Russia’s Decline Damages US’s Interests Directly or Indirectly. Part II

RAND Corporation reacted to PRAVDA.Ru article

PRAVDA.Ru has recently received an email from RAND Corporation. The specialists of this organization substantiated an opportunity of the American military incursion in Russia.

PRAVDA.Ru published an article yesterday entitled “Russia’s Decline Damages US’s Interests Directly or Indirectly.” The article was devoted to the report of the RAND Corporation pertaining to the need to conduct army operations on the territory of the Russian Federation. It goes without saying that operations are to be conducted by the US Army. As it was said in the report, this might happen in case if the Russian government is not able to control the political and economic situation in the country. The article gave an example of the fact, to which extent the American government paid attention to RAND’s conclusions. It goes about Saudi Arabia here, after the country was called “an active member of all levels of the terrorist network” in one of reports.

PRAVDA.Ru received an email signed by David Egner, RAND Director of External Communication. Here is the complete text of the email: “An article in Pravda Online on Feb. 26 by Vasily Bubnov stated incorrectly that the RAND Corporation issued a report last year saying Saudi Arabia was involved with terrorism. In fact, there never was such a RAND report. A RAND researcher simply expressed his personal views on this issue to a non-governmental advisory board. The opinions and conclusions expressed by the researcher, who has since left RAND, were strictly his own and should not be interpreted as representing those of RAND or any of the agencies or others sponsoring RAND research.”

It should be mentioned here that the issue was not actually about the publication of that report. The issue was about the preparation of the report, which was read out loud at a session of the US Council for Defense Policy. It is impossible to get a copy of the report anywhere at present. This is not really important, though. If the RAND Corporation management does not share those conclusions, it is their right.

As a matter of fact, there is something more important about the issue: Mr. Egner did not say a word about the research, to which the mentioned article was actually devoted. It just so happens, that the corporation management completely shares the point of view of their employees regarding an opportunity for the American army to interfere in the affairs of the sovereign state of Russia. As it was said before, any person, who has access to the Internet can read the mentioned research online, or buy a book, which costs $20.

It goes without saying that those plans are rather theoretical. If it were not so, the report would not be available to the public. Yet, it is not clear, where that scrupulousness towards Saudi Arabia comes from and what is the origin of such disregard against Russia. The incumbent American administration stands for partnership relations with Russia. If Mr. Egner talks about “agencies or others sponsoring RAND research,” (governmental agencies are definitely on that list), does it mean that RAND specialists present the general point of view regarding relations with Russia? Does it mean that there is only the language of threats to be used in the conversation with the Russian Federation? If it is really so, any kind of partnership is out of the question.

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov