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Putin: NATO should stay in Afganistan
rest of it here.NATO forces should stay in Afghanistan until their job is done, Russia President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, suggesting they should stay beyond a planned withdrawal of most combat troops in 2014.
So he wants to run the NATO show as well
Support us and we'll do it
Foot the bill and we might.Originally Posted by Leaper
LOLOLOLOL from the troll threatening to close supply routes through Russia and forcing us from a certain Central Asian country base.
^Update you Facts^
Putin supports NATO base deployment in Russia
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/wo..._123510798.htmMOSCOW, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russia is interested in the creation of a NATO logistic hub on its territory, because such a hub would benefit the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
During his visit to the central Russian city of Ulyanovsk, where the stop-over base has been slated to open, Putin voiced his support to the base, which would help NATO to deliver consignments to and from Afghanistan.
"We are interested in it. We are interested in calm on our southern borders (near Afghanistan)," Putin told the airborne forces in Ulyanovsk.
He elaborated that Russia was not going to participate in the combat operations in Afghanistan, but Moscow needed order in that country.
"Now there is a presence of the NATO troops in Afghanistan. They need help. Let them keep fighting there... and we will help them," Putin said.
Meanwhile, the president stressed that Russia would like to help deliver NATO's consignments rather than to send troops to the country.
"It is a pity that all the states participating in Afghan events are thinking how to escape from there," Putin said.
He added that the task of the Russian authorities was to create no situations asking the involvement of Russian armed forces in the combat operations in Afghanistan.
Last week, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved an order that allows the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to move their consignments from and to Afghanistan via a base in Ulyanovsk by rail, road and air.
The order was in contrast with a previous permission, which sanctioned only ground transit.
However, the order imposes a list of conditions, including customs clearance, availability of official certificates and other requirements which ensure the goods' transparency on Russia's territory.
Russia's opposition has protested against such a NATO base on the Russian territory, but the government says the base is for transit purpose only and will not be transformed into a NATO military base.
Ontopic:
Logical, to say the least.
Unstable Afghanistan with Islamists in charge means Russia's interests in Central Asia are at risk and with the eventual ISAF withdraw means a whole lot of experienced Muj fighters will turn their attention to other conflict zones such as Russia's North Caucasus.
Of course there's the interest for Russia, but maybe mr. P needs to ask himself what mr. P would do?
What do you think Mr. P. should do?
Not exactly. He follows simply national interest. He knows that NATO commitment keeps out the mutual enemies. Beside that, the article does not mention he remarks also something like "let them fight over there, yet we don't do that ourselves". Mr. President, keep in mind that global politic works both way.
I was wondering the same myself, that is why I asked it. If you know, do tell us all.
Alright my 0.02:
Putin is a strong man in Russia and one of his supporting pillars is his opposition to NATO and their expansion into Russia's traditional zones. In the Media he condemns and criticizes the organization when they for example launch intervention Ops against other nations particularly Russia's Allies and traditional business partners. But in Central Asia near Russia's vulnerable belly, they are combating a foe that supports world wide Islamic Jihad and they(foe) supported that in Chechnya during the 90s even go so far as establishing Diplomatic missions. However they(NATO) are soon planning to leave Afghanistan which is not Stabilized by any means. The instability of Afghanistan means it will become a hot bed for Muji fighters and ofcourse Islamic Militants love annexing states and forming their own Emirates and Thefidoms: Chechnya 1991-1994 _1996-1999, Tajikistan 1991-1997 ect. Russia itself is tired of war with the fanatics and the trauma of Afghanistan is still fresh in the mindset of many Russians. So what should he do? He should cooperate with NATO he should lease more bases/hubs in Russia, authorize more flights over Russian airspace, allow NATO to use Russia's airbases in Central Asia, he needs to swallow some of his pride and bitchslap the Duma and cooperate with NATO on this venture, ofcourse his popularity will suffer a blow with the hardliners but if he uses the rhetoric (If they're (Islamists) not defeated there, we will have to fight them here) he can scrape by with popular support.
Putin's position is totally understandable, even if he is a hypocritical ass most of the time.
The problems in Afghanistan could become even worse post-Western involvement than they were pre-Western involvement if Afghanistan is "abandoned" to its own fate and trickle over into the Central Asian republics.
That's the worry. Enough to even grudgingly accept NATO airbases in those countries.
I doubt his concern will prompt the Russians to take a more active role themselves though.
Putins not stupid. He doesnt want to be caught up in multi fronts fighting the Islamic crazies. Russia has a big enuff plate of brainwashed beard to fight at home.
Putin's a student of Russian history. They've been there, done that.
But he is right - Afghanistan is going to get worse before it gets better. That, too, is a history lesson.
Is it a problem for Russia? No more so than it is now.
He has those nice Islamic republics -like some sort of Asian Warsaw pact nations - to bear the brunt of any direct blowback.
The US and NATO has a bigger interest in keeping them stable than he does. If they go south, it's easier for Putin's goond to pick up the pieces.
Is he going to pick up Nato's tab? Why? He's not in 'the club'. They're acting in their own self interest in his back yard.
Having NATO bust a gut in Afghanistan is right up his alley. Just like it was, backwards, in the days of Charlie Wilson.
He might also think about how many NATO/US financial and military ressources are bound there in AFG, so if NATO/USA stays, it is essentially weakened and less likely to intervene in any additional conflicts in the world.
I think the Russians will help. That is why they were in Colorado. They will not tell their people that, though.
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