Rogozin vs. NATO, in 140 characters or less

One criticism that you not likely to hear about the Russian government is its lack of enthusiastic applications of new media technologies.  The Prime Minister posts his topless photos at a much more timely rate that the White House page is updated, the President has impressive blogs and video podcasts, they’ve got a school of bloggers to push the official government line and drown out online dissent, and now, Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s envoy to NATO, has got himself a pretty robust Twitter feed in English and Russian going on right here.

This is particularly fun stuff to read, and not just because Rogozin’s essential professional function is to be like a Russian version of John Bolton before NATO – a contrarian, prickly, anti-institutionalist sent to express an official view of rejection of that institution.  There are some advantages to posting undiplomatic diplomats – for one, they are much more likely to say things which actually shed light on what everybody is really thinking but afraid to say, and two, it is probably better to have Rogozin stuck in Brussels instead of running his political party Rodina – known for pushing xenophobic and racist messages inside Russia.

Here’s some examples from the Rogozin Twitter feed:


This is particularly fun stuff to read, and not just because Rogozin’sessential professional function is to be like a Russian version of JohnBolton before NATO – a contrarian, prickly, anti-institutionalist sentto express an official view of rejection of that institution.  Thereare some advantages to posting undiplomatic diplomats – for one, theyare much more likely to say things which actually shed light on whateverybody is really thinking but afraid to say, and two, it is probablybetter to have Rogozin stuck in Brussels instead of running hispolitical party Rodina – known for pushing xenophobic and racistmessages inside Russia.

Here’s some examples from the Rogozin Twitter feed:

For me this is yet another evidence that Russia has been right and NATO wrong.

NATO has preferred not to have noticed the EU Commission report on the conflict in the Caucasus.

I wonder what Europe will be like in 15 years from now?

I’ve recently discovered the new NATO SecGen’s notes on Twitter. I’ve decided not to drag behind him in anything 🙂

And for those interested, here is the referenced Anders Fogh Rasmussen can be found here.