UK expels four Russian diplomats

Politics International Politics
1

Good. Hope it’s only a first step.

[quote=“BBC”]The UK is to expel four Russian diplomats in response to Moscow’s refusal to extradite the prime suspect in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband also said co-operation with Russia on a range of issues was under review.

Prosecutors want Andrei Lugovoi, an ex-KGB officer, to face trial in the UK. He denies involvement.

Former KGB agent Mr Litvinenko died of exposure to radioactive polonium-210 in London in November 2006.

The Foreign Office has not named the four Russian diplomats, but the BBC understands they are intelligence officers.

‘Clear and proportionate’

Mr Miliband told MPs Russia was an important ally and the situation was one that Britain had “not sought and does not welcome”.

But he said it was necessary to send a “clear and proportionate signal” to Russia, about the seriousness with which Britain regarded the matter. [/quote]

2

It is a shame that it has taken anyone in Western government this long to realise that Putin’s Russia is little more than a Mafia state with Putin as the godfather. Having Putin as an ally in the ‘War on Terror’ is about as useful as sitting on a cactus to soothe an irritable rectum. The Russian state is responsible for far more terrorism within its own borders than any Chechen or other separatist.

I guess our energy prices are about to shoot through the roof now.

3

Back to the good old days. There’ll be fewer defections this time though, due to the easier availability of polonium sushi in London.