Throughout history, Russia has been known as the “Russian bear.” Recently, the Russian bear suddenly roared again, after a hiatus following the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism.
The Russian bear, in the guise of Vladimir Putin, reclaimed the Ukraine territory of the Crimea and annexed it to “protect the Russian-speaking population.” This happened, in spite of the fact that the fledgling democratic government of the Ukraine is a sovereign country and no longer a part of Russia or the old Soviet Union. There appear to be obvious reasons why President Putin wanted to annex the Crimea, including rebuilding the Russian sphere of influence in an area which was leaning to an affiliation with the West and more democratic forms of government.
Then there was the fleeing of the puppet president of the Ukraine, who was doing the bidding of President Putin and the oligarchs in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian president’s flight, Putin lost his significant influence in Ukraine.
Then there are the host of natural resources found in the Ukraine, including vast quantities of shale gas in the Crimea. Not to mention the only warm water port near Russia, Sevastopol. Geopolitically and economically, Putin could not afford to lose these vital national assets. Ukraine has estimated that the Crimean annexation by Russia will cost the country over $10 billion in natural resources, including oil reserves of 47 million tons and 165.3 billion cubic meters of gas. Any wonder why Putin just signed a large energy deal with China?!
The circumstances in Ukraine and in many other parts of the world call into focus the foreign policy of the United States, or lack thereof. Since President Obama took office, our country has had a spotty, vacillating foreign policy. Make no mistake, foreign policy has been run out of the White House. That policy has included drawing red lines that were never pursued, not strongly supporting the wish for democracy in the Ukraine, not making real progress in the Middle East peace process, and the apparently failing attempts to remove nuclear materials in Iran. These are but a significant few of the dismal failure of the current administration’s foreign policy.
Regarding the Ukraine, failure to adequately engage and challenge Russia may well lead to economic chaos, more political instability, and even civil war in a struggling democratic country that was becoming westward leaning.
Again perhaps, a democracy is lost. This time not to the philosophical ideals of communism, but to the political machinations of Vladimir Putin, and the lack of strong, decisive American action.
The restive Russian bear has roared once again. Who will answer?
Morris Ellison says
As usual, no specifics. What is “strong, decisive American action”? Start another war like good ol’ “W” did? Now THERE was a president Mr. Hall and his neocons can be proud of!