Russia's Unclenched Fist

Campus Report ^ | February 13, 2009 | Daniel Allen

[bs9021]

Russia’s Unclenched Fist

by: Daniel Allen, February 13, 2009

The Russian invasion of Georgia was a wakeup call to policy makers across the United States, Europe and Central Asia. Russia never ceased to be a region of extreme concern, but other countries—Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea—have dominated headlines and discussions recently.

The incoming Obama administration, which plans to depart heavily from the policies of the previous administration, has inspired speculation across Washington on what the future of U.S. policy in all areas should involve. U.S. policy toward Russia is no exception. Experts gathered this week at a conference hosted by the American Foreign Policy Council to discuss the changing nature of our relationship to Russia and what Obama should know, say and do to improve that relationship.

The major concern at the conference was the instability between Russia and its neighbors, which has become increasingly intense. To a degree, U.S. policy toward Russia will be determined by how willing it is to cooperate with the former Soviet states.

Herman Pirchner, President of the American Foreign Policy Council, discussed the question of where American and Russian interests will align in the coming years. “The short answer is, we don’t know because of the unstable relationship between Russia and the territories of its former empire. Some experts thought that this was a settled question, and they were shocked when force was used in Georgia. And they were shocked at the recent dispute with Ukraine. They should not have been shocked. They should not be shocked when similar things happen in the future.”...

[anniegetyourgun]

"This is extremely important to the people who rule Russia today.” Russian aggression toward its neighbors stems from this vision of the renewal of the great Russian state."

So true. And, Obozo will be content to let them rebuild. He'll need a "renwed" Russian state as part of his ultimate agenda in the world.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

The Ukraine was just added to the Russian sphere of influence having been gone briefly to flirt with the West and they used the rather simple technique of cutting off natural gas supplies to the Ukraine and Western Europe. Germany reacted immediately by throwing the Ukraine under the bus. This gives the bear access to the ports in the Mediterranean Sea.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

We have never had an administration that revels so much in it’s own weakness before. Weakness seems to be in now.

[anniegetyourgun]

I suppose appearing weak will cause people to discount Obozo....thinking that he will fail in his agenda - and not a threat.