Russia's Unchecked Ambitions

Washington Post ^ | December 6, 2004 | Jackson Diehl

[RWR8189]

Steven Theede, chief executive of the Russian oil company Yukos, sadly observed during a visit to Washington last week that most Western investors had convinced themselves that the persecution and incipient takeover of his company by the Russian government was an isolated incident -- rather than an integral part of President Vladimir Putin's emerging authoritarianism. "They don't want to believe it's a broader issue," he said. So they ignore the obvious: "If it can happen to Yukos," Theede said, "it can happen again."

A similarly flawed logic pervades the Bush administration's reaction to Putin. Yes, officials will acknowledge, Russian behavior is cause for concern, but that doesn't mean there should be a blanket U.S. response. Instead, they say, the Bush team will manage Russia issue by issue. Where there is advantage in cooperation with Putin, it will be taken; and when there are objections to his policies, they will be raised -- but all under the umbrella of the friendly partnership between Putin and President Bush.

In practice the administration has been pretty tough in denouncing the fraudulent elections in Ukraine -- though nothing has been said about Russia's blatant backing of the fraud. But the White House, like those shortsighted investors, is treating the Ukrainian crisis as if it were an isolated affair. Bush and his team refuse to make the obvious connections to Putin's interventions in other former republics of the Soviet Union. So they don't draw the obvious conclusion: that what is happening in Ukraine is part of a larger push to establish a modernized Russian empire.

[GSlob]

They do not have that much time to reestablish their vampiria: oil and gas which pay their bills are going to last maybe 40-60 yrs max, probably less. Chinese penetration of Siberia will give them more headaches, as if they did not have enough already (diminishing birth rate and the like).

[alloysteel]

The Russian Empire stands to be a power for discontent and mischief regardless of what the political coloration of the national government. Russia has always needed warm-water ports and lands where there is a growing season of decent length.

It is possible to farm Siberia, turn it into a industrial center, and ship the product from its ports, but for a goodly part of the year, it just is not practical.

[eladamry]

Russia has always needed warm-water ports and lands where there is a growing season of decent length.

I guess it shouldn't have joined the Kyoto Pact then. A little icecaps melting could have made its northern ports operational the whole year long, instead of only during the summer. Plus a couple degrees warmer weather would have really boosted agriculture in Siberia...

/removes tongue from cheek

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[Centurion2000]

Plus a couple degrees warmer weather would have really boosted agriculture in Siberia...

Siberia ? think of the plains of Central Asia :)