Maybe you heard this weekend: Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of stealing his Super Bowl championship ring during a meeting in St. Petersburg in 2005 at which Kraft removed the ring to allow Putin to admire it.
Kraft made the accusation in a speech last Thursday at a Carnegie Hall benefit, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The Russians are very upset about the charge, they say that Kraft made a gift of the ring.
Why now? Well, back in ’05, Kraft said, he was told to keep his mouth shut about the alleged theft by the Bush administration; and Kraft obeyed the order.
Yes, but why now? Did the White House give Kraft the green light?
And: Did Kraft see an Israel interest in the disclosure? Israel has shifted in the last few weeks to a policy of confronting the Assad government, and, apparently, seeking its ouster. The big obstacle to moving Assad is the Russian support for his government.
As for imputing an Israel motivation to Kraft’s decision, well, that’s the problem with the Israel lobby, it implicitly raises the question. And Kraft supports Israel in many ways. Riding through Jerusalem on the light rail, I often see the Robert Kraft stadium built to promote football. I have often gone to the Robert Kraft center for Jewish life at Columbia to see pro-Israel events. “A taste of home” is the promotional slogan at Nana, the cafeteria there that serves Israeli foods. Kraft’s late wife once said that her sons could fight for Israel, she wouldn’t want them in American uniforms.
Am I accusing Kraft of blabbing now because he’s trying to help Israel? I certainly wonder. Maybe Kraft will tell us, in another 8 years…
I’m amazed that anyone would expect Putin to be a fan of Israel. Not because he hate Jews, but because he favors Russian interests and his own career. I’d be equally amazed by any US political leader not favoring Israel, no matter what Israel does. The difference is that it’s politically correct in Russia to look after Russia’s best interests, while in the USA, it’s politically correct to priortize Israel’s whims over US interests. Look at the difference in political campaign financing in those two countries.
You can start here: http://www.ifes.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Money%20and%20Politics/Research%20and%20Publications/Reports%20and%20Papers/English/Campaign_Finance.pdf
Phil, you referenced “Soviet” support in your fifth paragraph.
I know. Decades later, I still call them that, too, from time to time…
“Am I accusing Kraft of blabbing now because he’s trying to help Israel? I certainly wonder. Maybe Kraft will tell us, in another 8 years…”
LOL. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, no, not me. . . . I have complete integrity as a journalist . . . I only make stuff up when I can.
I don’t know what’s going on with this ridiculous story (or Kraft’s timing), but I have no doubt Putin feels he can get away with basically anything. He’s a cold-blooded psychopath.
Also, it reminds me of the Simpsons episode with the Trillion dollar bill:
Castro: “Let me see it”
Burns: “See with your eyes”
Homer: “Mr. Burns, I think we can trust the President of Cuba!”
Burns hands Castro the trillion dollar bill.
Burns: “Now give it back”
Castro: “Give what back?”
A little problem with elaborate theories is that the cited article quotes a spokesperson of Kraft who explained that yes, Kraft is telling that story but simply as a joke.