Vladimir Putin! Now you’ve really done it. You have had the temerity to declare our National Endowment for Democracy (NED),...
Vladimir Putin! Now you’ve
really done it. You have had the temerity to declare our National
Endowment for Democracy (NED), America’s most important Non-Governmental
Organization (NGO) to be “undesirable.” Where will this end? Don’t you
respect our right, as a US Government-financed NGO, to meddle in
internal Russian affairs? After all, we are the most important NGO of
the world’s Sole Superpower. We can go wherever we want and do whatever
we like. We are truly upset!
This is the clear reaction of Washington
to the decision by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office on July 28
to declare the activities of the US National Endowment for Democracy as
“undesirable in the territory of Russia.” The official statement stated
that, “the National Endowment for Democracy used Russian commercial and
non-commercial organizations under its control to take part in campaigns
aimed at denying the legitimacy of results of Russian elections;
organize political actions designed to influence the authorities’
decisions and discredit the service in the Russian Armed Forces.” It
further elaborated, “In pursuit of these goals, the fund allocated about
2.5 million US dollars to Russian commercial and non-commercial
organizations in 2013-2015.”
to the decision by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office on July 28
to declare the activities of the US National Endowment for Democracy as
“undesirable in the territory of Russia.” The official statement stated
that, “the National Endowment for Democracy used Russian commercial and
non-commercial organizations under its control to take part in campaigns
aimed at denying the legitimacy of results of Russian elections;
organize political actions designed to influence the authorities’
decisions and discredit the service in the Russian Armed Forces.” It
further elaborated, “In pursuit of these goals, the fund allocated about
2.5 million US dollars to Russian commercial and non-commercial
organizations in 2013-2015.”
Under Russia’s law on Undesirable NGOs,
adopted by the Duma or parliament and signed into law by President Putin
this May, any foreign or international non-governmental organization
could become “undesirable” if it threatened the foundations of Russia’s
constitutional order, the country’s defense capability and the security
of the Russian state.
adopted by the Duma or parliament and signed into law by President Putin
this May, any foreign or international non-governmental organization
could become “undesirable” if it threatened the foundations of Russia’s
constitutional order, the country’s defense capability and the security
of the Russian state.
Significantly, in a statement regarding
the decision, Russia’s Foreign Ministry named Carl Gershman, the
neo-conservative who has been president since NED was founded in 1983.
They noted that Gershman said – absolutely openly – that the NED
organization was intended to be a beautiful facade for distributing
funds among opposition circles in foreign countries. That suggests they
have done their homework very well before banning the NED.
the decision, Russia’s Foreign Ministry named Carl Gershman, the
neo-conservative who has been president since NED was founded in 1983.
They noted that Gershman said – absolutely openly – that the NED
organization was intended to be a beautiful facade for distributing
funds among opposition circles in foreign countries. That suggests they
have done their homework very well before banning the NED.
In a Washington Post OpEd responding to
the ban, NED President Gershman cynically wrote that the move is, “the
latest evidence that the regime of President Vladimir Putin faces a
worsening crisis of political legitimacy.” He
failed to note that despite US economic sanctions put in place by
Victoria Nuland’s neo-conservative friends in the Obama Administration,
Vladimir Putin’s poll popularity currently stands at 89% according to
Russia’s independent Levada Center.
First appeared: http://journal-neo.org/2015/08/03/national-endowment-for-democracy-is-now-officially-undesirable-in-russia/
the ban, NED President Gershman cynically wrote that the move is, “the
latest evidence that the regime of President Vladimir Putin faces a
worsening crisis of political legitimacy.” He
failed to note that despite US economic sanctions put in place by
Victoria Nuland’s neo-conservative friends in the Obama Administration,
Vladimir Putin’s poll popularity currently stands at 89% according to
Russia’s independent Levada Center.
First appeared: http://journal-neo.org/2015/08/03/national-endowment-for-democracy-is-now-officially-undesirable-in-russia/
