February 29th, 2012
10:35 PM ET

Zakaria: Putin's "return"

By Fareed Zakaria, CNN

Once Putin is elected, Russia is going to look remarkably similar to before he was elected. Why? Because Putin, in a sense, never left. Putin was running the government and the economy on a day to day basis. While he had ceded the presidency, and therefore foreign policy, to Dmitri Medvedev, it was really a charade - Putin was behind most of the most important decisions anyway.

If Putin wins this election, which he’s almost certainly going to do, and if he wins the next election, which he is allowed to run for, he will have been in charge of Russia for over twenty years, maybe twenty five years. This is longer than Stalin.

One wonders whether Russia is really willing to have one man - even if a somewhat competent man, and even if someone whom they regard as having restored Russia - rule for that long. I have a feeling that, while the protests that we saw over the last few months were small, they represent some degree of public dissatisfaction with this idea of a kind of life-time czar.

The Russian economy is based on essentially oil, natural gas, diamonds and nickel –it’s all natural resources. It’s really a Siberian Saudi Arabia. And in order for Russia to develop - economically and politically - it has to be able to diversify its economy. So far there are very few signs of this. And you have to say, one of the reasons might be that it isn’t to the advantage of the regime to diversify. The more you diversify, the more prospect there is for losing political control. As long as you have what is essentially an oil economy - oil, natural gas, natural resources - all that can be very neatly controlled by the regime.

With Putin now back on top fully, there might actually be a small benefit that comes from it - that is, he’ll now want to be the deal maker, whether it’s with Obama or whether with the Europeans.

The odd thing about Vladimir Putin is he’s a very, very shrewd analyst. I’ve met him a few times, and I’m always struck by his very strong analytic skills. He’s a very good debater, for example, whenever he’s trying to present a position. And he’s written these newspaper articles for various Russian newspapers that analyze Russia’s situation, including all of its problems - political, economic, lack of democracy, for example - and he does it all very intelligently.

He doesn’t seem to understand that he is the source of many of those problems. He is the architect of the system that he is creating, and that’s where you wonder if there’s some kind of strange self-delusion where he doesn’t understand that he is at the heart of the reasons that Russia can’t progress in the way that he is describing.

Perhaps there will be some kind of revelation where he begins to understand that and loosens up and opens up the system. I very much doubt it. I think more likely, it will take some kind of sharp shock from the outside to bring that realization.

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Topics: From Fareed • Russia

soundoff (78 Responses)
  1. S.V.P.YADAV

    Respected, Mr Fareed Zakaria Garu, Mr Putins power is Sagacity. In front of U N O, he is a stabilised person. He bringup countrys economy with grouth. In Russia, two years kid also known him. He was never fear in any circomstances. Russia need anether 5 to 6 years his services to country. And having relationship with public is exellent.

    March 1, 2012 at 2:14 am | Reply
    • shane

      you sir, are a moron

      March 11, 2012 at 11:12 am | Reply
    • William Minnick

      Putin is very unpredictltable I feel tensions are growing betwwen the US and Russia now that Putins back and we will really be in for long roller coaster ride.

      March 12, 2012 at 2:58 pm | Reply
      • Andrey

        If Putin seems very unpredictable to you – after 12 years in power, it's too bad. I do not think it can be helped. So check with Hillary what she has got against Putin: I am not aware of anything else that has changed lately between Russia and USA so you would feel the tensions rising.
        The funniest things in so many comments is that phrase: "....now that Putin is back..." That is ridiculous! Putin has never left. Either as a President or as a Prime Minister that was he who was running the shaw. So the only change now would be in your own imagination!

        March 12, 2012 at 6:08 pm |
  2. j. von hettlingen

    If Putin is as shrewd as he projects himself, no doubt he knows the country needs reforms. Maybe he deems them necessary too, yet prefers to tackle the problems his way, as he sees reforms are a time-consuming process. Many Russians don't believe his earnestness. Yes, real challenges lie ahead of him.

    March 1, 2012 at 7:14 am | Reply
    • Andrey

      Many Russians do not believe the country needs any reforms. I would say the majority – something like 63%.

      March 12, 2012 at 5:55 pm | Reply
      • Kirill

        Andrey,
        Did you learn 65% from Pravda?

        March 15, 2012 at 3:53 pm |
  3. George Patton

    Let's just hope that you're right, Fareed. A terrifying alternative would be another Boris Yeltsin getting elected to once again bring Russia to it's knees and selling out or crawling to the West. Better Putin than Yeltsin or anybody like him!!!

    March 1, 2012 at 9:18 am | Reply
  4. jal

    Great journalism!

    March 1, 2012 at 9:27 am | Reply
  5. joe anon 1

    putin will win.

    saw a propagandist, masha gessen, against putin on the jon liebowitz(stewart) propaganda program (he is sometimes ok re republicans and some democrats but not much else).

    whatever she says disregard.

    March 1, 2012 at 12:01 pm | Reply
  6. Rosie

    Putin is a despot on his way to becoming a dictator. He will never accept he is the source of Russia's problems. He will never want to leave. He believes, just as Gaddafi or Mubarak or Al-Assad or Mugabe or Kim Jung Il or Stalin or Pinochet or Napoleon or so many others, that he is the only one clever enough to lead his country and solve such problems. The problem.is, indeed, that he is extremely intelligent, and that his country has oil. Democracy will not come easy to Russia.

    March 1, 2012 at 4:27 pm | Reply
    • George Patton

      It seems to me Rosie, that you have forgotten what a disaster the Yeltsin presidency has been for Russia back in the 1990's. In Moscow, for instance, the city's garbage collectors were finding dead bodies every morning either frozen or died fron malnutrition while the mafia killed people day after day just like in Chicago back in the 1920's. Need I say more?

      March 1, 2012 at 7:21 pm | Reply
      • Rosie

        Whatever you say, but Yeltsin is gone; He did not overstay; he did not manipulate elections... only with time we will see how much longer Putin holds on to power. Or, are you implying that if they are considered 'good rulers' they should stay forever?

        March 1, 2012 at 10:10 pm |
      • Ohio Johnny

        Rosie, are you in all seriousness suggesting that Yeltsin did not manipulate the elections? You're either 15 years old or very very naive. The Yeltsin regime was a disaster, a tragedy.

        March 8, 2012 at 10:26 am |
    • naiem

      I agree, I think Russia will be the last country in the world to see real democracy maybe even after China. Putin will never leave the power and Russian demographic is not young enough to raise against him anytime.

      March 2, 2012 at 12:04 am | Reply
      • Andrey

        Russia may never see the real democracy – for it exists only in your imagination!

        March 12, 2012 at 8:41 pm |
    • marco

      shut up your mouth american dog....the world needs Putin.....who made mubarack?who made ghadaffi?o sadam?..they become evil only when the oppose america....

      March 12, 2012 at 5:19 pm | Reply
      • naiem

        Gaddafi and Saddam were close friends to russia. Mubarak was backed with America, but you see he left the power to avoid bloodshed. Compare that with Russian backed dictators like Assad, and Khamenei. By the way, khamenei is educated in the Russian's Patris Lumomba university. Also Putin said he can see Jesus in Khamenei in his only visit to Iran.

        March 13, 2012 at 1:19 am |
    • Andrey

      How being "extremely intelligent" and having oil in Russia would present a problem? Not for Russia!

      March 12, 2012 at 8:39 pm | Reply
      • naiem

        An intelligent ruler + oild money => Successful dictator. And here is the point: Dictators do not work for their country and people, they work for themselves or their party. Heard about Stalin?

