- Gunmen stormed a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, killing at least 60 people and injuring more than 100.
- Earlier this month, the US embassy issued a security alert warning of a potential terror attack.
- Just days ago, Vladimir Putin dismissed the idea as “blackmail” from the West.
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Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia issued a security alert warning about a potential terror attack in Moscow and urged people to avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates, and be aware of surroundings.
“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the March 7 security alert said.
Putin addressed the warnings a couple weeks later, criticizing the warning three days ago as “provocative.”
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“All this resembles outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society,” Putin said, according to state media reporting on his remarks.
The US embassy issued another alert on Friday saying it was “aware” of the attack and urged Americans to avoid the area.
Strategically, from the US perspective, it was an enormously effective flex. It doesn’t matter what Putin says to his people, or the world, but now he knows that the US knew, and could have said nothing. Charles de Gaulle once said, “No nation has friends, only interests.”
Pretty sure Kissinger said that; the us does not have allies or enemies, only interests.
People says Kissenger paraphrased this with “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests” - afaik there’s no evidence of this but either way the quote’s older than he is.
Seems often it’s like this with simple quotes.
First thing I pulled up said it was de Gaulle. I rather suspect Kissinger got it from de Gaulle, who got it from Palmerston. My point is that I didn’t make it up. And this thread demonstrates that it is a long standing sentiment.