Paul Craig Roberts – paulcraigroberts.org March 28, 2024
Here is Gilbert Doctorow’s follow-up to his interview about which I reported yesterday. https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2024/03/27/washington-crossed-a-fatal-red-line-with-the-crocus-attack/
Doctorow is a careful analyst who does not overstate the seriousness of situations. The Crocus attack could be a turning point in Putin’s attitude toward the US. Putin has been low-key in Russia’s response to Washington’s provocations so as not to inflame the situation. Putin’s policy has been to wait for the West to come to its senses and to accept reality. I have emphasized that this is a mistake as Putin’s toleration of provocations results in more provocations of increasing severity. With 319 dead and wounded Russian civilian casualties in a suburb of Moscow, it appears that the provocations have crossed a red line. The head of the Federal Security Service was given a green light to identify to the Russian media Washington as the suspect. As Putin has publicly declared that all responsible will be punished, I agree that Doctorow’s characterization of the situation is akin to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
It is possible that Putin will rethink the situation and use the Crocus attack to meet political and media demands that this time he do something. He can limit the blame to Ukraine and use the attack to use the level of force he should have used two years ago to level Ukraine and end the conflict.
If Putin again convinces himself, or is convinced by pro-Western factions in Russia, if any still exist, that eventually the West will come to its senses, and fails again to act, the provocations will continue to worsen. Indeed, I would say that one more of the magnitude of Crocus would light the fuse of World War III.
Here is Doctorow’s report:
Yesterday’s remarkable statements to journalists by Alexander Bortnikov, director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB)
Gilbert Doctorow March 27, 2024
To the uninitiated, I explain first that the FSB is the successor organization to the Soviet Union’s well-known and much feared KGB. However, the FSB today might be better compared with the FBI in the United States. It deals with domestic criminality of all kinds and with threats to Russian civilians such as terrorism. The agency and its head are rarely in the news.
In this respect, the FSB is less visible both at home and abroad than the Foreign Intelligence Service headed by Sergei Naryshkin, a state figure who spent five years of this millennium as chairman of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of the legislature, and also three years as head of the Presidential Administration. In both positions Naryshkin was very often seen on television performing his duties.
By contrast, Bortnikov spent the past 15 years in his FSB offices out of sight. However, the spectacular attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue has propelled him to center stage and yesterday he met with the Russian state television journalist Pavel Zarubin for an interview and then allowed himself to be questioned further by a gaggle of other journalists on his way out along a corridor. This spontaneous Q&A was later broadcast on the television news. What Bortnikov had to say was extraordinary and bears directly on whether you and I should now be looking for bomb shelters. Regrettably you will not find any of it in the lead stories of today’s mainstream media. The Financial Times, for example, features an account of Xi’s meeting with CEOs of American businesses to mend ties: interesting, but not very relevant if we are at the cusp of WWIII.
Bortnikov is by definition a member of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle of advisors. He, Putin and Naryshkin are all roughly the same age. At 72, Bortnikov is just several years older.
I was struck in particular by his poise and prudent, carefully weighed choice of words while setting out where the investigation is heading with transparency and a ‘let the chips fall where they may’ unaffected demeanor.
The journalists were all probing the question of who stood behind the terror attack. Bortnikov told them…and us: standing behind the terror act committed by Islamist extremists are the United States, Great Britain and Ukraine.
Bortnikov said that the preliminary findings indicate that the four perpetrators of the slaughter were headed by car to the border with Ukraine where they were awaited on the other side. He very calmly explained that the involvement of foreign powers is being clarified and that he will say nothing out of pure emotion now but will wait for the facts to be solidly collected before being presented.
Nonetheless, it was entirely newsworthy that he named the United States, Great Britain and Ukraine as the likely puppet masters of the terror act. Let us remember that following the bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines, the most significant attack on critical civilian infrastructure globally in the last 50 years, Russian officials did not point the finger directly at any country. There was innuendo but no direct accusations such as we heard from Bortnikov yesterday.
Meanwhile, quite apart from Mr. Bortnikov’s chat with journalists, a lot of new elements to the terror attack at Crocus City Hall were posted yesterday on the Russian state television news and analysis program Sixty Minutes. In particular, we learned that in the last days of February and first couple of days of March two of the four attackers were in Istanbul. The departure and arrival of one at a Moscow airport was recorded on video. We were told which hotels they stayed in, and the selfies and other photos taken by one in Istanbul were put up on the screen. It is still not clear with whom they met in Turkey. However, the timing itself is very important, because the point was made that they returned to Moscow to carry out a terror attack on 8 March, International Women’s Day, a sacred date on the Russian calendar. Had they done so on that day, the effect would have been catastrophic for the presidential elections in Russia one week later.
However, per Sixty Minutes, it was determined that Russian state security on 8 March was too tight for the terrorist mission to succeed and the United States decided to pull the plug on that operation. Note that this is approximately the time when Victoria Nuland tendered her resignation at the State Department (5 March). The possible causal link here surely deserves attention by my peers in the U.S. ‘dissident’ community.
