Obama's Secret Letter To Medvedev Offered Deal On Missiles

New York Times:

President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia's president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.

The letter to President Dmitri A. Medvedev was hand-delivered in Moscow by top administration officials three weeks ago. It said the United States would not need to proceed with the interceptor system, which has been vehemently opposed by Russia since it was proposed by the Bush administration, if Iran halted any efforts to build nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[osamamania]

Bush looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul.

Obama saw the bare chested picture of Putin on the beach and sent him a secret letter!

Saw that coming from miles away!

[twoopeneyes]

Well, not such a secret after all.

[flamflurm]

Another resounding success:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/03/medvedev-no-dea.html

[GalenL]

All the headlines about deals that include Iran are inaccurate.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5223AC20090303

[kimleehan]

Maybe we can bribe Russa with some no bid reconstruction contracts if they help us in Iran.

[Midnightrain]

HumeSkeptic See Profile I'm a Fan of HumeSkeptic I'm a fan of this user permalink

Thanks.

But now what happens to all the w00w00s on this thread who said that the NYT story is false?
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Let them fancy in their imaginations.

[kassandrasduplex]

Going out on a wire here...
is it possible that Iran isn't the threat, Israel is?

[HumeSkeptic]

Oh Brother!
.

[kassandrasduplex]

The history of Israel and its supporters shows a penchant for aggressive land acquisition and control of markets, what is too often glossed over in the news. This morning there is news Israel has plans to double the number of settlers in the West Bank. The beneficiaries of the Invasion of Iraq among others, are a number of staunch Israeli supporters and the unnecessary destruction there was due in large part to avowed neo-con Zi officials in the United States and Israel.
Israel is very aggressive, and Iranian oil is very tempting.

[steamboat]

Hume, your opinion: Would you pull those 52,000 American troops out of Germany? Afterall, there is no more cold war, no more 'iron curtain'. So why are they there?

[billybunterbatter]

You got it in one Kassandra.

[Ravenback47]

I think this whole secret letter story needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Is there any independent verification about the validity of this story? I always have problems with anonymous sources.

[HumeSkeptic]

There have been several confirmations. Google it. And the NYT story itself is not original.

[abby4ever]

Yes. I believe I said that.

[abby4ever]

HumeSkeptic See Profile I'm a Fan of HumeSkeptic I'm a fan of this user permalink

Again: No word at all about any pending russian / american agreement over I.r.a.n., whatsoever!
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Which is just as well, because the article above doesn't say that there is a pending agreement.

Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:19 AM on 03/03/2009
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abby4ever See Profile I'm a Fan of abby4ever I'm a fan of this user permalink

There are different versions of the story... I posted some links. Google it and you will see. Use Google News:

http://news.google.com/

Maybe when the news conf. with Medvedev happens in Spain, we will learn which story is the true one.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:22 AM on 03/03/2009
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abby4ever See Profile I'm a Fan of abby4ever I'm a fan of this user permalink

And the original source is NOT the NYT, but the Russian daily "Kommersant" , as I just posted a few minutes ago...

READ:

http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Offers_To_Abandon_Missile_Defense_Plans/1503189.html

Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:10 AM on 03/03/2009

[Bushwillresign]

How can it be a secret if everyone knows about it?

[kassandrasduplex]

Games of chicken...Operation Chrome Dome, 1969 when the US crashed a fully nuclear armed B-52 on Danish soil with human loss for the Danes. The Americans actually invaded Soviet Russia whereas the Russians have never invaded the US. The American Chicken games for control of the world's resources go back a long time. Americans have squandered much international good will over the years.

[piul05]

Meanwhile, that Pandora's box called Pakistan is going up in flames.

But MSM and the new administration are busy with their bete noire.

It's difficult not to believe that the tail (Israel) is wagging the dog (the US).

[kassandrasduplex]

Agree, despite the reassurances that Washington calls the shots, I don't accept that anymore.

[HumeSkeptic]

Hasn't Obama appointed an envoy for Pakistan/Afghanistan? And hasn't he already visited the region?

So, I don't think you are bringing up anything fresh here. They seem to be working on it.

[piul05]

I beg to disagree; they don't seem to be working at anything except the same old agenda and the same old priorities.

Let's not forget that whereas uranium enrichment in Iran is of the low level kind, consistent with civilian use and impossible to build a bomb with, Pakistan already got one ready to use.

[piquet]

With a unified Europe, Russia and U.S. . the Middle East will become an isolated ideological basket case. Having dysfunctional smelly China as it's only Alli. I'll take those teams any day.

Personally I'm over Israel and their stubborn cement heads dragging us into their holy war. Do not be surprised of a backlash coming to them. Not unlike in our last big recession when Americans had had enough of our resources going to their island of discord.

[GalenL]

We can't do much in regards to Pakistan regardless, and honestly I'm not surprised. Odds are that the ISI and / or the Taliban put together a coup inside the next two years.

[abby4ever]

For those who want to get an idea of how many conflicting reports there are on this matter, click this link, and scroll:

http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&ncl=dRUgSnXUO-DXabMAmvsJf83lNyFJM&topic=h

[abby4ever]

Sorry, that isn't the right link. Just go to Google News where it says:

Obama reaches out to Russia over nuclear Iran
CNN International - ‎27 minutes ago‎
By Jill Dougherty and Suzanne Malveaux WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama has told Russia that the United States might not proceed with a missile defense system in eastern Europe if Iran drops plans for producing nuclear weapons, senior administration ...
Russian president to face questions over US letter International Herald Tribune
Russia says Obama letter has nothing concrete Reuters UK
Ynetnews - RIA Novosti - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty - KDBC
all 902 news articles »


and click on 'all 902 news articles'.

