Pakistan
Wednesday 16 January 2019
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![Dmitry Smirnov]()
Dmitry Smirnov
Kremlin Special Correspondent for Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper
“At the age of 94, George Bush Sr. died - the man who started the Gulf War, marking the beginning of the current chaos in the Middle East.
If we say nothing but good about the dead, about Bush Sr. say nothing.”
Read more...While many have criticized President George H.W. Bush for an inconclusive outcome of the Persian Gulf War, it is simplistic and misleading to attribute Middle Eastern conflicts, or “current chaos” to Bush’s actions in 1991. -
![Semyon Slepakov]()
Semyon Slepakov
Russian TV Comedy host and singer
“Russia is ready to host the World Cup. The stadiums are open. The cops are polyglots. That is a quick recap of many years of work.We're not going to lose face in front of the planet. It’s not for nothing we terrified [the planet] with a missile. In general, all is well. But there is only one “but”: Our team, frankly, is sh-t.”
Read more...The International Federation of Football Association, the world soccer authority better known as FIFA, ranked Russia’s national team #70 and labeled it a “worst mover.” -
![Namal Rajapaksa]()
Namal Rajapaksa
Sri Lankan politician
Emirates Air #Moscow informs I won’t make my Houston Flight as #US Officials instruct them to not let me board. Valid reason yet to be received. US has the Sovereign right of course. Sure it has nothing to do with my name, being part of #lka opposition or my travel from #Russia (winking emoji)
FalseRajapaksa lists no qualifications as an election observer and he had no visa to enter the U.S.Read more...U.S. Border Control officials confirmed that Namal Rajapaksa had no valid visa to enter the United States. Rajapaksa's passport was reportedly impounded by his own government due to an ongoing criminal case for money laundering in Sri Lanka. -
![Yuri Shvytkin]()
Yuri Shvytkin
Deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s defense committee
“Today, unfortunately, it can be noted that the United States is trying to establish a loyal regime [in Afghanistan] under the pretext of fighting terrorism. Our country takes the position that the United States (should) withdraw its troops from Afghanistan; the legitimately elected government of Afghanistan takes principally the same position. U.S. success in the fight against terrorism, especially in Afghanistan, is not particularly discernible.”
Read more...U.S. and Afghan forces have, in fact, made major counterterrorism gains, and Afghanistan’s government supports fully the U.S. military presence and the newly unveiled U.S. strategy. -
![Мikhail Aleksandrov]()
Мikhail Aleksandrov
Expert with the Center for Military and Political Research, MGIMO
“U.S. actions in Afghanistan are destabilizing, harmful to neighboring countries but above all to Afghanistan itself… ISIS was created by the United States to solve geopolitical problems in the Middle East, [but] now they see it’s not working there and are preparing to move ISIS to Central Asia.”
Read more...The U.S. is actually fighting Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, contributing to the region’s security, as well as its economic and democratic development. -
![Zamir Kabulov]()
Zamir Kabulov
Russian president’s special envoy to Afghanistan
“The Taliban… no longer nurtures the ideas of trans-border jihad; in this sense they act as Afghanistan internal armed opposition seeking to change the situation -- so far by force.”
Read more...The Russian president’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said Moscow considers the Taliban a legitimate part of a resolution of the country’s conflict because the group “no longer nurtures the ideas of trans-border jihad.” Taliban leaders, however, recently posted a video vowing to wage jihad until the end, and the group continues deadly attacks on civilians.
