Russia's new diplomatic strategy is cheap and counterproductive. But playing the pest is the only way for Moscow to claim relevance.
Is there any word in the Kremlin's vocabulary besides nyet? It seems to be the only phrase heard by U.S. officials negotiating with Russia on sanctions on Iran, plans for missile defense in Eastern Europe, and nuclear-arms reductions"”even when the American plan has little or no bearing on Russian interests. Once upon a time, the two powers bargained in good faith. Back in the Boris Yeltsin years, for instance, Russia allowed U.S. operatives to enter the region and help bring nukes back from Ukraine and Kazakhstan after the fall of the Soviet Union"”an act Moscow would now certainly see as an intolerable breach of sovereignty. Today, obstructing the United States is Russia's main diplomatic gambit, and it's not hard to see why. It no longer commands a train of satellite nations, competitors in the region (notably China) are gaining ground, and its economy is tanked. As Moscow's power wanes, it clings to relevance the only way it knows how"”by playing the nuisance card.
To remain important, Russia has to be seen as an obstacle. "Russia's policymakers are totally lacking strategic vision of the world," says Nikita Zagladin, a senior analyst at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations in Moscow. "They are neurotic about other countries ignoring Russia, consigning her to the status of a former superpower." That is why, in a vain grasp at international clout, Moscow has allied itself with pariah regimes like Venezuela, Syria, and even Iran. (Now, the road to cutting off those baddies runs through Moscow.) At the same time, it has made a point of vetoing any and every U.S. security initiative in Europe.
Exhibit A is Russia's continued obstruction of U.S. missile-defense plans. The original system"”to be based in Poland and the Czech Republic, and designed to intercept missiles from Iran"”elicited endless hand-wringing from Russia. Nobody could quite figure out why, because the flight paths of most of Russia's intercontinental ballistic missiles to the U.S. go from stations in north Russia right over the North Pole"”nowhere near Eastern Europe. What's more, the system didn't even work.
Still, Moscow was holding every other bilateral issue hostage to its crocodile tears. So last year, as a gesture of good will, President Barack Obama bowed to Kremlin objections and scrapped plans to base the shield in those Eastern European nations that Russia once considered its own sphere of influence. Washington furnished a less-threatening alternative last week: SM-3 interceptors to be deployed in the Black Sea territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria, 400 miles from Russia"”a solution that the Kremlin itself suggested a year ago during talks with Hillary Clinton. But suddenly that's "just as bad or even worse," according Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.
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In fact, there's nothing Washington could propose that Moscow would agree to, and it has nothing do with the missile shield (SM-3s have a range of 300 miles and it takes 10 of them to shoot down a single advanced missile). It's because opposition is an all-purpose diplomatic lever to bargain for what Russia needs. Keeping NATO's influence out of Russia's front yard is probably the most important Kremlin objective. But staying at the table of top nations is important to Moscow's pride too"”and making problems is an effective, if not very constructive, way to make the world take you seriously.
1 2 Next Page » var OutbrainPermaLink = "http://www.newsweek.com/id/" + masterPageId; var OB_Template = "newsweek"; var OB_demoMode = false; var OBITm = "1254773538724"; var OB_langJS ='http://widgets.outbrain.com/lang_en.js'; if ( typeof(OB_Script)!='undefined' ) OutbrainStart(); else { var OB_Script = true; } Share: Facebook Digg Tweet LinkedIn newsweek:http://www.newsweek.com/id/234848 Tools: 3 Post Your Comment Print Email NWK.widget.EmailArticle.init(); SPONSORED BY placeAd2('printthis','88x31|3',false,''); placeAd2(commercialNode,'below_story',false,'') var url = 'http://content.pulse360.com/ECC45BD6-867E-11DE-8C30-D41FEDADD848'; url += '?CommercialNode=' + commercialNode; // NOTE :: The "scr" + "ipt" break is essential, presumably to bypass loose // js/DOM safeguards against doing what we want to do here. document.write('"); var isAuthenticated = false; Discuss Enter Your Comment NWK.widget.CommentsSubmit.form = $('#comment-form'); NWK.widget.CommentsSubmit.init(); placeAd2('comments/'+commercialNode,'88x31|2',false,''); Sponsored by Member Comments Reply Report Abuse Posted By: DaBull @ 03/12/2010 2:11:40 PM
This same thinking seems to be evident in their internal fear of any one who doesn't toe the line. Whether Putin has a problem with his own self worth, or the entire political system is corrupt, they are increasingly supressing religious freedom, even to the extent of closing meeting places, prohibiting free speech and the distribution of religious literature. When and if this will trun around in the near future, no one knows, but it continues to be a blight on their reputation on the world scene
Reply Report Abuse Posted By: DaBull @ 03/12/2010 2:07:34 PM
This evidently also trickles down to their feeling of self-worth internally, not just on an international stage. Their government is becoming increasingly intolerant of any one who has a divergent view, including closing churches, banning religious assembly and freedom of speech. What they are afraid of is hard to determine, but reverting to a Soviet state is not the answer in the 21st century.
Reply Report Abuse Posted By: stark1 @ 03/12/2010 1:23:32 PM
I'm thanksful someone finally wrote an article on this topic. I wish it was fully comprehended. More information should be added about Russia's hel p in developing Bashir. Russia's scientists are the ones in the nuclear facilities buidling the reactors. Additionally, it is Russia selling S-300 (super-advanced anti-craft) Shield missle batteries to Iran, which will automatically increase the loss of American or NATO life if we must go in. Furthermore it strengthens Iran's determiniation to complete their nuclear arsenal. Russia also is a large supplier of weapons to the rest of the Middle East which has led to many deaths and arms build ups between Arab nations, non-state regimes (Hezbollah, Hamas- who obtain these weapons via Syria and Iran) as well as with Israel. And again it is Russia providing weapons and training to the Dictator in Venezuela solidifying Chavez regime in South America. Russia is a misserable nation that has one of the lowest birthrates, an AIDS, alcholism, and heroin epidemic. Hopefully its demise is near and a second Soviet breakup will occur. Russia should be booted from the Security Council as a permanent member and every American decision should be made without concern for Russia (although we will find hardball retaliation in the short term). We should apply such a large amount of pressure in their periphery that they will be forced to the brink in deciding between their support for Iran and their minimal relevance in their neighborhood and the world.
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