The West’s counter-attack against Russia

[Starglider]

From The Economist;

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Planning the West’s counter-attack against Russia

WAIT until the 2008 presidential election and hope that sense prevails. That, roughly, is the West’s strategy to deal with Russia. It has come at a high price. Russia has largely won the gas wars before most Europeans even noticed they were being fought. So far this year the Kremlin has stitched up the Caspian (by striking a pipeline deal with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan). It has nobbled Austria, Belgium and Hungary (to add to its powerful position in Germany, France and Italy). By schmoozing other producers it has begun to form a gas cartel. Russia has also built a strong pro-Kremlin camp elsewhere in the European Union (Greece, and Cyprus chiefly; Hungary, Latvia and Slovakia increasingly; and probably Bulgaria too if anybody looked closely). Its banks and businesses have created a fifth column in the City of London and other world financial centres.

On top of all this are the attacks on Estonia’s state websites and the shameless contempt shown by the Kremlin after the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer, in London.

Waiting another year in the hope that someone nicer than Vladimir Putin comes along is wishful thinking. Instead of waiting for the next Kremlin stunt, why not try a counter-attack?

For a start: is Russia a fit member of the G8? Clearly not. Russia was admitted to the then G7 to bolster Boris Yeltsin’s attempt to make Russia democratic, free and friendly. That was probably a mistake; it has obviously failed. So either exclude Russia on the ground that the G7 is a democracies-only club, or include China and make it a big-economies club.

Expand NATO, both in scope and membership. Create a cyber-NATO to offer mutual assistance against state-backed internet terrorism of the kind experienced by Estonia. Sweden and Finland might be willing to join such a cyber-group now; if they are wise, they will join NATO while they still can. Restart EU enlargement, especially for Serbia and Montenegro, thus counteracting Russian influence there.

Stop Russian companies from using the international capital markets unless they have clean hands. Conniving in the sale of stolen property is a crime. Why should a Russian oil firm with looted assets (or a gas intermediary whose business seems to consist mainly of standing in the right place) enjoy the privilege of raising capital in London? Equally, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should stop its “rent-a-fig-leaf” service to Russians who want to look respectable. Given the colossal amounts of cash sloshing around Russia at the moment, it is preposterous that Western taxpayers are asked to finance anything there.
AFP No more Mr Nice Guy

Crack down on visas. If a Russian tycoon is unwelcome in America, should he be be any more welcome in London? Even better, start chucking people out. Imagine the impact if America, Britain, France, Germany, Canada and Italy—and any other countries that wanted to join in—expelled, on the same day, equal numbers of Russian spies. Say 15 each from the GRU (military intelligence) and from the FSB and from the SVR (the successors to the KGB). The spying, stealing and mischief-making by these outfits matches or even exceeds levels seen in the cold war. So, show some cold-war resolve, and do it in unison.

More tough-mindedness would be useful in other places too, such as in Western countries’ foreign ministries. For the past 20 years, officials dealing with Russia have been promoted if they encourage trade, investment and friendly political relations. Hawkishness has been a career-killer. That doesn't help now that a tough, consistent policy is needed.

Toughness will have a cost. But the coming years need not be disastrous if the West is willing once again to stand up for what it believes in. A “wait and see” policy guarantees disaster.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Wow, isn't that a massive amount of paranoid bullshit with no author, of the whackjob "ZOMG COLD WAR IS STILL ON, let's hate Russia and smash it because it's EVIL!" kind of crackpot assholery which strongly to me suggests that the real author of this piece, rather than being "Economist.com" (websites tend not to write political screeds) is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the man with the biggest hate-on in recorded world history, and all of it directed at Russia.

[Starglider]

strongly to me suggests that the real author of this piece, rather than being "Economist.com" (websites tend not to write political screeds) is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the man with the biggest hate-on in recorded world history, and all of it directed at Russia.

I am not familiar with this person, but this piece is out of line with The Economist's usual style, tone and position on Russia (they've been increasingly negative about Putin recently but generally they're pretty positive about the country). It seems to have slipped past their usual editorial review, possibly because the web material has lower standards than the print edition. I thought I'd cc to see if anyone here is advocating a return to a more adversarial relationship with Russia.

[Glocksman]

strongly to me suggests that the real author of this piece, rather than being "Economist.com" (websites tend not to write political screeds) is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the man with the biggest hate-on in recorded world history, and all of it directed at Russia.

I am not familiar with this person, but this piece is out of line with The Economist's usual style, tone and position on Russia (they've been increasingly negative about Putin recently but generally they're pretty positive about the country). It seems to have slipped past their usual editorial review, possibly because the web material has lower standards than the print edition. I thought I'd cc to see if anyone here is advocating a return to a more adversarial relationship with Russia.

IIRC, he was President Carter's National Security Advisor.

[Starglider]

That said the impression I got from other threads on this board is that there are plenty of Americans going 'lets be friends with Russia, we have lots in common really' (e.g. Stuart) while the actual Russians are saying 'no chance, Amerikans are evil fundie capitalist imperialists out to destroy the motherland, we'd rather be allied with the Chinese thanks'.

[Chris OFarrell]

Well this sounds rather paranoid, to put it mildly. Not to mention highly distorting on several levels.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

That said the impression I got from other threads on this board is that there are plenty of Americans going 'lets be friends with Russia, we have lots in common really' (e.g. Stuart) while the actual Russians are saying 'no chance, Amerikans are evil fundie capitalist imperialists out to destroy the motherland, we'd rather be allied with the Chinese thanks'.

The problem is that our leadership is full of idiots.

[Starglider]

Well this sounds rather paranoid, to put it mildly. Not to mention highly distorting on several levels.

There seems to be a whole set of mini-articles by the same author - the summary is as follows;

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Russia's hollow political scene is dominated by Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin was elected president in March 2000 and easily re-elected in 2004. Russia's fading democracy has suffered as a result of his authoritarian tactics. But even were they not beaten and suppressed, the president's critics would not command much support from an apathetic public.

Early on Mr Putin wowed the West, but good relations have since deteriorated. The president's dealings with Chechnya have been worrisome and he has used terrorist attacks to grab more power. Mr Putin's arrest of several oligarchs also seems to have been motivated more by politics than the rule of law.

Regional elections in March 2007 marked the start of a political season that will culminate in elections for the Duma this December and for the presidency next March. But the contests are likely to be fake competitions, conducted by pro-Kremlin candidates. Liberal parties don't stand a chance.

[Spyder]

Wow, isn't that a massive amount of paranoid bullshit with no author, of the whackjob "ZOMG COLD WAR IS STILL ON, let's hate Russia and smash it because it's EVIL!" kind of crackpot assholery which strongly to me suggests that the real author of this piece, rather than being "Economist.com" (websites tend not to write political screeds) is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the man with the biggest hate-on in recorded world history, and all of it directed at Russia.

I guess we'll see if another Operation Cyclone is in the works.