Busy-busy Russia
What's that old tried-and-true formula? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Right, that's it. And isn't it true, so very often.So sad, after all. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the world breathed a collective sigh of disbelief and relief that the Cold War was at last put to rest, there was a breathtakingly-welcome rapprochement between the United States and Russia.
Fear and loathing given a rest. And all of us thought we were home free. No longer any need to beef up our armed forces, so downsize, fellas, downsize like crazy. The world has at last come to its collective senses. Threat of mutual annihilation gone.
Didn't last all that long, after all, for good fella back slaps to transmute to bad vibes. And there, we're almost back where we started. A very chilly diplomatic, political, socially-destabilizing environment has reasserted itself.
Once again the United States and Russia are at loggerheads. Russia has had her feelings hurt, she has suffered umbrage, an attack against her pride. Humiliation does not sit well on the Slavic head, and the injured heart of the people. No one likes to be taken for granted, to be ignored, to be the subject of ridicule and contempt.
All of which were visited in one degree or another on the Russian spirit, and by none other than through ingrate former satellites, by a larger Europe, and most of all by America. Insufferable, all the more so when a resurgent Russia is able to flex its new-built muscle.
So then, if the US is alarmed about the Iranian potential to wreak havoc in the Middle East, a geography where influence is hotly contested between the US and Russia (among others), then support of Iran by Russia becomes imperative.
And if America's protege in the Middle East, Israel, is harshly threatened by terrorist jihadist Hamas, then Russia sees its way through to cuddling up with Hamas. Islamist threat? Not to Russia, that devil's role is played by Chechnya and Russia does not make nice with them. So where were we? Oh yes, Russia making nice to the enemies of her nemesis.
Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov made haste to state his government's recognition of Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas, lining up with the rest of Europe, North America and other influential states. Still happy to snub Israel, however. Offering no support equally to each of the adversaries. Still, it's comforting to know that Hamas has been put on the back burner.
And moving right along to that other trouble spot, it is being revealed that Russia intends to supply Iran with new fighter jets and aerial fuel tankers, valued at roughly one billion dollars. Kindly Russia is ensuring that Iran's air force will now be equipped with advanced and long-range aircraft and with new refueling capacity, extending their range by thousands of kilometers.
This, after Russia's pungent annoyance with Iran after defaulting on payments meant to be extracted for Russia's invaluable assistance in helping Iran set up her nuclear facilities. And after Russia icily withdrew her scientific expertise, ruffled at unpaid expenses.
Can we imagine France or Great Britain deciding to be helpful to Ukraine or one of the 'Stans, still feeling kind of mean-spirited about Russia's having captured their independence for its greater hegemony and resource-rapine during the stern era of the USSR? Russia might feel rather put upon under those circumstances.
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Oh dear, I misspoke myself, meant to ask what came first the American declaration of armaments support to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, or Russia's declared counterweight offer to Iran?
With these giants fulminating against one another and hedging bets, supplying the wherewithal for cataclysmic destruction nicely removed from their geographies, the games of war proceed.
These tit-for-tat responses may occur as a proxy war situation, but in the affected areas there's no substitute for direct involvement; they're in it for keeps.
Labels: World Crises
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, July 31, 2007
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