The Bear Revisited
In February I expounded on the return of the "Russian Bear". Since that time the evidence continues to grow that Mr. Putin has set Russia on a course that is not to our advantage.
Our press has been so busy with the vilification of George Bush that they have little time to raise their heads from their collective posteriors and see what's going on in the world. The British newspapers, in my case the Financial Times, takes this a little more seriously in light of the recent exchange of words over the extradition of the ex-Soviet agent who poisoned Anatoly Litvinenko .
Putin has raised serious objections to our placing a missile defense system in Poland and Czechoslovakia. What would be his objection if he wasn't going to commit to offensive action against that country. Does he think that Poland would attack Russia. Does Poland have any offensive weapons that would threaten them? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that what they want is to leave open the door to intimidation of their neighbors - like they did in the twenties and like they did at the end of WWII.
Their position has been bolstered by the high prices and demand for raw material such as oil, gas and minerals, which they have an abundance of . Recently they have used gas and oil as a lever to extract concession from their neighbors.
There is no democracy in the national history of Russia. From the Moscovites to the Mongols, to the Czars and on to the Communists, the country has never been free. Added to this is the paranoia of being a vast country more or less isolated from significant neighbors, and you add fuel to the fire.
The one thing they do understand is strength. This is why the US must return at least to the two party agreement that our arguments and disagreements in at the shore and that we stand united against those who would destroy us - be it Islam or be it Russian.
Our press has been so busy with the vilification of George Bush that they have little time to raise their heads from their collective posteriors and see what's going on in the world. The British newspapers, in my case the Financial Times, takes this a little more seriously in light of the recent exchange of words over the extradition of the ex-Soviet agent who poisoned Anatoly Litvinenko .
Putin has raised serious objections to our placing a missile defense system in Poland and Czechoslovakia. What would be his objection if he wasn't going to commit to offensive action against that country. Does he think that Poland would attack Russia. Does Poland have any offensive weapons that would threaten them? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that what they want is to leave open the door to intimidation of their neighbors - like they did in the twenties and like they did at the end of WWII.
Their position has been bolstered by the high prices and demand for raw material such as oil, gas and minerals, which they have an abundance of . Recently they have used gas and oil as a lever to extract concession from their neighbors.
There is no democracy in the national history of Russia. From the Moscovites to the Mongols, to the Czars and on to the Communists, the country has never been free. Added to this is the paranoia of being a vast country more or less isolated from significant neighbors, and you add fuel to the fire.
The one thing they do understand is strength. This is why the US must return at least to the two party agreement that our arguments and disagreements in at the shore and that we stand united against those who would destroy us - be it Islam or be it Russian.
posted by Oldhugh | 4:15 PM
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