s – ‘don’t punish us – for having a free and fair election’.

If the Palestinians can remove the blinders of hate, for a moment, they will see that the Infidels are and have been their true brothers for a very long time. The must know that Islam, no matter how much it is loved, there, can never be placed above humanity.

Posted by: Pass It On at April 16, 2006 9:02 AM

Sorry about the late entry...
The U.S.S.R. funded the P.L.O. {Arafat} in the 1970's and 1980's. KGB was, and probably still is }FSB}, all over the M.E. Old connections die hard. Now, "Russia", is "donating" funds, or are they "legitimizing" their "charity"? The "Cold War" ain't over. When the "wall" fell, where did they all go?? Just a thought. Putin is a "kinder, gentler" hard line communist anti-semite. It's the same faces, only the names have changed.

Posted by: SickBoy at April 19, 2006 3:02 PM