        March 13, 2012 at 1:25 am |
      • Andrey

        naiem: yes, I have heard something about Stalin. He was a son of poor Georgian cobbler. He was not Russian, he was not educated (4 years with a church school) not particularly intelligent (just "streetwise") and did not have much in terms of oil money. He served his idea of the Communism, how he understood it. For this he has got rid of all the old top of the party he belonged to and has got millions executed or sent to SIberia. So what traits do you see here as common? The same geography – is that all? Or you just wish to shaw off – how much you know about Russia? I am not impressed.

        March 14, 2012 at 10:03 am |
  7. Anton

    Stalin was in power for over 25 years, Putin would need another 6 to catch up.

    March 1, 2012 at 11:35 pm | Reply
  8. Gayan

    Im from sri lanka. if we have a chance all sri lankans will vote for putin.The world needs a balance.

    March 2, 2012 at 8:56 am | Reply
    • Krish

      I'm from India. Putin's a disgrace to Democracy.

      March 3, 2012 at 6:47 pm | Reply
    • Russian

      I am from Russia. Putin's fraudulent self-election is bad. Bad for Russia. Bad for Democracy. Bad for the world.

      March 6, 2012 at 10:51 pm | Reply
      • Ivan

        I am from Russia and believe that Putin is our president! I have voted for him and so did my friends! I have lived through hunger during 1990 and I know the real value of what I have now. Do you?

        March 11, 2012 at 6:11 pm |
      • Andrey

        Hey "Russian" I do not care about your democracy. And I do not care about your liberast opinion. I care about Russia. And you are bad for Russia – what a shame.

        March 12, 2012 at 8:45 pm |
      • Roma

        I am from Russia, too. I came to the point where I simply don't care how much wealth does a "ruling dictator" poses.
        People must understand, that it is not Putin's nor is it my fault that somebody, somehow decided that from now on South America – food bank, North America and Europe – pure consumers, Africa – resources, Asia – labor and production. And it seams to me that only Russian and German people want to have a fair balance of everything within the borders.

        March 13, 2012 at 2:14 am |
  9. Busty Putin

    Putin has woman's breast OMG ! Go take a closer look at his photos. Shocking! Putin has woman's breasts OMG!

    March 2, 2012 at 11:47 am | Reply
    • joe anon 1

      masha gessen said this and you repeat. both of you are idiots and/or ops.

      russia will be democratic, meaning just and fair and equal, before the u.s.

      March 2, 2012 at 12:30 pm | Reply
  10. Dmitry

    MISTAKE IN YOUR ARTICLE

    Dear Fareed,

    Please correct a mistake in your article. Putin's four terms add up to 20 years, if you include Medvedev's term it is 24 years in total. Joseph Stalin served as General Secretary of Communist Party (top government position) for thirty years. This is not more than Putin's possible 24 years. Thank you.

    Dmitry

    March 2, 2012 at 1:27 pm | Reply
  11. joe anon 1

    number of years has zero to do with justice, equality, fairness.

    March 2, 2012 at 1:52 pm | Reply
    • Roma

      Agreed. But why you defend a lie?

      March 13, 2012 at 2:18 am | Reply
  12. IRAN IS EVIL

    MAKE NO MISTAKE IRAN IS WORSE THAN HITLER 100 TIME, ATTACK IRAN NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE , THOSE EVIL WILL BREED EVIL, THEY ARE HELPING ALL THE TERRORISTS IN LEBANON , BAHRAIN, HEZBOLLAH, SYRIAN BASHAR AL ASAD AND IRAQI SHIIA THUGS LIKE BADER AND MAHDI MILITIA, QODOS ARMY AND ASHAB AL HAQ, AL SADDER ARMY WITH MONEY AND WEAPONS AND PAYING RUSSIA FOR MORE SUPPORT. GET RED OF IRAN AND ALL THE OTHER MINOR EVIL WILL FALL. MAKE SURE TO WARN NORI AL MALEKI THE EVIL PRIM MINSTER OF IRAQ TO NOT HELP IRAN AND NOT ALLOW IRAN TO CONTROL IRAQ.

    March 2, 2012 at 5:45 pm | Reply
  13. IRAN=SYRIA SHIA=IRAQ SHIIA= HEZBOLLAH-TERRORISTS

    ALL THOSE WHO SAYS IRAN WILL RAISE ISRAEL TO THE GROUND ARE WRONG. IRAN IS A PAPER TIGER, THERE ARE 45 OPPOSITION GROUPS READY TO FIGHT, MAKE SURE TO HELP MOJAHEDI KHALQ, HELP IRANIAN CHRISTIANS, HELP THE KURDISH IN IRAN MORE THAN 5 MILLION, HELP THE ARAB SUNNI ARABESTAN AND THE BELOOSH, HELP THE LURE AND STUDENT MOVEMENTS, HELP THE PERSIAN AND BAHII FAITH AND MANY OTHER MINORITIES ARE WAITING FOR USA TO ATTACK SOI THEY CAN FINISH THOSE VILLAGE IDIOTS CALLED MULLAS AND THERE SICJ CULT CALLED SHIIAZIM THOSE EVIL WILL BREAD EVIL WE MUST UNITE TO FINISH IRAN...ATTACK THEM NON STOP 24 HOURS WITH ALL THE MIGHT , DESTROY THE COMAND AND CONTROL THE SHIPS AND SUBMARIENS, THE NUYC SITES THE ARMY BASE AND ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS AND RADAR SOFT AND HARD TARGET, DESTROY QUM AND TEHRAN LEVEL THEM TO THE GROUND DONT WORRY ABOUT THE OIL, IF IRAN CUT THE OIL SAUDI AND THE GULF CAN PUMP 3 TIME MORE OIL TO COVER THE LOST, MAKE SURE TO ATTACK SHIIA IN IRAN SO THEY DONT ALLOW IRAN TO ENTER IRAQ. HELP THE SUNNI IN IRAQ TO ATTACK IRANIAN FORCES IN IRAQ, TURKEY WILL HELP USA FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN WILL HELP, THE SUNNI ARE WAITING TO FINISH THEM OFF ALONG WITH BASHAR AL KALB IN SYRIA. HELP THE KURD TO CONTROL THE NORTH.......IRAN MUST BE LEVELED TO THE GROUND. ARREST AND KICK ALL IRANIANS AND SHIIA FROM THE GULF STATES DONT HIRE THEM AND DONT ALLOW THEM TO COME HERE. RUSSIA HAS SYRIAN BLOOD ON THERE HANDS, RUSSIAN MUST BE ATTACKED AS THEY ARE HELPING KILLERS THUGS TO KILL OUR PEOPLE SO RUSSIA MUST BE A TARGET ANY WHERE ANY HOW

    March 2, 2012 at 11:28 pm | Reply
  14. IRAN=SYRIA SHIA=IRAQ SHIIA= HEZBOLLAH-TERRORISTS

    THE SYRIAN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT WAIT FOR NATO , UN OR THE WEST HELP, AS THEY WILL NEVER HELP THEM, THE SYRIAN FREE ARMY SHOULD START LOOKING FOR HOME WEAPONS IN THE LAB AND MAKE IT FAST TO KILL THOSE SHIIA THUGS OF BASHAR AL ASAD, IF WE DIE LET US TAKE MORE OF THEM WITH US......WE MUST ARREST ANY SYRIAN OFFICIAL IN MIDDLEAST, CHARGE THERE LEADERS WITH CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY AND WE MUST CHARGE PUTEN AND RUSSIAN LEADERS OF THE SAME CRIME AND ASK THE HUMAN RIGHTS TO ARREST THEM ANY WHERE THEY BE FOUND THOSE RUSSIAN KILLERS MUST BE ELEMNATED

    March 2, 2012 at 11:31 pm | Reply
    • DOOD

      are you insane? you call for so much blood, death and hate, yet iran is the bad guy. Also, you have no political insight. you want all these minority groups inside iran to take up arms against the government? If that happens iran will be ripped apart, it will turn into an afghanistan. Also, the turks will never allow the kurds in iran to gain power, they dont want any implications of a possible united kurdistan. If iran is attacked the borders between afghanistan-iran and iran-iraq will melt and that entire region will become an abyss of death and war that will drag everyone into hell.
      Regarding Putin, good for him. its funny that when ever a leader arises to high status and my have views that differ from the US he is labelled as a dictator....yet all of the weak puppets that follow the US mandates are world heros and friends of democracy.