In any case, the scenario which was explored later in the day on the Evening with Vladimir Solovyov talk show is that the Ukrainians decided to proceed with the terror attack a week after the Russian presidential elections, when it lost most of its rationale. They did so over the objections of Washington.
From time to time, readers ask why I pay attention to talk shows like Vladimir Solovyov’s. These skeptics tend to ignore that Solovyov invites not just the usual irresponsible academics and journalists who can amuse the public but also some very serious statesmen who are close to the center of power in Russia and exert influence on the conduct of foreign and domestic policy, including in particular committee chairmen and other key personalities from the State Duma.
So it was last night when we heard from a member of the Committee on Relations with the Commonwealth of Independent States (Former Soviet Union). With reference to the never ending terror attacks on civilians in the Russian border region of Belgorod coming from nearby Kharkiv (Ukraine), he said it is time to raze Kharkov to the ground: issue a warning to the population to get in their cars and head West, then blow it all to bits. Kharkiv is, by the way, Ukraine’s second most populous city after Kiev.
In general, the mood of panelists and of the host Solovyov himself is now changing in a cardinal manner: Ukraine is seen as an enemy state and the sooner it is finished off the better. There was talk last night on the need for missile strikes to flatten the presidential palace in Kiev along with all military and other decision making government centers in the capital.
As we have observed repeatedly over the past two years. President Putin has been a voice for moderation and restraint, resisting actions that might precipitate WWIII. That is clearly coming to an end when his own FSB director names the United States and the UK as planners of the biggest terror attack in Russia in 20 years.
©Gilbert Doctorow, 2024
It’s not the US, it’s the UK that’s behind these attacks. There might have been US equipment and money, but anything like this always (if successful that is – US solo operations are usually bungled), has the UK behind it. The Russians should be looking to crash Britain. Their response doesn’t have to be military in nature though – the FSB must have a vast archive of UK politicians corruption, so it’s time to start using it.
Not read much, but do you know why everyone, including the Russians, fail to mention MI6, do you know why?
Well, I’ll tell you. The British Nazi deep state is so hated by elite Russians, that if Russia fingered UK Nazis for pipe, bridge, and other attacks, and then added this Moscow attack. Putin would not be able to hold back the pressure to hit UK assets, or even use nukes.
If Putin gets removed for his cool weakness, then those who put in the new leader, will have to prove he hates the UK. All you Brits out there, your lives hang by a thread.
Keep in mind we’ve only seen the four main gunmen. They made 11 arrests, and while these 4 gunmen were ‘cutouts’, I doubt the remaining 6 were all cutouts.
PCR forgets every time that America is not a spoilt child but a psychopath. Putin has to tread carefully, he can’t just slap it down. It makes it difficult but we’re all still here so Putin’s doing something right. But if as many of us suspect–perhaps most of us, really–that America did this, then now he can present the evidence to the UN then release it on-line for the whole world to read and judge.
I think the too-hasty rebuttal from America while the event was still unfolding showed diplomatic panic. They know they’ve gone too far with a terrorist attack after twenty-odd years berating all groups because “they’re terrorists!”, and they may soon be proved to be the biggest terrorist of all. A lawless, rogue state terrorist. There can no worse terrorist than that because of what a state can bring to a terrorist atrocity.
Yes….
Which is of course to be expected as ‘narratives’ are embellished…there is another theory however (one of many as always, because the best spook craft drowns the truth in static)…which is supported by these photographs..
https://swprs.org/moscow-terrorist-attack-new-evidence-in-favor-of-a-staged-event/ (scroll down to the gallery)…
The ‘men in blue’… particularly the one that’s also a ‘border guard’ ..hehe.. The Swiss Cuckoos didn’t elaborate on their little Easter Egg…for obvious reasons…
Let’s see if you can…
Did these supposed staged images of the Russian attack actually come out of Russia and not a West End or Broadway theatre or art school where such fakery would be easy to do?
Just listened to Alistair Crooke on Judging Freedom, and Crooke said of the Moscow attack, that Nazi UK more involved than Nazi Amerika.
This probably suggests the Russians have fingered Nazi MI6, but will they officially say it?
Crooke, me, and another on here says the Brits did it, so reasonable to believe most of the free world believes the UK Nazis did it, and as I’ve said before, if Russia attacked UK assets, or even nuked the UK, no one in NATO will lift a finger to support the UK. Many NATO members are fed up with the UK setting the agenda, now a very dangerous agenda.
To a nuclear stand off .. Best movie ever ..
Fascinating link – thank you, Chesterton
@Anon re “The Russians should be looking to crash Britain”
In case you haven’t noticed…
Britain is ALREADY “crashing” of its own accord… WITHOUT any “help” from Russia!
Chesterton is correct! Pootin’ not only falseflagged Russia to stoke a wholly unnecessary conflict in Ukraine for the Schneerson crew, he worked in the Jonathon Conference bogeyman of “islamic terrorists” as a two-fer.
