Description: Written by Paul Craig Roberts; Originally appeared on paulcraigroberts.org If reports coming out of Russia are true, Vladimir Putin is considering...
Date: 2018-05-11T18:12:19+00:00

OPINION #RUSSIA#USA 11.05.2018 - 1,076 views
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# Paul Craig Roberts Asks: Is Russia Washington’s Next Vassal?

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Written by Paul Craig Roberts; Originally appeared on paulcraigroberts.org

If reports coming out of Russia are true, Vladimir Putin is considering appointing Washington’s agent, Alexei Kudrin, to negotiate Russia’s surrender to Washington. http://johnhelmer.net/vice-president-for-capitulation-putin-decides-what-job-to-give-kudrin/#more-19143 and https://russia-insider.com/en/putin-has-shown-weakness-armenia-and-syria-his-credibility-collapsing/ri23361

In checking out this story with well-informed and connected experts, I am advised that John Helmer in his report might have put too much credence in the story planted on the Financial Times by Kudrin. One expert whose judgment I trust told me that Kudrin and other members of the “pro-US lobby”—the traitors that The Saker calls the Atlanticist Integrationists—are playing their usual games. Kudrin may have gone too far this time by planting the story in the UK’s Financial times of his forthcoming appointment as negotiator of Russia’s surrender to Washington. The expert, whom I trust, told me that everyone in the Putin administration really dislikes Kudrin as a person and political figure — the sly games he plays, exploiting Putin’s personal loyalty from the past. It is widely said in Russia that Putin is too loyal to old friends like Kudrin who no longer serve him well. Kudrin’s few allies are in Medvedev’s group, and Washington’s incompetence recently sanctioned a couple of Kudrin’s Russian allies.

Another expert whom I trust responds that rumors fly in Russia like they do everywhere as ambitious people jocky to elevate themselves in the media. In contrast to the rumors that Putin is going to turn Russia’s fate over to an American agent, he reports rumors that Putin, pushed by nationalist patriotism and the military, is about to purge the Russian Fifth Column—Kudrin and the pro-Washington faction.

On the other hand, a Russian journalist tells me that in actual fact Putin himself is the biggest pro-Western liberal of them all and that Kudrin was instrumental in bringing Putin from St. Petersburg and installing him in the Moscow establishment.

Perhaps Putin’s inaugural address will indicate whether Kudrin will be given the power to surrender Russia or whether the pro-American Fifth Column will be finally excluded from the government or whether nothing changes.

Kudrin sounds like a traitor who should be put on trial for treason. It seems unlikely that Putin would make Kudrin the number two man in the Russian government. Kudrin, a protector of oligarchic control of Russia by billionaires who stole their fortunes by “privatizing” public assets, is also known for his advocacy of austerity for the Russian population while creating more billionaires by privatizing state assets.

Possibly there is as much fake news in Russia as there is in the US and Europe and that the truth is that Kudrin is a nonentity and not a player in Russian government decisions. However, if Kudrin is elevated, perhaps his rise is due to neoliberal economics.

Kudrin along with the Russian central bank and most Russian economists who have been brainwashed by American neoliberal economics—“junk economics” in Michael Hudson’s accurate characterization—believe that the success of Russia’s economy depends on being tied to Washington’s imperial system. They believe—very erroneously and quite stupidly—that without American investment and the lifting of the sanctions, the Russian economy is doomed. That is what they say. The case could be that, like global economic interests everywhere, the oligarchs are only concerned with money, not with their country’s sovereignty.

As Michael Hudson and I have pointed out, the neoliberal economics taught to Russians by Americans in effect makes Russian economists agents of the West. The Russian economists represent policies that work to Washington’s, not to Russia’s, interest. Pepe Escobar, who believes Putin is moving in the opposite direction from Kudrin, acknowledges the pro-Washington faction’s control over Russian economic and financial policy. https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/05/05/popular-putin-prepares-for-cold-war-2.html

As there are few economists to tell Putin any different, the Russian government receives advice that Russia will fail unless its economy is integrated with the West.

Kudrin also intends to cut Russia’s military capability in order to save money with which to pay interest on foreign loans that oligarchs will use to privatize public assets. The consequence would be to make Russia’s vassalage permanent as a colony of the West.

In my article on May 3, I asked if Russia knows what’s up. Apparently not in the Middle East. The Russian government thinks Syria is about fighting terrorism and working out a peaceful settlement. But this is the last thing that Washington and Israel want. Washington and Israel want Assad and Iran overthrown so that Hezbollah is left without support and Israel can occupy southern Lebanon. Perhaps the Russian government’s inability to decipher the situation is the reason that Russia, always hoping to involve Washington in a peace settlement, never decisively brought the war in Syria to an end. Now Russia is faced with US, French, and British forces in the American-occupied part of Syria and with Israeli military attacks on Syrian army positions.

