Kazakhstan continues to be torn by violent, nationwide protests. Faced with widespread looting, the Kazakhs are turning to neighboring Russia for troops to help restore order. This is where the United States decides to get vocally involved, warning Kazakhstan not to invite Russia.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken cautioned that the Kazakhs would struggle to get the Russians to leave once they arrive, adding that he doesn’t see the need for outside help at all.
The United States is not the most credible nation to make that case, not so far removed from Iraq’s parliament unanimously asking the US to leave, only to be openly spurned and condemned for even asking.
The situation in Kazakhstan is different, with the nation inviting troops under the terms of the CSTO. Russia and Kazakhstan have historical ties dating to the early 18th century, suggesting Kazakh officials know very well what they’re getting into.
As far as the need, the Kazakh security forces have been trying to crack down on protests and looters, and so far not successfully. The Kazakh government clearly hopes international forces can calm things down a bit.
The US reaction is that it’s Russia so it’s heavy-handed and unjustified. While this is a standard reaction in the US-Russia rivalry, what’s happening in Kazakhstan hardly seems out of the ordinary for nations struggling with stability, and it is not surprising that the Kazakhs turned to a treaty partner in that case.
Pull all American assistance from around the world if the Russians do. Fat chance of that.
Alright, that’s it, irony is officially dead. The US, the country that has troops stationed in Germany and Japan 77 years after ww2, the country that has thousands of unwanted troops in Iraq and Syria currently, this country is “warning” against Russia. That elite training these people get is really something, isn’t it?
The endless hardwork of US diplomacy in spouting of lies and rank hypocrisy is surely the underlying cause of Havana Syndrome. It’s a moral PTSD corroding the brain of State Dept employees.
Blinky is like the third string quarterback of the JVs who has to run the Varsity because there isn’t anyone else left to do it. He has no idea what he is doing and will be eaten alive by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who hopefully will have mercy on him.
Blinken is too dumb to know that he has been shown up by his betters. Even if Lavrov exposes Blinken and his lies, it won’t make the U.S. straighten up and fly right. You can’t fix stupid.
Blinken got confused with the word “invite”. Other countries actually wait for invitations?
The standard verbiage to new members of the Deep State by the old bulls is: “There are many ‘bad actors’ that would do us harm.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister terms blinky’s comments as boorish and baby babble. He does seem more than a tad hysterical.
Roll on Russia!
bliken is projecting.. the US NEVER LEAVES ITS VICTIMS COUNTRIES!
“Secretary of State Tony Blinken cautioned that the Kazakhs would struggle to get the Russians to leave once they arrive, adding that he doesn’t see the need for outside help at all.”____ The brainless Blinken has a Crystal Ball in his possession and as usual deciding the fate of other countries…!
Indeed. If there’s one thing that characterizes Russian interventions, its that they don’t stay any longer than they have to.
Well said Mr. Ditz, well said.
Alexander Mercouris in his video yesterday pointed out that Blinken appeared to be furious and his un-tempered remarks bear that out. There have been several parties in the US pointing out to him that any extreme sanctions placed on Russia over Ukraine will result in massive damage to the EU and a blowback on the US economy as a result. Apparently the Democrats are scared that there will be a Republican sweep of the midterms if the US economy is negatively affected by sanctions.
Blinken uttered an entire series of lies in that press conference, as I referred to in an earlier thread. He’s probably also upset that the hastily initiated “color revolution” in Kazakhstan has failed miserably, and that any future such are seriously in doubt. Couple that with absolutely no US concept of what to do in today’s negotiations in Geneva – and sending a dunce like Wendy Sherman up against Sergei Ryabkov – and he must be aware of how his future as Secretary of State is in serious jeopardy.
It does not appear that any colour revolution was set to go at this time.
What it looks like, is Russia and the Kazakhs popped the early laying of groundwork for one, though.
Very unexpected pro-active action from Russia, if so.