It’s pathetic the Russian public buys it retail but in America the public approval of Loiter Stein and his Pentagoons is around sixty per cent. Go figure. Brandon and Congress are in single digits.
“If Putin again convinces himself, or is convinced by pro-Western factions in Russia, if any still exist, that eventually the West will come to its senses, and fails again to act, the provocations will continue to worsen. Indeed, I would say that one more of the magnitude of Crocus would light the fuse of World War III.”
Paul Roberts keeps making the rather ridiculous implication that Vladimir Putin can somehow stop WW3. He can’t. Surely by now Putin realizes that “the West” will not be “(coming) to its senses.” Anyone paying attention can see that it doesn’t matter how Putin responds to the latest act of terrorism, WW3 is still going to happen for the simple reason that the Satanic cult of demon-possessed madmen known as organized jewry is in complete control of the corrupt West, and it is a Satanic imperative of their spiritual war against God and the non-jewish balance of humanity that Russia must be destroyed at all costs.
In light of this, it makes sense that Putin would endeavor to delay the direct military conflict between Russia and U.S./NATO because with every day that goes by, Russia gets militarily stronger while the corrupt West weakens. Every S-500 air defense system deployed, every Sarmat ICBM put on combat duty, every bomb shelter refurbished and stocked, etc., between now and the direct conflict with U.S./NATO, works to Russia’s advantage.
the usual suspects CIA/MI6/Mossad did it !
all JEWISH !
@ Harold..
Of course you are correct on all counts but one..and that would be thinking the actual War is being staged between so called nations.. that would be a mistake, because the target is actually the Europeans themselves (including Slavs)…Putin is just as controlled as Biden…and playing his role..Schneerson wittered on about the need to destroy the slavs in the 90’s and as you probably know the Chokmah Binah Daath boys run the Russkie satrap..
the only hope, not that there will be any as such, or that you need any because it’s the last sin in Pandoras box, would be a truly Nationalist Russia..something you have all been conned into thinking exists.. but evidently doesn’t…
For example, this is from Putin’s latest speech..
“Statements by jingoists in the spirit of “Russia is only for Russians” can lead to the collapse of the country, the president believes. Also, at a meeting with military pilots, he stated that it is necessary to take care of the unity of the Russian people. Putin’s words are intended to reduce the potential growth of xenophobia, discrimination and other intolerant attitudes against the backdrop of the terrorist attack. This is perceived as an area of serious risks, as a harbinger of rampant nationalism. That can be used by enemies as a tool to destabilize society.”
https://t.me/rusbrief/214991
The same script…..Nationalism is the enemy…surely if he was preparing the country for war with OTAN he would be promoting a Nationalism not imprisoning its adherents.. and babbling on about how it’s a deadly threat to the country..
The fact is he just wants them dead..just like your govern-mente wants you dead…
By the way the EU has done some thirteen billion in trade..with the Russians in the past year..yes trade not worthless funny money.. and admittedly though the figure is down..the commodity prices are up… the gerrys are actually swimming in gas, although you wont hear that..
and this is what’s actually hehe..’admitted’ to and ‘accounted for’…so someone is making lots of money and telling lots of lies.. in this War of attrition that has left the Ukrainian infrastructure standing…
I wonder who it could be?…
It’s all narrative..it always has been… fairystories narrated by Evil deepstate spooks for desperate little children..who want a cuddle..
Buckle up..
.
.
.
There is the elephant in the room.
paul Craig Roberts don’t write about it.
The elephant is the financial entity.
Putin knows it very well.
So, he kicked out the Khazar oligarchs, like Michael Khodorkovsky etc..
There are already pyramids(hierarchy).
There are the elephant’s minions : Rockefellers, Soros, Hell Gates, etc..
CIA, Mossad, MI-5, MI-6..(different in name only)are its apparatuses.
Nation itself can be become an apparatus, if its top is bribed.
The elephant in the room is the Rothschild.
Eye at the biggest pyramid’s capstone.
.
.
.
Excellent link provided by Chesterton in his top comment that gives much food for thought.
The gunmen were quite awkward with little-to-no apparent tactical training, at least from the video clips I saw.
@OM720….
Putin, rabbi Lazar, Nathaniel Rothschild are all with
international chabad ljubawitsher + in Klaus Schwabs
WEF . they are all good friends + Biden/Trump +
wallstreet plutocrates are all good friends with chabad .
Chabad Ljubawitsher are the great unificators with
Zelensky + Satanjahu !
To antiJHWH
You will understand if you read the last chapter 24 of the 《Protocols of the learned elders of Zion》. The king is only one person. And according to John Todd,
the king is the top of the Grand Druid Council 13 families. The Druid’s God is the Egyptian God Ra. So, Druid’s God is not the one in the old testament. The king with whom John Todd had been periodically meeting was some Rothschild.
Druid has been keeping secrets. So there are secrets. There must be alliances between the Knights Templar and the Druid.