      March 4, 2012 at 3:38 pm | Reply
  15. Krishna

    Putin + Democracy.... doesn't mix.

    March 3, 2012 at 6:48 pm | Reply
  16. Krishna

    (Putin + Democracy) = [(Propaganda - Free choice)Hypocricy]^Force.

    March 3, 2012 at 6:50 pm | Reply
  17. KOS OMAHTKUM SHIIA KELAB, WE MUST ATTACK IRAN

    أدلة على زيادة الدعم الإيراني للأسد

    سفينتان إيرانيتان في ميناء طرطوس السوري (الجزيرة)
    قال مسؤولون أميركيون إنهم يرون أن لإيران يدا في ما وصفوها بالأعمال القمعية التي يرتكبها النظام السوري في معاقل المعارضة، بما في ذلك أدلة على الدعم الإيراني العسكري والمخابراتي للجنود السوريين المتهمين بارتكاب إعدامات جماعية وفظائع خلال الأسبوع الماضي.

    وحسب صحيفة واشنطن بوست، فإن ثلاثة مسؤولين أميركيين مطلعين على تقارير استخبارية من المنطقة تحدثوا عن ارتفاع حاد في إمدادات الأسلحة الإيرانية ومساعدات أخرى لنظام الرئيسبشار الأسدفي وقت يصعد فيه النظام حملة "غير مسبوقة لسحق الاحتجاجات" في مدينة حمص.

    وتنقل الصحيفة عن أحد المسؤولين اشترط عدم ذكر اسمه، قوله "إن المساعدة من إيران متزايدة، وتنصب بشكل متزايد على المساعدة القاتلة".

    وتشير واشنطن بوست إلى أن اتساع نطاق الدور الإيراني في هذا الصراع ورد في تقارير تفيد بأن عميلا إيرانيا أصيب أثناء عمله مع قوات الأمن السورية داخل البلاد.

    وتقول إن تدفق المساعدات العسكرية الإيرانية إلى الأسد تأتي في وقت تبحث فيه الدول العربية تسليح معارضي النظام، وهو ما يثير المخاوف لدى المسؤولين الأميركيين من اتساع نطاق الصراع إلى الدول المجاورة.

    وتأتي التقارير الاستخابرية التي تتحدث عن هذا الدور الإيراني في وقت يبحث فيه المسؤولون الأميركيون حشد الدعم الدولي لجهود الإطاحة بالأسد دون اللجوء إلى تسليح الثوار، وهي الخطوة التي عارضها الرئيس الأميركي باراك أوباما.

    طبيعة المساعدات
    وتلفت الصحيفة النظر إلى أن التقييمات الاستخبارية الأميركية تتوافق مع التقارير الأخيرة التي صدرت عن الثوار السوريين بشأن الدعم الإيراني، حيث قال قادة المعارضة نقلا عن منشقين في الجيش إن إيران بعثت مئات المستشارين والمسؤولين الأمنيين وعملاء المخابرات إلى سوريا إلى جانب أموال وأسلحة وأجهزة مراقبة إلكترونية.

    ويقول الناشط السوري عمار عبد الحميد الذي يتخذ من واشنطن مقرا له، إن "إيران مشتركة على نطاق أوسع من ذي قبل في القمع الذي يرتكبه الأسد".

    وتشير واشنطن بوست إلى أن قصص اصطحاب الجنود السوريين لذوي لحى سود يتحدثون بلغة أجنبية يفترض أنهم إيرانيين، قد انتشرت في سوريا خلال الأشهر الماضية، ولكن الناشطين لا يملكون أدلة ملموسة على اشتراك الإيرانيين في الهجمات.

    ويقول عمر شاكر الذي فر من حمص إلى لبنان "شاهدنا بعض الأدلة، ولكننا لا نستطيع أن نثبتها".

    من جانبها تقول الصحيفة إن الجيش السوري الحر اعتقل سبعة إيرانيين في حمص في شهر ديسمبر/كانون الأول، وفي حين أن طهران تؤكد أنهم كانوا يعملون في محطات توليد للطاقة، فإن الثوار يقولون إنهم كانوا يعملون مع قوات الحرس الثوري الإيراني.

    March 4, 2012 at 5:25 pm | Reply
  18. Thrawn

    Not that I support a rigged election, or a president-for-life, but is Democracy possible on a scale as large as Russia? Russia is HUGE. Think of the divisions that a parliment/senate would create. how many cultures, with different worldviews, are represented within Russa? Our senate, from roughly the same culture, can hardly agree. Don't you think a Russian senate would be far worse, to the point of uselessness?
    Great article, anyway.

    March 5, 2012 at 8:19 am | Reply
  19. why we must attack syria and nori al maleki of iraq before iran

    RUSSIAN LEADERS HAVE SYRIAN BLOOD ON THERE EVIL HANDS AND THEY SHOULD STAND IN TRIAL AS WAR CRIMINAL, CRIME AGANIST HUMANITY THEY KILLED MORE THAN 17,000 IN SYRIA BECAUSE OF IRAN MONEY AND RUSSIAN WEAPONS AND KILLERS FROM SYRIA AND IRAQI SHIIA

    يسعى رئيس وزراء العراق نوري المالكي جاهداً لتحقيق انعقاد مؤتمر القمة العربية المزمع انعقاده ببغداد في 29 آذار الجاري بأي ثمن يدفع، وعلى أي صورة تكون حتى ولو لساعات ثم ينفض الاجتماع؛ المهم أن رئاسة الدورة العربية ولمدة عام أو لحين انعقاد المؤتمر القادم تكون بيده. يترافق هذا الحرص من جانب المالكي وحكومته على الرغم من امتعاض إيران وعدم رغبتها لانعقاد المؤتمر في بغداد! هل تعرفون لماذا؟ سأشرح لكم ذلك بعد قليل.

    تردد واضح يشيع في أوساط الدول العربية خصوصاً الخليجية وسط مخاطر متوقعة لا يستهان بها قد تصل إلى حد التحضير لاغتيال شخصيات معينة من قبل الحرس الثوري الإيراني الذي يصول ويجول في بلاد الرافدين، وعزلة يعانيها النظام مع محيطه العربي. وحتى لحظة كتابة هذه الحروف لم تحسم موافقة أغلب الدول على حضور المؤتمر، وإن كانت التصريحات كلها إلى جانب الحضور. هذا وجهود أمين الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي واضحة في الحرص على انعقاد المؤتمر في المكان والزمان المحددين!

    أعطى المالكي في سبيل هدفه هذا تنازلات عديدة، وأعلن عن تصريحات غريبة آخرها أنه لا يقف إلى جانب الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد، وأن وقت رحيله قد حان. وزاد فعزز ذلك بإنهاء الوساطة التي تبرع بها قبل حوالي شهرين في سبيل إنهاء (الأزمة) أي الثورة السورية. عساه أن يطمئن العرب ويقنعهم بسلامة نيته، وأنه لن يخرج عن الخط العربي في أي قرار سيتخذ.