[HumeSkeptic]

I looked through several. They are not really conflicting stories. Looks like the content of the letter reported by all is similar. How each source interprets it is different.

[Babele]

Just in:

McCain: "There is a troop buildup on the Pakistan/Iraq border"

Palin: "As soon as Alaskans wake up this morning we'll shoo those Ruskies away!"

[Babele]

In the meantime Bush battles another attack by a man-eating pretzel:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1758848.stm

[abby4ever]

Sorry, that isn't the right link...

[Mogamboguru]

OKAY.

Here are the CORRECT RIA Novosti-headlines from today:

http://en.rian.ru/

Again: No word at all about any pending russian / american agreement over I.r.a.n., whatsoever!

[HumeSkeptic]

Again: No word at all about any pending russian / american agreement over I.r.a.n., whatsoever!
--------------
Which is just as well, because the article above doesn't say that there is a pending agreement.

[abby4ever]

There are different versions of the story, Mogambo, and there IS word... I posted some links. Google it and you will see. Use Google News:

http://news.google.com/

Maybe when the news conf. with Medvedev happens in Spain, we will learn which story is the true one.

[billybunterbatter]

Obama is planning a hit against Iran at the behest of Israel. The WMD's have been replaced by Nuclear capabilitiy. Scaremongering to justify the hit. Russia will not get involved and if the USA do hit Iran the Russians WILL get involved. Politics of change? No just the same BS as Bush.

[Babele]

Glad you got the inside scoop on that. If you get anything else.....please....do tell!! ;)

[billybunterbatter]

You can wake up Babele when the Us hits Iran with airstrikes in the near future. The buildup is the same as the so called weapons of mass destruction (which never existed and were the excuse for regime change in Iraq).Now we have the Iranians capable of making a nuclear bomb. More red herrings to justify an attack on Iran. Watch this space....

[HumeSkeptic]

Looks like we have another one who just talked to Jaysus. Tell us more

[MossyOak]

Yes, Bush and Obama share so many qualities and beliefs.... take the bag off your head and let the light in once in awhile.

[billybunterbatter]

Really MossyOak ? Maybe you should read this and realise that Obama doesnt call the shots. If you believe that then you are very foolish. ENJOY

http://newstatesman.com/north-america/2009/02/obama-pilger-israel-gaza

And before you deride the article,the author John Pilger is one of the most acclaimed investagative journalist/documentary maker in the UK. He has won many prestigious awards. Nothing is changing with foreign policy.

[Mogamboguru]

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070327/62697703.html

Russian intelligence sees U.S. military buildup on Iran border
17:31 (5.31 PM local) | 27/ 03/ 2007

MOSCOW, March 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday.

"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched.

He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost."

He also said the U.S. Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future.
______________________________

Does THAT sound like an american / russian agreement on I.r.a.n.?

Boy, oh boy...

[Mogamboguru]

S.U.C.K.S.!

I was cheated by the search-engine.

Ill keep looking! Apologies!

[Mogamboguru]

This S.U.C.K.S.!

I was c.h.e.a.t.e.d. by the search-engine.

Ill keep looking! Apologies!

[kassandrasduplex]

So in other words, Obama's anti-war branding was a lie?
50K American troops plus an unidentified number of mercenaries will remain in Iraq until 12-31-11, GITMO remains open for business and the latest reports sggest treatment of the detainees has become harsher, the bombing of Pakistan equals an escalation of war, the expansion in Afghanistan accelerates.
And anyone who thinks Obama will not have us in Iraq is a fool.

[Mogamboguru]

Relax. The search-machine unearthed an OLD "news".

I apologize for that.

[steamboat]

50K troops are there for peace mission only (LOL).........Hey, I spent a year in VietNam. So I know, peace mission or not peace mission, these soldiers are STILL in "harm's way"......But the media is giving him a pass on that fact.

Oh, 17,000 more to Afghanistan. But the EU and Canada and other allies aren't pitching-in so far.

I hope I'm wrong, but you know what I see:

Community Organizer (Obama) vs. KGB (Putin)...........advantage: Putin !

[HumeSkeptic]

Look at the date.
That article is 2 years old.

Gosh!

[Mogamboguru]

I apologized already - see below.

The search-engine was not data-sensitive.

S.h.i.t happens, when you try to be quick.

[kassandrasduplex]

Control of Iranian oil remains paramount, through any means. Watch who gets the oil and you'll understand why everything is happening, from the Palestinian conflict to missile defense.

[HumeSkeptic]

That has a lot to do with it. But, in the case of Iran, Is-ra-el has other interests, unrelated to oil.

[kassandrasduplex]

I do not believe that. I actually do believe after what has been reported about Richard Perle, the Rothschilds, through Royal Dutch Shell, and others, that Z i control of the world's oil reserves is a part of it. There is no credence to the idea that a heavily armed nuclear power such as Israel is threatened. Any nation that attempts an attack would be destroyed instantly. Even nations that haven't attacked the US or Israel have been destroyed as in Saddam's. Control of the oil is the basis of all this.