Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008
From: "Sarah C. Carey" <SCarey@ssd.com>
Subject: Comment on Washington Post editorial
The Washington Post editorial of September 2nd "Understanding Russia" is difficult to digest without losing your lunch. It should have been more aptly titled "Misunderstanding Russia" or "Russia Through a Cold War Prism."
Statements that Russia is becoming a fascist state and, therefore, will want to replicate itself abroad, or that Russia is hostile to its neighbors that appear to be democratic and most hostile to those neighbors that get an A in democracy(as determined by the US) are irresponsibly baseless and fail to deal with the real issues. Russia has made some choices regarding governance, the role of the state in the economy and other issues that do not conform with the US' preferrred approach but only history will tell whether these choices benefit or harm the Russian people. It may suffer serious problems of corruption, including of the judiciary, but it is far from "fascist" and the leadership does not exert dictatorial or oppressive control, hall marks of fascism.
Russia does not seek subjugation of its neighbors (nor does it want to subsidize them as it did during the Soviet period and for many years thereafter). But it is assserting its sphere of influence and making it clear that it does not want the US meddling in in its neighborhood. And that includes: US sponsorship of local leaders, NATO expansion, installment of missile interceptors, large donations of military equipment supported by military training or military bases in the nearby countries. In short, Russia opposes the whole US (and, to a lesser extent) European, campaign to isolate it from its neighbors that were formerly part of the Soviet Union, while failing to offer Russia any role in the US-European security network.
Russia had grounds for military intervention in Georgia, based on the status of South Ossetia, the violation by Georgia of the agreement that had defined the enclave's status since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the unjustified attack on its capital by Georgian troops. Russia's reaction was disproportionate, as pointed out by yesterday's report of the European Council, and there is no evidence it tried non military responses. Despite merit on Russia's side, the press and the US government unquestioningly accepted the propaganda campaign--full of misstaements, if not lies--- launched by Presdient Saakashvili. The US has acted as though America has a strategic interest in Georgia and will defend the country against attack; positions that would be difficult to sell to the American people, if honestly presented.
The "feckless" EU (as described in the Post editorial) took the right response yesterday, making a commitment to determine the facts (always a good starting point), recognizing that Russia and the EU need each other and "there is no desirable alternative to a strong relationship, based on cooperation, trust and dialogue, respect for the rule of law and the principles recognized in the United Nations charter…" and pledging more assistance to the region. It pledged to prepare for the previously scheduled November 14 EU-Russia summit in Nice, assuming Russia withdraws to the positions it held prior to August 7th.