Empire Escalates Conflict with Moscow
by Nebojsa Malic (pictured)
Though July is supposed to be a month of vacations in the northern hemisphere, dictated by the often murderous heat, it appears political temperatures have been spiking along with actual ones. Relations between Russia and the Empire continued to deteriorate rapidly, as the U.S., UK and France attempted to pass another resolution in the UN Security Council supporting the independence of Kosovo, while London expelled several Russian diplomats over Moscow’s refusal to extradite a suspect in a high-profile murder case.
There is more to Empire’s hostility towards Moscow that meets the eye. Russia’s opposition on Kosovo and its ongoing feud with London over extraditions are not mere inconveniences to the Empire, but rather a challenge to its entire paradigm. China’s growth and Russia’s assertiveness are a thorn in the eye of those who think that history has officially ended, and they have emerged victorious. To them, a far greater threat than international terrorism or murderous wars of occupation is the notion that someone, somewhere may not see them as masters of the universe. Their seemingly irrational hostility towards Moscow is driven not by old Cold War prejudice, or geopolitical concerns, but predominantly by fear.Expulsions and Extraditions
Succeeding Tony Blair as the British Prime Minister and head of the Labour Party just days before a series of abortive terrorist attacks, Gordon Brown could have made the fight against terrorism the focus of his administration. Instead, he chose to assert his toughness by escalating a dispute with Moscow.
Earlier this week, the UK government expelled four Russian diplomats, citing Moscow’s refusal to extradite one Andrei Lugovoi for trial in Britain. According to the British, Lugovoi has been charged with the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London last year.
Litvinenko, a former KGB agent, was connected to oligarch Boris Berezovsky. After Berezovsky was indicted and fled the country, Litvinenko began a campaign of accusing the Russian security services of a coup d’etat, political assassinations, and even false-flag terrorist attacks. Last November, Litvinenko died of radiation poisoning, allegedly caused by Polonium-210, which the British government alleges Lugovoi sprayed into his tea. It is a plot straight out of an Arkady Renko mystery – but Litvinenko’s death was gruesome and real. Moscow has denied involvement, of course.
Following Monday’s expulsions, Russia announced it would retaliate. So high was the anti-Russian hysteria that several British media reported on Tuesday that a flight of Russian bombers was headed into UK airspace. Moscow replied that this was a training flight, scheduled and announced months in advance, and that they remained in international airspace throughout.
Russian Ambassador to London argued that extradition of Russian nationals was against the constitution, and that British demands were impossible to meet. He also mentioned a longstanding sore point in Anglo-Russian relations, the fact that London gave asylum to Berezovsky and Chechen separatist leader Ahmed Zakayev.
“Those are separate matters,” replied Brown’s spokesman. Yet how can they be? The UK gives asylum to people suspected of serious crimes in Russia, then demands the Russian government violate its constitution to extradite a murder suspect. Obviously, in British eyes, their pride is more important than Russian law. Or any law, for that matter.
http://www.antiwar.com/malic/?articleid=11311