Oliver Stone - The Putin Interviews

Background Information:

It is true as Oliver Stone claims, that Charles de Gaulle pulled France out of NATO in 1967. France would return decades later. See, “1967: De Gaulle pulls France out of NATO’s integrated military structure,” Dr. Jamie Shea, NATO (March 3, 2009) Retrieved at: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_139272.htm

Background Information:

For a good description of how US NGOs, as well as the US government, interfered in Ukraine and helped bring about the 2014 coup, see, “Brokering Power: US Role in Ukraine Coup Hard to Overlook,” RTNews (Feb. 19, 2015). Retrieved at: https://www.rt.com/news/233439-us-meddling-ukraine-crisis/

Claim: “All suspicions on that account were never justified—there was no evidence. And yet there were suspicions. And to alleviate those suspicions, Iran agreed to this nuclear deal, signed an accord, I believe in order to normalize its relations with the United States, with other countries of the world, which were expressing their concerns on that matter.”

See, “Barack Obama Praises Putin for help clinching Iran deal,” Ibid.

Background Information:

See, “Russia’s Ultimate Lethal Weapon,” Pepe Escobar, Counterpunch (September 18, 2015). Retrieved at: http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/09/18/russias-ultimate-lethal-weapon/

Background Information:

Tsar Alexander III (reigned from March 12, 1881 – November 1, 1894) with his wife Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (Princess Dagmar of Denmark) See, http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/mariabio.html

Background Information:

Charlie Rose interview, (September 29, 2015) https://charlierose.com/videos/22696

Background Information: “And it was sent out that he understands well many problems that the country is facing, and he is not just willing to engage in a dialogue with the opposition groups—even the armed opposition—but he’s willing to work together with them to elaborate a new constitution.”

See, “Assad says he can form new Syria government with opposition,” Jack Stubbs and Lisa Barrington, Reuters (March 31, 2016). Retrieved at: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idUSKCN0WW1YO

Background Information:

See, “4.5mn Russian tourists won’t visit Turkey this year,” RT (January15, 2016). Retrieved at: https://www.rt.com/business/329075-turkey-lose-russian-tourists/

Background Information:

Turkish construction companies are heavily invested in Russia, having been awarded a wide variety of projects from shopping malls to facilities for the Sochi Olympics. See, “Why Turkey Aims for ‘Zero Problems’ With Russia’s War in Syria,” Behlul Ozkan, Huffington Post. Retrieved at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/behlal-azkan/turkey-russia-syria_b_8265848.html

Background Information:

Turkey was G20 Chair in 2015 in the resort city of Antalya on 15-16 November 2015. “G20 is the premier platform for international economic cooperation. G20 was born out of the necessity to develop joint responses against challenges brought by economic crises of 1997, and 1998. First meeting of G20 countries was held in 1999 at the level of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.” http://www.mfa.gov.tr/g-20-en.en.mfa

Correction: “And when out of the blue a Russian plane was downed, at that approach of the Syrian-Turkish border it didn’t even come up during our discussions.”

President Putin incorrectly recalled the timeline of events leading up to the G20 Summit since it was held in Antalya, Turkey on November 15-16, 2015, whereas the Russian plane was shot down on November 24, 2015.

Background Information:

Oliver Stone asks in what month of 2015 did Russia enter Syria militarily, and Putin replies that he is uncertain of the month, but believes that it was in the summer. The fact is that Russia sent troops to Syria in early September 2015. See, “Exclusive: Russian troops join combat in Syria – sources,” Gabriela Baczynska, Tom Perry, Laila Bassam, Phil Stewart, Reuters (September 10, 2015). Retrieved at: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-exclusive-idUSKCN0R91H720150910

Claim: “I think it was Israel’s defense minister and Greece’s defense minister publicly said that they were seeing that radical groups were supplying oil to the Turkish territory.”

Supporting: See, “Israeli defense minister accuses Turkey of buying IS oil,” BBC (January 26, 2016). Retrieved at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35415956

Background Information:

It’s true as Oliver Stone claims that John Kerry accused Russia of “targeting legitimate opposition groups,” See, “John Kerry condemns Russia’s ‘repeated aggression’ in Syria and Ukraine” The Guardian (February 13, 2016). Retrieved at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/13/john-kerry-condemns-russias-repeated-aggression-in-syria-and-ukraine

Claim: “ As in Kunduz where American planes hit a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders.”

Supporting:

See, “US military struggles to explain how it wound up bombing Doctors Without Borders hospital,” Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Washington Post (October 5, 2015). Retrieved at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/10/05/afghan-forces-requested-airstrike-that-hit-hospital-in-kunduz/

Claim: Oliver Stone points out that the Chinese embassy was bombed by the West.

Supporting: See, “Nato bombed Chinese embassy deliberately,” John Sweeney, Jens Holsoe and Ed Vulliamy, The Guardian (October 16, 1999). Retrieved at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/oct/17/balkans

Claim: Oliver Stone asks about a Russian SU40 plane that was shot down by a Turkish F-16. Putin corrects him that it was a Russian SU24 that was shot down, but also says that the pilots were shot at.

Supporting: See, “Turkey shooting down plane was ‘planned provocation’ says Russia, as rescued pilot claims he had no warning – latest,” Isabelle Fraser and Raziye Akkoc, The Telegraph (November 26, 2015). Retrieved at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12015465/Turkey-shoots-down-Russia-jet-live.html

Background Information:

Russia did indeed inform the American military before their planes took to the air. See, “US Agrees With Russia on Rules in Syrian Sky,” Neil MacFarquhar, the New York Times (October 20, 2015). Retrieved at: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/world/middleeast/us-and-russia-agree-to-regulate-all-flights-over-syria.html

Claim: Putin says that Russia is operating in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government and thus, legitimately.

Supporting: “Russia Begins Airstrikes In Syria After Assad’s Request,” Bill Chappell, NPR (September 30, 2015). Retrieved at: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/30/444679327/russia-begins-conducting-airstrikes-in-syria-at-assads-request

Claim: Putin cites 70 to 120 airstrikes per day by Russian planes in Syria, compared to only three to five per day by the international coalition led by the United States.