This represents a very interesting development in world affairs:
Most people in the English-speaking parts of the world missed Putin's speech at the Valdai conference in Sochi a few days ago, and, chances are, those of you who have heard of the speech didn't get a chance to read it, and missed its importance. Western media did their best to ignore it or to twist its meaning. Regardless of what you think or don't think of Putin (like the sun and the moon, he does not exist for you to cultivate an opinion) this is probably the most important political speech since Churchill's “Iron Curtain” speech of March 5, 1946.
In this speech, Putin abruptly changed the rules of the game. Previously, the game of international politics was played as follows: politicians made public pronouncements, for the sake of maintaining a pleasant fiction of national sovereignty, but they were strictly for show and had nothing to do with the substance of international politics; in the meantime, they engaged in secret back-room negotiations, in which the actual deals were hammered out. Previously, Putin tried to play this game, expecting only that Russia be treated as an equal. But these hopes have been dashed, and at this conference he declared the game to be over, explicitly violating Western taboo by speaking directly to the people over the heads of elite clans and political leaders.
The Russian blogger chipstone summarized the most salient points from Putin speech as follows:
1. Russia will no longer play games and engage in back-room negotiations over trifles. But Russia is prepared for serious conversations and agreements, if these are conducive to collective security, are based on fairness and take into account the interests of each side.
2. All systems of global collective security now lie in ruins. There are no longer any international security guarantees at all. And the entity that destroyed them has a name: The United States of America.
3. The builders of the New World Order have failed, having built a sand castle.Whether or not a new world order of any sort is to be built is not just Russia's decision, but it is a decision that will not be made without Russia.
4. Russia favors a conservative approach to introducing innovations into the social order, but is not opposed to investigating and discussing such innovations, to see if introducing any of them might be justified.
5. Russia has no intention of going fishing in the murky waters created by America's ever-expanding “empire of chaos,” and has no interest in building a new empire of her own (this is unnecessary; Russia's challenges lie in developing her already vast territory). Neither is Russia willing to act as a savior of the world, as she had in the past.
6. Russia will not attempt to reformat the world in her own image, but neither will she allow anyone to reformat her in their image. Russia will not close herself off from the world, but anyone who tries to close her off from the world will be sure to reap a whirlwind.
7. Russia does not wish for the chaos to spread, does not want war, and has no intention of starting one. However, today Russia sees the outbreak of global war as almost inevitable, is prepared for it, and is continuing to prepare for it. Russia does not war—nor does she fear it.
8. Russia does not intend to take an active role in thwarting those who are still attempting to construct their New World Order - until their efforts start to impinge on Russia's key interests. Russia would prefer to stand by and watch them give themselves as many lumps as their poor heads can take. But those who manage to drag Russia into this process, through disregard for her interests, will be taught the true meaning of pain.
9. In her external, and, even more so, internal politics, Russia's power will rely not on the elites and their back-room dealing, but on the will of the people.
To these nine points I would like to add a tenth:
10. There is still a chance to construct a new world order that will avoid a world war.This new world order must of necessity include the United States—but can only do so on the same terms as everyone else: subject to international law and international agreements; refraining from all unilateral action; in full respect of the sovereignty of other nations.
To sum it all up:
play-time is over. Children, put away your toys. Now is the time for the adults to make decisions. Russia is ready for this; is the world?
[This article contains Putin's entire speech]
Two Eurofighter Typhoons were dispatched from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to meet a pair of Tupolev Tu-95 which are icons from the Cold War.
It happened as the strategic bombers flew south over the North Sea and they were later tracked by Portuguese F-16s in the Atlantic before they flew home.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "The RAF Typhoon pilots visually identified the Russian aircraft and escorted them through the UK flight information region."
The planes are Russia's equivalent to the B-52s used by the US Air Force.
It happened as the strategic bombers flew south over the North Sea and they were later tracked by Portuguese F-16s in the Atlantic before they flew home.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "The RAF Typhoon pilots visually identified the Russian aircraft and escorted them through the UK flight information region."
The planes are Russia's equivalent to the B-52s used by the US Air Force.
The eight plane group from Russia eventually broke up with six heading back home and two flying close to Britain where RAF Typhoons met them.
It was part of four groups of Kremlin aircrafts NATO had intercepted in around 24 hours since Tuesday.
In a statement the alliance said: "These sizeable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace."
It was part of four groups of Kremlin aircrafts NATO had intercepted in around 24 hours since Tuesday.
In a statement the alliance said: "These sizeable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace."
Some 3,000 police are deployed throughout the city ahead of expected protests and violence as Jewish-Arab tensions spiral in the capital.
Police were on high alert and access to the Temple Mount was opened Friday to Muslim worshipers, though men under 50 would be barred from the site.
Two residents of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat, both aged 22, were arrested after police observed them preparing to throw stones at the Jerusalem Light Rail as it passed through their neighborhood.
Police approached the two, who were holding a slingshot and rocks, but they fled. After a brief pursuit, they were arrested and will be brought for a remand hearing Friday at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court.
At 5 a.m., a bus headed from Jerusalem to the Ben Gurion International Airport on Road 443, which passes through the West Bank, was struck by rocks thrown by Palestinians standing at the side of the road.
The front and side-door windows were damaged in the attack.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Thursday called on Palestinians to step up their “resistance” against Israel following theassassination attempt on the life of Yehuda Glick and the temporary closure of the Temple Mount.
Islamic Jihad announced that the assailant, Mu’taz Hijazi, who was killed by Israeli security forces hours after the assassination attempt, was one of its members.
The group said that the “Jerusalem intifada” will continue and praised Hijazi for carrying out his “sacred duty to defend the Aqsa Mosque.”
The group said that the “Jerusalem intifada” will continue and praised Hijazi for carrying out his “sacred duty to defend the Aqsa Mosque.”
The group said that Israeli measures in Jerusalem would not dissuade the Palestinians from “pursuing the “path of resistance and jihad.”
Ziad al-Nakhaleh, deputy head of Islamic Jihad, said that attempt on the life of Glick “affirms the correctness of the option of resistance.”
He said that the assassination attempt in Jerusalem proves that the “resistance is the most effective and strongest option to restore the land and preserve Palestinian rights.”
Hamas, for its part, called for a “day of mobilization” on Friday in protest against the closure of the Temple Mount. It also called on Palestinians to avenge the killing of Hijazi and other Palestinians killed by the IDF and police.
Ziad al-Nakhaleh, deputy head of Islamic Jihad, said that attempt on the life of Glick “affirms the correctness of the option of resistance.”
He said that the assassination attempt in Jerusalem proves that the “resistance is the most effective and strongest option to restore the land and preserve Palestinian rights.”
Hamas, for its part, called for a “day of mobilization” on Friday in protest against the closure of the Temple Mount. It also called on Palestinians to avenge the killing of Hijazi and other Palestinians killed by the IDF and police.
Arabs shot off firecrackers today (Friday) from a rooftop near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, in addition to trying to force their way past police barrier at the site.
Police and Border police forces prevented their entry using anti-riot crowd dispersal means.
Police and Border police forces prevented their entry using anti-riot crowd dispersal means.
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