    العجيب أن الإشارة تلقفها أمس برهان غليون رئيس المجلس الوطني للثورة السورية وبسرعة خاطفة، قائلاً ما معناه: ما دام أن الجانب العراقي قال بأنه لا يقف إلى جانب النظام السوري فهذا يكفي رغم ما بدر منه سابقاً! معقباً بكل ما في السياسة من (حسن ظن): "الحكومة العراقية تعتقد أنه لم يبق للرئيس السوري بشار الأسد أي حظوظ في البقاء في السلطة"! فلا أدري هل هي (طيبة قلب)؟ أم وراء الأكمة ما وراءها؟ وهل يسمح لنا الأستاذ غليون أن نستعير رؤيته (الثاقبة) للأحداث كي نؤسس لقاعدة جديدة على منطق السياسة: افعل ما تشاء.. اذبح، اقتل، قاتل، موّل، ادعم... كل ذلك يشطب بجرة تصريح؟! إذن لماذا لا يشمل رئيسه بشار بهذه (القاعدة الذهبية) الجديدة؟

    ما هي أهداف الحكومة العراقية من وراء المؤتمر

    قبل الإجابة عن هذا السؤال أترككم مع هذه الأخبار التي تتمتع بنسبة عالية من التأكيد:

    1. بتاريخ 1/2/2012 عقد نوري المالكي اجتماعاً مع عدد من قياديي حزب الدعوة وأبلغهم بما يلي:

    · ان موافقة العراق على موقف العرب من سوريا إنما لترغيب القادة العرب وسحب أرجلهم لحضور المؤتمر وضمان عدم مقاطعتهم له.

    · المؤتمر سيكون فرصة ذهبية لمحاولة إجراء مصالحة سورية – عربية مع بشار الأسد أو مع من يمثله.

    · الحرص على حضور أبرز القادة العرب وخاصة (السعودية وقطر ومصر)؛ فإن عدم حضورهم "يبعث رسالة الى أمريكا بأن الحكومة العراقية قد فشلت في كسر عزلتها عن المحيط العربي، وأن هذا سيكون عامل ضعف بارز في علاقة حكومتنا مع الإدارة الأمريكية".

    · السعي لكسب تأييد القادة العرب وخاصة دولة الكويت لإخراج العراق من البند السابع. (حتى يتسنى للمالكي الاستبداد بأمور العراق على أوسع مدياته؛ بعد رفع يد الأمم المتحدة عنه. فهل يعي سياسيو سنة العراق المطالبين بإخراج العراق من أحكام البند السابع أنه ليس من مصلحتهم ذلك؟ وأما آن الأوان ليدركوا أن هناك شرخاً عميقاً وواسعاً قد حصل بين مصلحة العراق ومصلحة السنة، وأن "المشروع الوطني" قد بات خنجراً مسموماً في قلب السنة بعد أن كان في ظهرهم؟).

    · إن العراق سيرأس معظم اللجان والنشاطات المرتبطة بقرارات ونتائج القمة وستنتقل الرئاسة من يد قطر التي تقود التحرك العربي ضد لبشار الاسد الى حكومة المالكي الحليف العربي الأول له ولنظامه. وبوجود أمين عام ضعيف للجامعة يمتثل لإرادة العراق (لماذا) سيسهل على العراق إدارة الازمة السورية كما يريد.

    2. بتاريخ 20/1/2012 أخبر إبراهيم الجعفري مستشار الأمن الوطني فالح الفياض بأن القيادة الأمريكية أوعزت لأياد علاوي أن يستغل علاقاته مع بعض الدول العربية وخاصة الخليجية منها لتشجيعها على حضور مؤتمر القمة العربية مقابل تعهد الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بالضغط على نوري المالكي لتقديم تنازلات للقائمة العراقية.

    3. كما أوفد نوري المالكي وزير الدفاع وكالة سعدون الدليمي إلى القاهرة في حوالي يوم 18/1/2012 لترتيب الأمور مع أمين الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي في لقاء سري بينهما.

    4. أما ما يخص إيران فبتاريخ 7/1/2012 اجتمع قاسم سليماني قائد فيلق القدس التابع للحرس الثوري والمسؤول عن ملف العراق مع علي الأديب القيادي في حزب الدعوة ووزير التعليم العالي في مقر الحرس الثوري الإيراني في مدينة كرمنشاه وبدون علم نوري المالكي لوضع خطة لاستهداف بعض القادة العرب أثناء انعقاد المؤتمر، وإلقاء مسؤولية تنفيذ العملية على خلية تابعة لتنظيم القاعدة العامل في جزيرة العرب. هذا وقد تسربت أخبار عن عزم نوري المالكي على زيارة ايران قبل انعقاد القمة العربية في بغداد لاستلام التوجيهات اللازمة حول الملفات التي سيناقشها العراق مع قادة الدول العربية، سيما تلك المتعلقة بسوريا. ولدعوة القيادة الايرانية إلى أن توعز إلى المجاميع الشيعية المسلحة المرتبطة بها في العراق أن تتوقف عن تنفيذ عمليات إرهابية للفترة قبل وأثناء انعقاد المؤتمر.

    باختصار

    يمكننا أن نختصر أهم الأهداف التي يريد المالكي تحقيقها من خلال المؤتمر بما يلي:

    1. يعاني النظام الشيعي الحاكم في العراق من عزلة عربية خانقة لا سيما من قبل المملكة العربية السعودية وبعض دول الخليج، وما يتبع ذلك من قلق تجاه شرعية تسلطه على العراق، إذن ستحقق القمة له إضفاء مزيد من الشرعية وكسب تأييد الدول العربية لكسر عزلته معها.

    2. وعلى عكس ما يتظاهر به النظام من الانسحاب من تأييد النظام السوري فإن المالكي يريد من وراء انعقاد القمة في بغداد تحييد مواقف الدول العربية المتشددة من النظام السوري للحيلولة دون سقوطه.

    3. التمكن أكثر من تحقيق أجندات وأهداف إيرانية وسورية، لحكومته التي تعاني من العزلة العربية، واستغلال رئاسة الحكومة العراقية لدورة الجامعة العربية التي ستستمر لمدة عام في تنفيذ المخططات خدمة لتلك الأهداف.

    4. أما ممانعة إيران لعقد المؤتمر في بغداد فلخشيتها من أن يكون للعرب أي موطئ قدم في العراق، كي تحقق انفرادها الكامل به وبحكومته، وإفساد أي فرصة، ولو كانت تافهة، للتقارب بين الطرفين. والتفجيرات الأخيرة في بغداد كانت هي وراءها لتعكير الوضع الأمني خدمة لهدفها المذكور!

    ملاحظة هامشية

    بتاريخ 29/1/2012 عقد اجتماع ضم كلاً من نوري المالكي والفريق زهير الغرباوي مدير جهاز المخابرات ووكيله سمير حداد والعميد ( هندرين ) مدير الشؤون الفنية في الجهاز لوضع خطة فنية عن زرع مقرات إقامة القادة العرب بكاميرات مراقبة وأجهزة تنصت حديثة حصل عليها جهاز المخابرات من الجانبين الأمريكي والبريطاني، والتجسس على اتصالات أعضاء الوفود فيما بينهم والاستفادة من ذلك في عمليات توريط وابتزاز سياسي لتجنيد من يمكن تجنيده من أعضاء الوفود.