I think the organizers jumped the gun, but the Russians already knew it was coming and was just waiting for it to pop off. Apparently the US Embassy “warned” of protests several weeks ago in December. That alone should have warned the Russians. In general, this thing was probably building for months.
If so, more than waiting; the Russians pulled the tripwire.
The gas price hike, would have made sense in a few months time as spring reduced demand. Possibly, it was understood that would be the signal to go.
Any such plan would have to be very vague with each component knowing only their part.
Any Kazakh colour revolution wasn’t anywhere near ready now, however.
I don’t think the Russians tripped it. Alexander Mercouris quotes Putin as saying Kazakhstan took the CTSO “by surprise”, saying that he wants new integration of the military and security services of the CTSO to be more developed so as to prevent any more such surprises.
I think it was tripped by the West (or whoever was involved locally or abroad) in order to throw Russia a curve just before the Geneva talks.
Unfortunately for the organizers, Russia is capable of very fast response. Mercouris points out that assuming Russia knew in advance because of the speed of their response isn’t necessarily true. Russian airborne forces may well be on a tripwire for such things, given even a little warning. In fact, I would suggest that given the tensions over Ukraine, it’s likely the airborne forces were at relatively higher alert. And Russia certainly has the capability of delivering large numbers of troops quickly using their transport aircraft, as Martyanov has pointed out. Mercourise also suggests that the order to remove Kazak security forces from Almaty airport was done precisely to try to prevent reinforcements from coming into the country.
Anything is possible, of course. It will be weeks or months before any details comes out as to the exact events, if ever.
Except, we can be fairly certain Putin is never truly taken by surprise, and if he were, would never admit it.
Kazakhstan came at a good time for his plans for consolidation of CTSO.
We’ve seen the Western powers stage manage events; this smacks of something similar, although utilizing a real threat.
There is no way large numbers of IS or similar colour revolutionaries could filter into Kazakhstan unnoticed.
Classifying US-Russia relations as “ rivalry” is absurd! It is a state of war in every sense — other than shooting.
The level of condescension leveled at Russia is extraordinary. Invented and choreograpphed crises, like Skripals, Navalni, atletes’s doping, on and on — were designed to keep the crisis at fever pitch, to innoculate population into accepting any attricity against Rusdians as just deserts,
Trying to surtound Russia with dangerous weapons at their doorsteps — is not a rivalry, it is an intent to harm.
We are entering a phase of dangerous transition between Russia not reacting to provocations — to Russia initiating the pushback. That it is a preplanned, ling thought through move. This is a process designed to force concessions, not to drag the negotiations forever,
Such move would not be possible without some vulnerabilities being identified, and such vulnerabilities preclude US ability to counteract.
But childish sillines still prevails in our ranks — signifyinh that the “rivalry” would soon come to an end,
It bares mentioning that none other than the State Department’s National Endowment for Democracy has dumped millions of dollars into “democracy promotion” in Kazakhstan and this sh*tstorm just happens to erupt as Putin is attempting to nail down another peace deal over Ukraine? I have two little words for you folks. Color. War.
This seems just too pat.
Kazakhstan just happens to raise gas prices, upsetting both the citizenry and organized crime.
There’s some violence and Russia is ready to go in on a snap.
The US belatedly steps in with a little virtue signaling.
Maybe this was some kind of elaborate sting by Moscow on less-than-reliable elements of Kazakh society the US/NATO was making intel inroads with.
Its not like the Deep State doesn’t cultivate criminal elements, and Russia, often is too late to effect events in neighboring states when they’re turned against them.
But maybe not this time; a very early apprehended insurrection.
Just as they did in Syria, Aljazeera gets to provide opinions about the Kazakhstan government. Per their own website, “Al Jazeera is an independent news organisation funded in part by the Qatari government.” So concerned with human rights in countries targeted by the US for regime change, they forget that their own Qatari regime is an oppressive monarchy that supports islamist terrorists. Unable to hide some of the obvious truth, see their own human rights report for 2021 from their owners at the US State Department: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/QATAR-2020-HUMAN-RIGHTS-REPORT.pdf