Jihadi Du Jour

What difference does it make to us if the Russians murdered a former KGB spy and defector? Should it really matter to us at all? Most of us never heard of Alexander Litvinenko prior to a couple of weeks ago.

A lot has been written on blogs about him in the last week or so and nobody needs me to repeat it all here.

There are ripples to this murder that are, or should be, felt around the world. One is that Russia is once again thumbing it's nose at the world. That's nothing new. To the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been a time when Russia gave a moments consideration to what the rest of the world thinks/thought. Why should they? They have their own problems to worry about and WHAT would or could anyone do about Russia?

Napolean and Hitler both met defeat trying to invade Russia. Their only real threat is if the U.S. were willing to go head-to-head with them. They have reason to be increasing secure in the notion that we have been greatly weakened and don't have the will to hold them at bay.

Our infrequent, distrustful and uneasy alliances with Russia have been in order to defeat a common enemy. Otherwise, we have watched Russia with a wary eye as I suppose, they have watched us.

Another ripple is that they are shutting down dissidence. It has been well documented that Litvinenko has been speaking out against the regime of Putin. He was stopped. Why did he need to be stopped? What else is going on?

As much as the dems like to screech at the tops of their voices how they are being silenced in their criticism of the Bush administration, not one of them have been killed for doing so.

Litvinenko died of nuclear radiation. His death bed claim is that he was poisoned at Putin's order. He was murdered with polonium 210, an element used in triggering nuclear weapons. This is such a powerful substance, that following his death in London, the British have found radiation in the places Litvinenko visited in the days following his poisoning. Which brings another ripple, will others die of radiation poisoning after contact with Litvinenko?

This also has resulted in a tense diplomatic problem between Britian and Russia.
Detectives and scientists expressed open astonishment that such an elaborate and evil Cold War-style hit could happen Britain, describing the murder as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘mind-boggling’.

It threatened to cause a serious diplomatic rift between Britain and Russia, at a time when relations are at their worst since the end of the Cold War

Litvinenko's father, in his grief, expressed what was one of my first concerns about another ripple in this story. They killed him with at tiny nuke - and they have big nukes.

"My son died yesterday and he was killed by a little tiny nuclear bomb.

It was so small that you could not see it. But the people who killed him have big nuclear bombs and missiles and those people should not be trusted.

[snip]

This regime is a mortal danger to the world.

Which brings us to a very alarming ripple.

Russia delivers air defense missile system to Iran. Russia claims this is a legitimate sale. Just as Iran claims their development of nuclear capablilty is benign. Neither can be trusted and both are not our friends.

Litvinenko tells us in his final message.

But as I lie here I can distinctly hear the beating of wings of the angel of death. I may be able to give him the slip but I have to say my legs do not run as fast as I would like.

I think, therefore, that this may be the time to say one or two things to the person responsible for my present condition.

You may succeed in silencing me but that silence comes at a price. You have shown yourself to be barbaric and ruthless as your most hostile critics have claimed.

You have shown yourself to have no respect for life, liberty or any civilised value. You have shown yourself to be unworthy of your office, to be unworthy of the trust of civilised men and women.

You may succeed in silencing one man but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life.

May God forgive you for what you have done, not only to me but to beloved Russia and its people."

It seems to me that the death of a former KGB spy and defector does matter to us. It should matter a great deal. We need to wake up and hear what is happening around us.