    ما لا أريد قوله

    في ضوء المعطيات الآنفة الذكر تكون الدول التي ستشارك في مؤتمر القمة العربية المزمع عقده في بغداد، شريكة للمالكي وحكومته في المسؤولية الشرعية أمام الله تعالى عن أي جهد يضاف، بناء على حضورهم المؤتمر وما سينبني عليه، إلى جهود هؤلاء المجرمين الحثيثة في إنهاء الوجود السني العربي في العراق، وما يترتب على ذلك الجهد من قتل وتنكيل بإخواننا في سوريا على يد النظام الحاكم هناك. ألا وإن الله تعالى يقول: (وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ) (الصافات:24). ألا وإننا كلنا ماضون في النهاية إلى الله جل في علاه، وكلنا سنقف بين يديه. فماذا نحن له قائلون؟

    إلى ديانِ يومِ الدينِ نمضي وعندَ اللهِ تجتمعُ الخصومُ

    March 5, 2012 at 1:34 pm | Reply
  20. SYRIANS =IRAN=HIZBOALLAH= TERRORISTS, KOS OMAHATKUM YA SHIIA

    IRAN IS THE ROOT FO ALL EVIL,, THEY ARE HELPING THE TERRORISTS HIZBOALLAH TO GO AND KILL PEOPLE IN SYRIA, THEY ARE HELPING IRAQI TERRORISTS TO GO AND KILL SUNNI IN SYRIA, THEY ARE HELPING BADER ARMY IN IRAQ, QODOS ARMY, MAHDI MILITIA, ASHAB AL HAQ AND MAKING TROUBLE IN IRAQ, BAHRAIN, LEBANON, HAMAS AND DESTABELIZA THE COUNTRIES, GIVE MONEY TO THEM AND TO RUSSIA SO RUSSIA SEND MORE WEAPON TO SYRIA AND HIZBOALLAH. ATTACK NIRAN NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND MAKE NO MSITAKE WHEN IRAN IS READY THEY WILL ATTACK ISRAEL AND THEY WILL WIPE ISRAEL AND THE OIL FIELDS IN MIDDLEAST. NOW IS THE TIME TO ATTACK IRAN AND WIPE THOSE EVIL FROM THE MAP WE MUST TAKE THEM FOR LUNCH BEFORE THEY TAKE US TO DINNER. FK IRAN FK KHOMINI FK ALI AND AHMAD NEJAD FK AL SESTANI AND ALL IRAN EMAMS AND MULLAS, FK IRAN LADIES THEY ARE GOOD FOR MOTAA KOS OMAHATKUM YA SHIIA YA KELAB
    FK YOU PUTIN THE RUSSAIN IDIOT AND KILLER RUSSIAN LEADER SHOULD BE ARRESTED AND SEND TO TRIAL AS WAR CRIMINAL THEY HELP SYRIA TO KILL MORE THAN 16.000 CEVILIANS

    March 6, 2012 at 12:14 pm | Reply
  21. AlexShch

    Let me praise (this time without sarcasm) the professional reaction from the US Dept. of State and Secretary Hillary Clinton: Thank You for abstaining from making any comments. This time (and I have to admit, some progress has been made) you think twice first before opening your mouth to say something like "These election were neither honest, nor fair, nor what Russian people deserved".

    March 6, 2012 at 12:34 pm | Reply
  22. IRAN IS EVIL

    Here's my take on the Iranian Nuclear

    Q: FIRSTLY, are we willing to trust Iran with Nuclear weapons?
    A: No way! Else risk having a volatile ME brimming with nukes in tha hands of unstable Islamic radical regimes!
    and they will send the nuc to syrian thugs and killers and we saw what the shiia killers can do as they kill there own people

    Q: Can we let diplomacy go on right until the point Iran gets nukes?
    A: No way, we need to stop them right at their tracks! we must attack iran and syria now and keep israel and middleast safe and keep the world safe from the evil shiia and iranian thugs

    Q: Is a war in the ME now more disastrous than after Iran has developed nukes?
    A: Clearly NOT!

    Q: Will a war with Iran now cause major upheaval, increase terror against Americans all over the world incl. terror right here in America from homegrown Islamic radicals?
    A: No . But it may just be necessary to prevent potential major catastrophe or even a WW3 later on. iran is a paper tiger they do have more than 45 opposition groups we can use them to attack iran from the inside among them the arabestan province , the sunni in iran, the kurdish in iran, the lures and turks, the assyrians, the stuudents and women movments, the bahaii and persians egtc.....we must help the iraqi sunni to destroy the iran interests behind the lione.

    Q: Is war the only answer to stop them?
    A:yes! as diplomacy will never work with iran and syria or any shiia , they are an evil liers, they call lies taqeya, there god called ali and hussain!!!
    dont allow iranians to come to usa canada or any where for any reason that include the iraqi shiia and syrian shiia thuygs.

    Q: Is it time to strike Iran?
    A:yes 100% as the arab spring rising and the sunni arabs will help to attack the shiia interests, saudi arabia and gulf states will pump more oil 3 time more to offset iran oil problem so no worry about oil flow and price.

    Q:What do we mean by Iranian compliance?
    A: STOP enrichment beyond 3.5% and surrender in a verifiable manner all stocks of enriched Uranium above 3.5%
    Dismantle their underground enrichment plants in Qom and other places. Allow IAEA inspectors unfettered access to all facilities. THEY WILL NEVER DO THAT MARK MY WORDS DONT BE FOOL ATTACK NOW....OBAMA WILL NOT ATTACK THE REASON BECAUSE HE HAS A NOBEL PRIZE FOR PEACE AND HE WILL KEEP THAT IMAGE OF PEACE , BUT THAT WILL DESTROY THE WORLD....WAKE UP OBAMA

    DONT TRUST IRAN AND THE SHIIA

    Until we do all these the world can never be safe from ISLAMIC NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL !!!!!

    March 6, 2012 at 7:37 pm | Reply
  23. alex

    Well the article is all true about what's going on in Russia during past 12 years. The corruption level gets max level because Putin creates it by himself. Putin=corruption. He made a few his friend $ multimillionaires. Now he's really afraid to loose his status of Prime Minister as it gives him the immunity from investigations of crime he was involved in, believe me it's a lot!! All this regime and United Russia covers him really good along with FSB and police that help them to assassinate people "who know too much". Every day we get a murder sometimes a few and regime never finds who's guilty but society knows well and all of us afraid to say. The mass fraud was on previous parliament's election and regime covered it up as true results with no serious violations, but there were mass vote fraud from other candidates and "carousels" , independent watchers removals and other violations. So we have now unlegitimate parliament that under Putin will and it can't no longer be like that. People rights regime doesn't follow and doesn't give a crap about them. People are really frustrated to have "president" like that and want the changes because it reminds the Soviet Union with totalitarianism. Now Putin wants to destroy the opposition so bad ang will do anything to approach this aim. On march' 4 all of you have seen dishonest elections. On march'5 we had demonstrations "For Free Elections!" in the Moscow downtown, more than 20 000 people went on the Puskin Square which already was surrounded with special police forces during the end we get about 1000 people arrested, now people are afraid to demonstrate cuz the police could use more power than before. on top it all we all afraid of Putin's regime and don't want him back!!! WE WANT HIM TO LEAVE AND GO TO JAIL!!!!

    March 6, 2012 at 7:50 pm | Reply
    • Roma

      Кому ты тут мозги впариваешь, америкосам что ли? Зря стараешься, они тебя только при Ельцине и Горбачеве уважать будут. Это тебе-то при Путине в Москве плохо живется? Сразу видно что ты очередной фальшивый русский.

      March 13, 2012 at 2:41 am | Reply
      • Kirill

        Рома, по стилю твоего сообщения можно сказать, что ты – настоящий русский. Сними валенки.

        March 15, 2012 at 4:05 pm |
  24. IRAN AND syria shiia are EVIL

    The world waited while Germany rearmed itself...all in the name of self-defense and national self-esteem following the Armistice in 1918. The result of waiting was more than six million innocent jews murdered by a fanatic who wrote his plan years earlier. Iran has made it clear through words and its ongoing sponsorship of Hamas and Hezbollah (not to mention the murderous Assad regime) that they are without honor, cannot be trusted, and will kill as many Jews (and Americans) they can. I can never forgive them for the Iran Hostage crisis. There support of terrorist acts through the 80's and 90's including the killing of an American in a wheelchair is a testament to the evil of the Iranian government.