If Kudrin is permitted to put Russia under Washington’s control, China, whose government also seems impervious to the real situation that it confronts, will stand alone. By privatizing state assets and creating billionaire oligarchs more loyal to money than to China, the Chinese government has created levers for Washington to use to neutralize China.

Even if Helmer’s report is true, Washington and its ally Kudrin might still fail for any number of reasons, including the mounting problems of the US. Nevertheless, that Putin is reportedly considering endorsing Kudrin and his surrender policy is an indication that Russians face a challenge to their sovereignty from the pro-American forces in Russia.

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Tags: russia, usa

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- gustavo

  I do not think Putin is so stupid to put Kudrin in an import Russia military or political decision post.

- MH370

  not a good sign…the war on iran is nearing

  - Merijn

    I wish them Westerners a lot of Luck in their Fight Against Iran & Allies… Because they are going to Need it… I Hope Iran will give Such a Devastating Blow to them Western Cockroach Army of Looters that it was the Last Time they ever Dared Setting Foot Outside their Countries….

- Serious

  Both Russia and USA are facing disintegration. Also some european countries like France, Spain, Italia and GB will face the same.

  When I said that Russia must fight against the globalists for Russia sake also, people didn’t believe me.

  - Merijn

    Yeah Globalists vs. The Rest of the World….them Globalists turned out to be a Pure Evil Bunch of Psychopaths & Banksters… that will do anything for Control over Sheeple & Resources

- Merijn

  Wtf…Paul Graig Roberts is starting to Hallucinate… Deep State Dribble…

  - Dr. Pro Liv

    maybe just maybe he smokes very strong CIAgarillos

    - Merijn

      They become So Transparent when they try to Push some Strange Narratives…that will be the Big Problem for them in the Future….they are not Smart enough hehehe

- grumpy_carpenter

  Russia isn’t the USA’s next vassal but neither are the next pantomime villain like Hitler orOsama bin Laden and Al Queda were. The USA would like that but I don’t see Russia playing along unless it directly affects Russia. Arms races and wars cost money and Russia doesn’t want or need that. For example Russia is in Syria fighting Islamic terrorism for their own interests not the interests of Iran or Syria. They didn’t sign up to be Irans or Syrias protector. If Israel or the USA has a beef with Iran or Syria that’s between them. Russia will criticise but I don’t see them ‘taking one for the team’ outside the UN security council.

- ruca

  PCR has become an alarmist.

- observerBG

  Wake up and smell the coffee. You are behind the curve. Comment sections at Sputnik are revolting. Even major russian bloggers are becoming embarrassed by Russia.

  The Saker

  “Russia’s Lack of Reaction to Israel’s Strikes on Syria Is Disgusting”

  https://russia-insider.com/en/russias-lack-reaction-israels-strikes-syria-disgusting/ri23438

  - Dr. Pro Liv

    major “russian blogger” is Canadian born in Swiss…big dill…I will not lose much sleep over that one.

    He is as much “Russian” as this place is…

    - Merijn

      I am always more interested in how Inhabitants of These Countries will respond to Changes and influences…it is the Common Folks that should Truly Rule this Earth Nothing More & Nothing Less…

      - Dr. Pro Liv

        have no problem with that my friend…
        me …I prefer personally what Russians think about Russian interests, Russia and Putin more than Western perspective of things…

- Manuel Flores Escobar

  Putin only has a goal in long-term..it is to change the geostrategy with China and Turkey!…in other words it means to change China instead of EU and Caspian sea countries( included Iran) instead of Gulf states!…one is a comercial and producer power beside a great consumer…the others one are gas/ petrol producers!…all of them can change the game rules and the US petrodollar reserve currency!…for that purpose Russia have an strong ally..it is Iran as the guardian of Ormuz and the reason why Israel will never allow Arab gas pipelines through its territory to avoid that Russia allow military supplies to Syria….for example S-300/ Bavar 373 and Iranian troops!..west have started to move tab in Armenia….

- Ray Douglas

  The writer of this article doesn’t take into account the fact that Russia is building up it gold stock for the purpose of getting decoupled from the $. They have combined with China to kick the dollar out of all dealing between both governments. Iran is also kicking out the dollar as is Syria and North Korea. The BRICS countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Council are also moving to isolate the $. I am not familiar with this Kudrin man but I’m sure he is well known to all who matter in Russia. if he is appointed then the writer is correct. If he is not appointed it is just waffle.