Putin, Medvedev See Arab Unrest as Peril to Russia and West

Medvedev worries the dissension and uprisings could spill over into Western countries.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin smile at the Victory Day parade at Red Square in Moscow May 9, 2009. (Reuters)

(CHICAGO) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev issued separate warnings to Western Europe and the US that the ongoing uprisings, insurgency and outright revolts happening across the Middle East and North Africa are dangerous to the long term interests of everyone.

Putin warned European officials at a meeting in Brussels that the turbulent events could lead to regimes very hostile to the West. He heaped criticism on what he believes is the European Union's energy policies.

Pointing out that meddling in the uprisings or the internal machinations of the governments currently under various states of siege could assure extremist governments emerge.

"You have to give people the chance to choose their own fates and their own futures," Putin declared at a packed news conference with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. "Give them the opportunity to determine their own fate through natural means and not with any kind of outside interference," the forceful Russian leader asserted.

The Prime Minister went on to remind everyone present that all past attempts to force democratic solutions on fluid political events led to unintended consequences. He singled out Iran's Islamic revolution as a prime example. The US policy to direct the country towards democracy backfired horribly and led to massive elections of fanatical radicals that imposed an authoritarian theocracy on the populace.

Speaking to the fidgeting group of Euro-bureaucrats, Putin recalled that Iranian revolutionary leader and maniacal despot Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini used the West for his own evil purposes while banished in Paris before returning to Tehran to lead the revolution that overthrew the Shah during 1979.

Putin pulled no punches forcing the European officials to look deeply into that dark mirror that reflected their own failings and past errors. "Not long ago at all," he continued relentlessly, "our partners came out actively for honest democratic elections in the Palestinian territories."

Putin laughed over that and continued, his voice colored with sarcasm, "Wonderful! Well done, lads! And it turns out Hamas wins, the same people you are calling a terrorist organization and have started to fight against."

Driving home his argument, Putin reiterated that the Kremlin's struggling to defuse an Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus. Two two Chechen wars with Islamic extremists have been waged since the Soviet Union collapsed.

"Regardless of the calming theories that radical groups coming to power in Northern Africa is unlikely, if it happens it cannot but spread to other areas of the world, including the North Caucasus," Putin said.

Meanwhile, President Dmitry Medvedev claimed that Russian intelligence has unearthed evidence that the spreading uprisings in the Arab world were being fomented by "outside forces." Those forces, the president claimed, were also scheming to topple the Russian government.

"Let's face the truth. They have been preparing such a scenario for us, and now they will try even harder to implement it," Medvedev said. His surprising remarks came during a high level meeting with the country's top security officials. "In any case, this scenario will not work," he predicted.

Unwilling to define who "they" are, it's widely assumed he was not referring to any country in the West, but internal radical groups seeking to topple the Russian government.

During his presidency, the pragmatic Russian leader has sought to avoid even the appearance of any confrontational rhetoric with the West—something the old USSR did habitually.

Radical elements in the Russian opposition parties, however, have begun calling for days of rage in Moscow and other major cities. They seek to oust the current government as Egypt successfully did.

Russian authorities have been monitoring such groups on Twitter and Facebook. They are well aware that the social networking sites and Internet communication tools are powerful assets in forming and promulgating a revolution.

Medvedev also worried that dissension and uprisings could spill over into Western countries. Economies would be disrupted and energy costs spiral beyond control. He also blamed "rogue elements" for fanning the flames of revolt in unstable countries. He alluded to, but did not name certain Western corporate elements.

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