    March 7, 2012 at 4:38 am | Reply
  25. Russian

    I have two main disagreements with Fareed's analysis.
    1. The protests over the last few months were not that small (I really hope, Fareed, you do not believe all the official information from Russia, which always ridiculously underreports the amount of participants in opposition rallies), and they represent even wider dissatisfaction and frustration with Putin's policies among the Russians. That is why the authorities had to use falsifications in Putin's election on such a big scale - they were really worried about the possibility that he would not get 50%, and the second ballot will be needed. And if the accounting of the votes was not rigged, we would probably have the second ballot.
    2. I understand what you mean when you say that "once Putin is elected, Russia is going to look remarkably similar to before he was elected." It is true that Putin was the real head of Russia during all the Medvedev's presidency. But what is important is that in reality Russia in 2012 is REMARKABLY DIFFERENT from what it was a year ago, even a few months ago. Russian society has changed during the last few months irreversibly, Putin will be president of a very different country. It is probably not much noticeable from outside for now, Putin and his gang do not want to see that either. But, hopefully, soon this change will become obvious to everybody.
    3. Yeah, there is sort of a third point, a small one. Fareed, do you really believe Putin has written all these newspaper articles by himself? Does not really matter much, but still... And really, he sounds very intelligent? I remember several years ago I noticed that President Bush sounded in translation into Russian much better (more intelligent) than in original language. Maybe Putin sounds better in translation into English as well?

    March 7, 2012 at 5:36 am | Reply
    • Andrey

      The first time I see somebody from Russia obviously pro-liberal who calls himself Russian, and not "Russian citizen".
      You are in the wrong company anyway. All I want to tell you.
      I ma really glad that there are not that many of you in Russia – liberals. I hope it will stay this way.

      March 8, 2012 at 9:36 pm | Reply
    • Roma

      Here we go again, one more Russian protester that never been to Russia

      March 13, 2012 at 2:51 am | Reply
  26. IRAN AND syria shiia are EVIL

    all you need to attack and finsh syria are 50 uman aircraft drawn attack syrian president pallace his army base and provide cover to homs and let the free syrian army do the rest, attack syrian weapons safe houses and the supplies root it is very easy you can let these fighters fly from saudi , jordan turkey and the med sea .....days and night 24 hours round the clock destroying radars and soft target

    March 7, 2012 at 12:19 pm | Reply
  27. iraqi shiia and nori al maleki must go before we attack iran

    يسعى رئيس وزراء العراق نوري المالكي جاهداً لتحقيق انعقاد مؤتمر القمة العربية المزمع انعقاده ببغداد في 29 آذار الجاري بأي ثمن يدفع، وعلى أي صورة تكون حتى ولو لساعات ثم ينفض الاجتماع؛ المهم أن رئاسة الدورة العربية ولمدة عام أو لحين انعقاد المؤتمر القادم تكون بيده. يترافق هذا الحرص من جانب المالكي وحكومته على الرغم من امتعاض إيران وعدم رغبتها لانعقاد المؤتمر في بغداد! هل تعرفون لماذا؟ سأشرح لكم ذلك بعد قليل.

    تردد واضح يشيع في أوساط الدول العربية خصوصاً الخليجية وسط مخاطر متوقعة لا يستهان بها قد تصل إلى حد التحضير لاغتيال شخصيات معينة من قبل الحرس الثوري الإيراني الذي يصول ويجول في بلاد الرافدين، وعزلة يعانيها النظام مع محيطه العربي. وحتى لحظة كتابة هذه الحروف لم تحسم موافقة أغلب الدول على حضور المؤتمر، وإن كانت التصريحات كلها إلى جانب الحضور. هذا وجهود أمين الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي واضحة في الحرص على انعقاد المؤتمر في المكان والزمان المحددين!

    أعطى المالكي في سبيل هدفه هذا تنازلات عديدة، وأعلن عن تصريحات غريبة آخرها أنه لا يقف إلى جانب الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد، وأن وقت رحيله قد حان. وزاد فعزز ذلك بإنهاء الوساطة التي تبرع بها قبل حوالي شهرين في سبيل إنهاء (الأزمة) أي الثورة السورية. عساه أن يطمئن العرب ويقنعهم بسلامة نيته، وأنه لن يخرج عن الخط العربي في أي قرار سيتخذ.

    العجيب أن الإشارة تلقفها أمس برهان غليون رئيس المجلس الوطني للثورة السورية وبسرعة خاطفة، قائلاً ما معناه: ما دام أن الجانب العراقي قال بأنه لا يقف إلى جانب النظام السوري فهذا يكفي رغم ما بدر منه سابقاً! معقباً بكل ما في السياسة من (حسن ظن): "الحكومة العراقية تعتقد أنه لم يبق للرئيس السوري بشار الأسد أي حظوظ في البقاء في السلطة"! فلا أدري هل هي (طيبة قلب)؟ أم وراء الأكمة ما وراءها؟ وهل يسمح لنا الأستاذ غليون أن نستعير رؤيته (الثاقبة) للأحداث كي نؤسس لقاعدة جديدة على منطق السياسة: افعل ما تشاء.. اذبح، اقتل، قاتل، موّل، ادعم... كل ذلك يشطب بجرة تصريح؟! إذن لماذا لا يشمل رئيسه بشار بهذه (القاعدة الذهبية) الجديدة؟

    ما هي أهداف الحكومة العراقية من وراء المؤتمر

    قبل الإجابة عن هذا السؤال أترككم مع هذه الأخبار التي تتمتع بنسبة عالية من التأكيد:

    1. بتاريخ 1/2/2012 عقد نوري المالكي اجتماعاً مع عدد من قياديي حزب الدعوة وأبلغهم بما يلي:

    · ان موافقة العراق على موقف العرب من سوريا إنما لترغيب القادة العرب وسحب أرجلهم لحضور المؤتمر وضمان عدم مقاطعتهم له.

    · المؤتمر سيكون فرصة ذهبية لمحاولة إجراء مصالحة سورية – عربية مع بشار الأسد أو مع من يمثله.

    · الحرص على حضور أبرز القادة العرب وخاصة (السعودية وقطر ومصر)؛ فإن عدم حضورهم "يبعث رسالة الى أمريكا بأن الحكومة العراقية قد فشلت في كسر عزلتها عن المحيط العربي، وأن هذا سيكون عامل ضعف بارز في علاقة حكومتنا مع الإدارة الأمريكية".

    · السعي لكسب تأييد القادة العرب وخاصة دولة الكويت لإخراج العراق من البند السابع. (حتى يتسنى للمالكي الاستبداد بأمور العراق على أوسع مدياته؛ بعد رفع يد الأمم المتحدة عنه. فهل يعي سياسيو سنة العراق المطالبين بإخراج العراق من أحكام البند السابع أنه ليس من مصلحتهم ذلك؟ وأما آن الأوان ليدركوا أن هناك شرخاً عميقاً وواسعاً قد حصل بين مصلحة العراق ومصلحة السنة، وأن "المشروع الوطني" قد بات خنجراً مسموماً في قلب السنة بعد أن كان في ظهرهم؟).

    · إن العراق سيرأس معظم اللجان والنشاطات المرتبطة بقرارات ونتائج القمة وستنتقل الرئاسة من يد قطر التي تقود التحرك العربي ضد لبشار الاسد الى حكومة المالكي الحليف العربي الأول له ولنظامه. وبوجود أمين عام ضعيف للجامعة يمتثل لإرادة العراق (لماذا) سيسهل على العراق إدارة الازمة السورية كما يريد.

