Russian anarchist and anti-war movement, living in Sweden, the emigrant Peter Rausch.
— Why Russia pursues rather aggressive policies in Ukraine, the Caucasus and the middle East?
Is the traditional policy of Russia. It’s just that sometimes they have the resources for this aggressive policy, and sometimes these resources are not enough. Just look at Russia to see — it is much more than other countries. And a large part of this territory was captured in wars. Therefore, you should not be surprised. It was in the days of the Moscow tsars, during the Empire, when the power of the Bolsheviks, and now. The state policy of the Kremlin has always been built on aggression.
For example, due to this Russian policy in Syria is now more than 400 thousand people were killed. And this problem is not just Syria. It is also a problem in Europe, because a large number of Syrian refugees coming to the EU countries that have this problem now to solve it. The problem that Russia poses to Europe. Of course, in comparison with the horror of what is happening in Syria, not countries of Europe to complain. It is one thing to accept refugees, and quite another — to become a refugee, losing a home, family and friends. But still, it’s the same problem that Russia is creating for the Syrian people, and for the EU.
In the Caucasus over the past decade, Russia has twice attacked Georgia and twice on Ichkeria. Although for the first time, in 1996, the Chechens managed to fight back and win — despite the fact that the balance of power in favor of Russia then was more than a hundred times. So, I think today not all hopeless for the Ukrainians.
Why do they even have these areas, if they now lose their value?
— I think that the territory continues to be a value, especially if it has the resources. The other thing is that often war is not for resources. If we look at Soviet aggression in Afghanistan, Soviet troops there, certainly not for the resources of the invaded — most of the natural resources of Afghanistan are still not even explored. And the Caucasus, Russia won once, not because in Azerbaijan and Chechnya has oil reserves, and on the basis of the strategic objectives of the struggle for world domination. Often it happens that the source of the war — not the economic benefit and the calculation, as in the historical traditions and psychology. Russia used to consider itself a great power, the Russians used to subjugate neighboring Nations, not respecting anyone. The level of xenophobia in Russia is not lower than it was in Nazi Germany, most infected with this virus. And it works also for the playback of external aggression.
This xenophobia, experts say, is the result of propaganda. Because if the media worked in the other direction, it would be possible to knock down the background of hatred that is needed for war.
— I agree. Indeed, propaganda is created the main part of the militaristic hysteria, not less than two-thirds. Although there is another — the basis of consciousness and identity. Propaganda meets with response at the psychological level in the General population, why it is so effective. On the other hand, there are appropriate technologies of processing of consciousness of the population. There is a good book “the Wave”, which describes a real incident which occurred in the United States, in Palo Alto, California. The students of the senior class on the lesson of history could not understand how the Germans allowed the establishment of the Nazi regime? Then the teacher conducted an experiment: without warning using the class of the same propaganda techniques that were used by the Nazis, he few weeks has established an analogue of the Nazi regime in the class. And almost the whole class went to it, except for one or two students. The rest mass felt that sense of community, the “United team” is more important. Then, of course, when the teacher showed them that they already behave the same as the Germans under Hitler, the students had the strongest psychological shock. But the important thing is that even in America, with its traditions of individualism and freedom, such an experiment was possible!
Why be surprised that this is happening in Russia, with its historical tradition — and in a situation when the channels of state propaganda 24 hours a day, this result is deliberately sought? Putin is not in vain began with the establishment of the control channels — NTV and ORT. The establishment of the fascist regime started with the fact that the authorities and special forces have taken control of the media, securing a monopoly on propaganda. The totalitarian regime in Russia was installed in the middle of the zero.
— You live in Sweden. As far as refugees — a challenge for European countries?
— Yes, there is a problem. For example, in Sweden, unlike Norway, the problem of unemployment. Generally find the work easy, and the refugees in particular. Especially if you moved a middle-aged man. Difficult to adapt, even if the country is friendly. People who are accustomed to another life, and, of course, raises the problem of compatibility of cultures. It is clear that when the number of jobs is limited, in those cases when migrants get jobs, not helping to solve the unemployment problem for the Swedes. Sweden for decades, was very friendly to migrants, but there are now growing xenophobic sentiments. A few years ago for the first time in the history of the Swedish party, the Swedish Democrats, a xenophobic political party, which, incidentally, is largely focused on Putin’s policies, was able to get into the Riksdag (Parliament). In this sense, the danger of the situation — not only and not so much by itself the influx of refugees as political speculation accompanying this process, and political consequences.
