Russia, the U.S. Air Force and Tissue Samples

Here's an interesting news item that you won't see in the mainstream media.  A recent posting by Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, an academic, journalist, public servant and businessman gives us a very interesting glimpse into Washington's current obsession with all things Russian.   At the very least, it seems like a rather odd business opportunity for a potential government client.  

From the United States government's Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website, we find the following solicitation for the United States Air Force dated July 18, 2017:

According to PubMed Health, synovial tissue is defined as:

"A layer of connective tissue that lines the cavities of joints, tendon sheaths, and bursae (fluid-filled sacs between tendons and bones)."

RNA or ribonucleic acid is a single-stranded nucleic acid that carries genetic material which is inherited from one generation to the next.  

Here are the first two pages of the thirty-three page-long Clauses and Provisions document for the solicitation with the pertinent section highlighted:

Here is the Schedule of Supplies document that accompanied the solicitation:

The solicitation was modified on July 19, 2017 as follows:

Note that the modified solicitation specified that all synovial tissue and RNA samples must not be sourced from Ukrainian donors and that all samples must be from Caucasian Russians.

Lest you think that this has gone unnoticed by the Russians, here's a video from Russia Insider (43 second mark):

Here's the quote from Vladimir Putin in its entirety:

"As for the fact that images of our citizens and voters are collected by someone and used somehow… It is not that bad, but do you know that biological material is collected all over the country, from different ethnic groups and people living in different geographical locations of Russia? But what for?

They do it purposefully and professionally. We are an object of very great interest. Therefore, what I said in the first part and this is all interconnected. We need to treat it without fear. Let them do it, and we must do what we must. Taking into account your comments, we will arrange this work."

Interestingly, the comments were made at the October 30, 2017 meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights which was chaired by Vladimir Putin and held at the Kremlin.

This begs the question, why does the United States Air Force need synovial tissue and RNA samples from Caucasian Russians?  Since I have no idea, I'll leave that up to your imagination.