    2. بتاريخ 20/1/2012 أخبر إبراهيم الجعفري مستشار الأمن الوطني فالح الفياض بأن القيادة الأمريكية أوعزت لأياد علاوي أن يستغل علاقاته مع بعض الدول العربية وخاصة الخليجية منها لتشجيعها على حضور مؤتمر القمة العربية مقابل تعهد الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بالضغط على نوري المالكي لتقديم تنازلات للقائمة العراقية.

    3. كما أوفد نوري المالكي وزير الدفاع وكالة سعدون الدليمي إلى القاهرة في حوالي يوم 18/1/2012 لترتيب الأمور مع أمين الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي في لقاء سري بينهما.

    4. أما ما يخص إيران فبتاريخ 7/1/2012 اجتمع قاسم سليماني قائد فيلق القدس التابع للحرس الثوري والمسؤول عن ملف العراق مع علي الأديب القيادي في حزب الدعوة ووزير التعليم العالي في مقر الحرس الثوري الإيراني في مدينة كرمنشاه وبدون علم نوري المالكي لوضع خطة لاستهداف بعض القادة العرب أثناء انعقاد المؤتمر، وإلقاء مسؤولية تنفيذ العملية على خلية تابعة لتنظيم القاعدة العامل في جزيرة العرب. هذا وقد تسربت أخبار عن عزم نوري المالكي على زيارة ايران قبل انعقاد القمة العربية في بغداد لاستلام التوجيهات اللازمة حول الملفات التي سيناقشها العراق مع قادة الدول العربية، سيما تلك المتعلقة بسوريا. ولدعوة القيادة الايرانية إلى أن توعز إلى المجاميع الشيعية المسلحة المرتبطة بها في العراق أن تتوقف عن تنفيذ عمليات إرهابية للفترة قبل وأثناء انعقاد المؤتمر.

    باختصار

    يمكننا أن نختصر أهم الأهداف التي يريد المالكي تحقيقها من خلال المؤتمر بما يلي:

    1. يعاني النظام الشيعي الحاكم في العراق من عزلة عربية خانقة لا سيما من قبل المملكة العربية السعودية وبعض دول الخليج، وما يتبع ذلك من قلق تجاه شرعية تسلطه على العراق، إذن ستحقق القمة له إضفاء مزيد من الشرعية وكسب تأييد الدول العربية لكسر عزلته معها.

    2. وعلى عكس ما يتظاهر به النظام من الانسحاب من تأييد النظام السوري فإن المالكي يريد من وراء انعقاد القمة في بغداد تحييد مواقف الدول العربية المتشددة من النظام السوري للحيلولة دون سقوطه.

    3. التمكن أكثر من تحقيق أجندات وأهداف إيرانية وسورية، لحكومته التي تعاني من العزلة العربية، واستغلال رئاسة الحكومة العراقية لدورة الجامعة العربية التي ستستمر لمدة عام في تنفيذ المخططات خدمة لتلك الأهداف.

    4. أما ممانعة إيران لعقد المؤتمر في بغداد فلخشيتها من أن يكون للعرب أي موطئ قدم في العراق، كي تحقق انفرادها الكامل به وبحكومته، وإفساد أي فرصة، ولو كانت تافهة، للتقارب بين الطرفين. والتفجيرات الأخيرة في بغداد كانت هي وراءها لتعكير الوضع الأمني خدمة لهدفها المذكور!

    ملاحظة هامشية

    بتاريخ 29/1/2012 عقد اجتماع ضم كلاً من نوري المالكي والفريق زهير الغرباوي مدير جهاز المخابرات ووكيله سمير حداد والعميد ( هندرين ) مدير الشؤون الفنية في الجهاز لوضع خطة فنية عن زرع مقرات إقامة القادة العرب بكاميرات مراقبة وأجهزة تنصت حديثة حصل عليها جهاز المخابرات من الجانبين الأمريكي والبريطاني، والتجسس على اتصالات أعضاء الوفود فيما بينهم والاستفادة من ذلك في عمليات توريط وابتزاز سياسي لتجنيد من يمكن تجنيده من أعضاء الوفود.

    ما لا أريد قوله

    في ضوء المعطيات الآنفة الذكر تكون الدول التي ستشارك في مؤتمر القمة العربية المزمع عقده في بغداد، شريكة للمالكي وحكومته في المسؤولية الشرعية أمام الله تعالى عن أي جهد يضاف، بناء على حضورهم المؤتمر وما سينبني عليه، إلى جهود هؤلاء المجرمين الحثيثة في إنهاء الوجود السني العربي في العراق، وما يترتب على ذلك الجهد من قتل وتنكيل بإخواننا في سوريا على يد النظام الحاكم هناك. ألا وإن الله تعالى يقول: (وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ) (الصافات:24). ألا وإننا كلنا ماضون في النهاية إلى الله جل في علاه، وكلنا سنقف بين يديه. فماذا نحن له قائلون؟

    إلى ديانِ يومِ الدينِ نمضي وعندَ اللهِ تجتمعُ الخصومُ

    March 8, 2012 at 12:48 pm | Reply
  28. iraq=iran-syria= russia=hizboallah=terrorists=evil

    THE SHIIA Debuty embassador killed his boss by poison as his boss is sunni and UK now try to find what happened , they think poison is involved,,,those shiia thugs from iraq are trying to take over and control iraq with the help of iran weapons and money so they dont lose ellection and they are trying to protect the syrian killers as they are shii 8% controling 92% of syrian sunni...
    الملحقية الثقافية العراقية في لندن

    الحكومة البريطانية تغلق الملحقية الثقافية العراقية في لندن بعد وفاة السيد الملحق الثقافي في ظروف غير معروفة

    وقد تم استدعاء السيد معاون الملحق الثقافي للتحقيق …

    علمأ ان السيد الملحق الثقافي الاستاذ باقر الهاشمي كان قد تلقي تهديد قبل يوم من وفاتة بعد عراك داخل الملحقية الثقافية مع السيد معاون الملحق الاستاذ احمد عبد الرسول البغدادي بعد ان كشف الاستاذ باقر الملحق الثقافي ان السيد المعاون اي السيد البغدادي قد زور اكثر من 45 شهادة لوزراء واشخاص في حكومة المالكي الشرطة البريطانية تعتقد ان هنالك مادة غريبة قد دست في طعام السيد الملحق الثقافي الاستاذ باقر الهاشمي

    March 8, 2012 at 6:20 pm | Reply
  29. iraq=iran-syria= russia=hizboallah=terrorists=evil

    iraqi shiia all over iraq and all the embassies are falsifing and faking there degress, diuploma and cv to eneter the universities , get a job and get higher salaries under nori al maleki watchful eyes. nori al maleki allaowed 2000 iranians emmams shiia thugs to get the bsc and master degrees from baghdad with out going to school so they can be in control of all iraq!!!1

    March 8, 2012 at 6:22 pm | Reply
  30. joemon

    zakaria need a buttplug!!!!!

    March 9, 2012 at 4:54 am | Reply
  31. joemon

    how about russia giving america a shock from outside

    March 9, 2012 at 7:19 am | Reply
  32. joemon

    and by the way , is zakaria from GOA

    March 9, 2012 at 7:21 am | Reply
  33. Robert

    Mr. Zakaria, as uausal, superb & incisive journalism. And multi-faceted. It would seem Mr. Putin's oligarchic grip on power is a two-edged sword: He provides stability and continuity. But at a cost. By not diversifying the Russian economy, he & his oligarchic cabal maintain their control and hinder Russia's broader development. And democratization and reform (corruption) are put on hold. You assert it will take a shock from the outside to awake Mr. Putin from his delusional blindness. I agree. I also think that shock may be internal: Growing desent from the middle class which is left out of his scheme. We saw a bit of it before the elections. Was this just a minor tremor before a major "quake" to come? Historically, the Russian people have chosen "stability" over reform until conditions become intolerable. One could infer that a Czar is welcome, as long as the shelves are well-stocked. And given Russia's Siberian/Saudia wealth of natural resources, it appears the shelves will be sell-stocked for along time. 20 years, longer than Stalin? Amazing.

