Putin now looks at BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, SA)

[Bhaisahab]

According to some international think tanks, sources close to Russia's Security Council say recommending countermeasures to check the U.S. geopolitical "offensive" in Eurasia will be perhaps the forum's most important job.

China and Russia are planning joint military exercises. The joint naval maneuvers are scheduled to be held in August in China's Liaodong Peninsula.

Distinctly the world is broken into definite alliances. The first is the US led alliance (thirty or so countries providing military in Iraq). The second one is the European Alliance. There is a considerable overlap between NATO, EU and US led alliance.

The third emerging alliance is BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The newly formed Russia-China alliance provides Putin the necessary critical mass to move ahead and formally create the BRICS alliance.

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/1627.asp

[Gloria]

1. And this doesn't even mention Russia selling arms to

Saudi Arabia, Syria, on good terms with Turkey, and supporting nuclear programs in Iran.

Also, Russia won't lose another 'stan (It's drawing the line at Kh-stan, which has US bases)...It won't lose Uzbekistan from it's control

What's shaping up in the Middle East is that we're getting surrounded.....then what, nukes??




2//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, February 16, 2005

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=12706



RUSSIA TELLS ISRAEL ARMS DEAL WITH SYRIA WILL GO AHEAD

Sharon calls Lebanon 'center of terror'

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

JERUSALEM: Russia has informed Israel that a controversial sale of a weapons system to Syria is to go ahead despite Israeli objections, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday.

and

3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Feb 16, 2005

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GB16Df06.html



INDIA’S MILITARY HUNGRY FOR MORE

By Siddharth Srivastava

NEW DELHI - Indian defense officials have laid out a request for a huge increase in spending on arms to New Delhi, most of which will be used to purchase state-of-the-art weaponry from suppliers around the world. In a couple of weeks, the national budget will be presented by the ruling United Progressive Alliance, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and while there is intense lobbying from representatives of various sectors to incorporate their demands, attention has focused on the over 40% hike in defense outlay that has been demanded by the India's defense forces, which comes in the wake of an unprecedented 22% increase last year.

(SNIP)

(from the current World Media Watch....)

[necso]

2. Idiots are in charge of the US government.

We (the US) are on the fast track to losing sole (effectively unopposed) superpower status. And it was never much of a stretch to recognize that an insane and aggressive foreign policy would cause foreign nations to band together against us -- it's clearly in their interests to do so (for simple fear-mitigation if nothing else).

And what? -- We are (were) going to dissuade them by making threats (and/or doing worse)? These things just further convince them that we are nuts... and dangerous.

It's going to be a grim four years.

[Dancing_Dave]

3. So the Bush Administration created a new Cold War...

But young Americans aren't volunteering to fight in Bush's wars for oil...obviously, the birth of a new counter-culture is coming.

[teryang]

4. Wishful thinking to a certain extent

This war is likely to become hot if only in particular theaters.

The Indians are somewhat naive about this.

Basically Washington is walking all over them when it comes to Pakistan. Pakistan is the keystone in the neo-con plan meant to keep India guessing. Instead of aligning firmly against Washington India keeps offering more.

Also, the land based Asian powers cannot acquiesce to Washington's energy lobby which very definitely wants physical control over Iran's energy sources. Iran is cutting major contracts with Washington's rivals and its pissing the big money people who really rule America off big time.

When the chimp says he's not ruling out military force, he means it. Of course, the diplomatic issues are fabricated as they were with Iraq.