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American Defense Council Feature Article
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(Washington, D.C. - March 12, 2004) Congressmen Dan Burton (R-IN) and Mike Pence (R-IN) on Thursday sent to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell a letter expressing their "concern over the recent developments with regard to Russia's democratic direction and progress."
Their broad concerns focus on the "selective use of the rule of law," and the rise of the siloviki. Both Congressmen cite the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Sociology study that "as many as 2,000 f the Russian elite - including private business owners and high-ranking government officials - are former members of the security forces."
They cite "three regional governors who are former senior officers of the KGB, as are the heads of the St. Petersburg Telephone Network, Domodedovo Airlines, Petersburg Fuel Company, the Slaveneft Oil Company, as well as Mr. Sergei Ivanov, the Russian Defense Minister."
"The rise of the siloviki has not escaped the notice of those on Capitol Hill, the War on Terror and our recent action in Iraq notwithstanding," said Daniel Perrin, President of the American Defense Council, who briefed more than 50 Senate staff on the subject last week. "In particular, this may signal a less accepting attitude of President Putin's democratic reformer image in the United States."
Selective use of the rule of law applies when, on the one hand, the politically active are run out of the country or put in prison, and on the other hand, Kremlin loyalists are rewarded. The letter also raises the issue of the still missing $4.8 Billion in International Monetary Fund aid released to Russia in 1998, when Mr. Sergey Kirienko was Prime Minister. The letter states, "this funding allegedly never reached its intended beneficiaries."
The letter asks Secretary Powell if President Putin put a stay on the investigation into this missing aid, and if the Office of the Prosecutor General has "had the chance" to investigate the matter further. The letter also states, "If the $4.8 Billion is in fact still missing, has the United States played an active role in investigating the whereabouts of funds? If so, what were the results of the investigation?"
"The letter raises excellent questions, for both Secretary Powell and for the siloviki in Russia," said Perrin.
Click here to see original of the letter in PDF 
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Taking Back the Panama Canal
An Alternative Solution to the Neutrality Treaty and Military Intervention
Under the facts presented, there are several theoretical avenues available to Panama to terminate its contract with PPC. First, like all sovereigns, Panama possesses the right and power to terminate contracts that contravene its national interests. Accordingly, if PL-5 is seen to harm Panama – i.e., security, environmental, etc. – then Panama has the right to terminate the contract. Second, PL-5 may be vulnerable because the circumstances of its creation may, in fact, have violated Panama’s laws. And, if PPC has violated any of its significant obligations, such as maintenance and repairs...
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| See the map of China's Maritime Global Projection
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Since more than 80%of global trade moves by sea and the U.S.moves 95%
of its foreign trade by weight via the world Â’s oceans,it is equally obvious that Chinese
naval strategy holds in high regard control of these global chokepoints. See the map....
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