    March 9, 2012 at 7:36 pm | Reply
    • Roma

      Hmm, what is your plan on diversifying economy in Russia? It is not his fault that South America feeds us, North America, Europe – entertain and consume, Asia – produce, Africa – sponsor.

      March 13, 2012 at 3:02 am | Reply
    • shay dismay

      Robert — What you fail to notice is that if global oil prices fall below $130 per barrel Russia cannot meet its federal budget, and risks another catastrophic default. Indeed FZ's analysis is far from good, and for him to describe Putin as a strong debater is ridiculous, because Putin has never participated in a live televised debate against a legitimate opposition figure (Some tough guy). Russia is—as the Brits described it last week—a mafia state, functioning merely for the needs of an elite few who have no intention of letting go of their grip on power. If that means throwing some scraps to a potentially disgruntled population, that's what they'll do in order to remain in the Kremlin.

      March 13, 2012 at 2:21 pm | Reply
      • Andrey

        Oh shay dismay why are you so angry? Why would not you just focus on the scraps your own mafia-state throws you? Isn't that important to you? Or you are not getting any – and prefer to look for some ugliness outside – to prove yourself that your live is not that bad and you are better off than somebody else? Why would not you go to Somalia for that – you for sure living like a pirate captain compared... Always aspire for a greater comparison – to improve the perception of your own obviously miserable life!

        March 14, 2012 at 5:44 pm |
  34. attack russian interests now

    the muslims and arabs should attack russian interests any where every where inbcluding all embassies as russia veto on syria allow the killing of 17,000 women and children on the hands of the terrorists regieme of bashar al kalb of syria and hizboallah those evil getting weapons from evil russia and money from the great evil iran to kill daily backed by the evil iraqi shiia who provide men and shiia thugs to cross to syria and kill sunni...syria must be attacked if i was a leader in the middleast i wage war aganist russia and now in every mean possible until i get red of those communists puten and his followers...

    March 10, 2012 at 12:48 pm | Reply
  35. WhoCares

    Just because the wall came down, did you really think the F.S.B. was going to peacefully step aside and not control the strings behind the scenes. Corruption, extortion and Political silence"Removal" has always been the rule of thumb behind Russia.

    March 11, 2012 at 5:52 pm | Reply
  36. richard

    A weird way, narrow-minded view of Russia. – The usual propaganda (OIL and GAS economy)

    The truth is that there will be no international space station today without the genius of Russians, they built two before the current international space station. Russia has some of the most advanced minds in Physics today, and there are hundreds of Russian working with the rest of the world on the Collider at CERN.

    I believe that many of these relic views are no longer shared around the world anymore, that is why Germany is now one of the main trading partners of Russia. Russian also just launched some satelites for European Space Agency, towards the Gallileo GPS equivalent.

    So Russians are learning the way of Capitalism and Democracy, it has taken us over a hundred years in the West, but we still have some serious problems of recessions, and two party states.

    What do we sincerely was from Russia today??? Their attempt towards Democracy and Capitalism is less than two decades.

    If there is anything we should learn, it is never to believe our own proganda.

    March 12, 2012 at 9:39 am | Reply
  37. Barry G.

    Putin's back.

    We all know what that means: So much for justice and democracy.

    Back to corruption, violence and a totalitarian regime.

    March 12, 2012 at 9:50 am | Reply
    • Roma

      You such a lair!!!

      March 13, 2012 at 3:07 am | Reply
      • Andrey

        He is not a liar. He in fact believes what he is saying. That makes him a brainwashed and ignorant but very opinionated "average citizen". And he likes to feel morally superior to the rest of the world. Like that was he who has build the best state ruling system ever and all by himself... In reality he is just another coach potato who just sucks up whatever his TV tells him.

        March 14, 2012 at 10:16 am |
  38. Anna

    Putin's position in the Kremlin is not strong enough to enter the autocracy. Russia is developed state but non-democratic. He must reckon with the opinion of wealthy oligarchs. http://www.judytapapp.com/pr-controlled.php

    March 13, 2012 at 3:33 pm | Reply
    • Andrey

      So what? Like there are countries where the rulers/presidents do not have to. After all, unlike Russia, in so many Western democracies the wealthy oligarchs vote with their money and decide, who will run for the post, and who will not.

      March 14, 2012 at 10:09 am | Reply
  39. John

    I am from the US and support whoever the Russian people want to run their country. That's right, its THEIR country and its THEIR decision. The rest of the world needs to stay out of it and let the people of Russia decide whats best for them. My opinion on the matter, which does not matter as I am not a Russian citizen, is that I support Putin. From what I have seen he has done a lot of good for Russia. He might now be the guy our corrupt US leaders like, but again its not OUR(their) call, its up to the Russian people. Putin may be a politician (and human being) thus he is flawed, but there can be far worse of a person running a country. The Russian people should be happy they did not have Tweedledee (Bush Sr) and Tweedledum (Bush Jr) running their country. Then again, its not like the Republican OBAMA, who supports the RIAA/MPAA, anti-privacy, pro-wall street/fed, anti-transparency, anti-whistleblowing, and total liar OBAMA is doing any better. Yes, Russia you should be happy with Putin. You might not like everything the guy has done, he might pull the same crap as all politicians do, but at least he is not Obamabush. Count your lucky stars. Again, it's just my opinion. It's your country and thus your decision.

    March 13, 2012 at 11:59 pm | Reply
    • Andrey

      Thanks John!
      I personally never comment on any US Presidents and politicians. Whoever gets elected in US by American people is the President and has all the rights to rule his country and represent it. At least from my personal prospective. And that is not because US elections are so fair and their two-party political system is so perfect. I simply do not give a dum! It is none of my business – I am not even interested! And I am sure that millions of Russian people have no difficulty like myself to simply accept the things in other countries as they are – without judging and without hating or loving. Keep it for your own family, your community, your state and your own goverment – where it is possible and where it is right for you to try to influence and to change! And if you try it may require all your time and all your energy – and more! It may not help you feeling so perfect, but that may help yourself and people around you. So may be worth trying. And just leave other countries alone – they have planty of their own people who actually have something at stake there!

      March 14, 2012 at 10:29 am | Reply
    • Andrey

      Thanks John!
      I personally never comment on any US Presidents and politicians. Whoever gets elected in US by American people is the President and has all the rights to rule his country and represent it. At least from my personal prospective. And that is not because US elections are so fair and their two-party political system is so perfect. I simply do not give a damn! It is none of my business – I am not even interested! And I am sure that millions of Russian people have no difficulty like myself to simply accept the things in other countries as they are – without judging and without hating or loving. Keep it for your own family, your community, your state and your own government – where it is possible and where it is right for you to try to influence and to change! And if you try it may require all your time and all your energy – and more! It may not help you feeling so perfect, but that may help yourself and people around you. So may be worth trying. And just leave other countries alone – they have plenty of their own people who actually have something at stake there!

      March 14, 2012 at 10:32 am | Reply
  40. Betab

    http://www.zcommunications.org/american-decline-in-perspective-part-2-by-noam-chomsky

    March 14, 2012 at 6:23 am | Reply
  41. buy proviron

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    May 11, 2012 at 4:43 pm | Reply

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