We should not forget that the Norwegian terrorist Breivik (Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011) also considered himself a supporter of Putin’s policies. And the refugees themselves, of course, different. For example, I live in the geographical center of Sweden, although Swedish standards the region of Västernorrland is already the North. So, here a large number of refugees from the former Soviet Central Asia, mainly from Uzbekistan. There are refugees from Africa (Eritrea, Congo), a lot of Burmese, Iranians, Afghans and Chechens. The media often write about the fact that most of the refugees are Arab Muslims, but here we have the Arab refugees are relatively few. While I have enough friends and the friends of the Muslims — and so, among them I do not know of any supporter of the “Islamic state”.
But on the other hand, what is “Islamic state”? Leadership positions are mostly officers, who served in the days of Saddam Hussein. The civil war in Syria began with the revolution against Assad, when there is no ISIS was not — it appeared later, when the West showed its lack of ability to help the Syrians solve the problem of the dictatorship of Assad. But the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad, as the dictatorship of his father, Hafez, would have been impossible without Moscow’s support. Supplies of chemical weapons in Syria was made by the USSR. And who gave the West to solve the problem of Syria, vetoing the proposed resolution at the UN Security Council? Russia.
— Do you think videoconferencing bombed cities of Syria, social facilities and the population intentionally?
— I think so. It is not the excesses at the level of the performers, as, for example, in the case of Colonel Budanov, who during the war started by Russia in Chechnya, on its own initiative, raped and killed a Chechen girl (he was convicted, but was released on parole, killed in 2011). It is clear that this team never gave him. Although similar Budanov “excesses performers” in General, not a special rarity for the Russian army. But the fact that Russian planes in Syria sighting hit the hospitals, of course, is not the initiative of individual pilots and commanders ‘ orders. The same thing happened in Grozny: missiles “air-land” was applied, for example, the hospital and the city hospital. Why it was done and done? With the aim of increasing the number of those killed. The higher the number, the greater the effect of terror. In addition, in Syria, as in Chechnya, air strikes are often carried out in two waves. The first wave, which focused on civilian targets. Then, after a while, when tightened to the ruins of the rescuers, trying to get out from under them wounded, it is the second airstrike. Already on the squad. It is a deliberate tactic, the orders are given at the level of command. So Russia is fighting, the other can not.
And what’s the purpose?
— The main purpose of any aggressive war is to break the opponent’s will to resist. Mass loss would demoralize the soldiers defending side. Moreover, there are other methods — for example, trying to find those who are willing to negotiate and cooperate with the occupiers, those who agree to move to the side in those or other reasons. This leads to a split of the enemy, and then capture and expansion of territory controlled by the Empire. Nothing new here Putin is not invented, the Third Rome just uses the classic Roman experience.
— There is another side to Europe. Why Russia supports extremist organizations in the EU?
— Not necessarily extremist. Although the left and the right in Germany, France and Greece, for example, receive support from Russia. This is done in order to split the ranks of the enemy, beyond ideology. Right and left are used by Russia as agents of influence. The differences of right with left, which will not disappear, for the Russian special services do not matter. But Russia cooperates not only with those who define themselves as representatives of extreme views, but with quite moderate policies. Example — former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Or the current Czech President Zeman. Now Moscow is working with all political forces who are willing to cooperate with her. In this sense, ideological restrictions, unlike the USSR, not at all. Although the former Soviet restrictions are not prevented Moscow to maintain friendly relations with the various cannibalistic regimes. Not only North Korea but also with cannibal in the literal sense of the word: for example, with the dictator of Uganda Amin or Emperor of Central Africa Jean Bedlam Bokassa. On the Internet you can find, for example, a photograph in which the Soviet Komsomol activists Bokassa tie a pioneer tie in “Artek”. Bokassa, in refrigerators which, after his overthrow found a dismembered human body, designed for the Imperial table.
