First it was the "discovery" in Iraqi government ministries of documents linking France to business deals with Saddam Hussein. Now the Bush regime has gone public that Russia gave Saddam Hussein military intelligence on U.$. military positions before the u.$. occupation of Iraq.

In ordinary diplomacy, such knowledge would be held secretly. Diplomacy in a world of private property and corresponding secrets is one reason that democracy is a farce. The public scarcely knows who is really at war.

The Bush regime may have come up with a clever way to release information that Russia was helping Saddam Hussein with war information. The blame went on the Russian ambassador in Iraq, one tied to bribery in a UN investigation.

The reasoning could go that if Iraq's ambassador Vladimir Teterenko received bribes of oil, then U.$. military plans could end up in Iraqi hands and it would not be Putin's fault. Bribes mentioned so far were worth $1.5 million.(1) It's also said that the last report the Russians gave Saddam Hussein was false, and that Saddam Hussein did not act on any reports anyway.

Russians denied the story and then it dropped off the radar screen.(2) The United $tates probably needed a united front on the question of Iran at the time the story came out. On the other hand, the story may have come up in the first place to raise the ante on the question of Iran.

There is much mystery surrounding diplomacy and spying in a world of multiple factions of the global capitalist class trying to keep secrets. The release of information that Russians skillfully stole invasion plans from the Amerikan military command would ordinarily be propaganda leading to war against the Russians in this case. Media mouthpieces in the united $tates said that the Russians endangered U.$. troops in Iraq by passing on the military plans of the united $tates.

On the other hand, MIM cannot say for certainty that this is not all a ruse intended to boost Putin's international prestige or feigned independence from the united $tates. Such independence makes him a better spy for the united $tates in any collaboration. For example, boosting Putin's independence in appearance makes Putin more attractive to Iran as a diplomatic and military partner.

Another explanation could be that the Amerikans gave the Russians the plans to scare Saddam Hussein. Now that information is being released in a different and unfriendly way than the way it really occurred--another possibility.

Yet again, the display of military might by Iran in recent weeks points to Russian supplies. The underwater torpedoes or missiles that move too fast for subs or boats to evade come from Russian technology that Amerikans also stole. Iran's testing these weapons gave oil speculators on April 3rd visions of sunken oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that one imperialist media outlet said caused a $2 rise in the price of a barrel of oil.(3)

Despite many years intensive attention to global politics, MIM must report that it does not know the real truth underlying these reports. That should be a clue that democracy is a farce. Under capitalism, private interests have private gains from war and diplomacy. We can say for sure that Russian and U.$. imperialists will have many conflicts of interest that lead to war. War is built-in to the capitalist system. We may not know the details exactly correctly, but the reports in imperialist media of the united $tates and Russia point to an increased preparation of public opinion for war on both sides, with the united $tates deserving the principal blame.

Notes:
1. http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/03/24/rusiraqplan.shtml
2. "Russians Deny Passing U.S. War Plan to Iraq,"
http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/IraqCoverage/story?id=1767226&page=1
3. "Iran's war games see oil futures rise by $2," http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12135630/