Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Turning Point for Moscow?

Not all the world-wide judging going on right now is happening in Beijing. Some of it is taking place in a real world context, including the conflict between Russia and Georgia.

Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware writes in Financial Times:
"Despite Russia’s overwhelming advantage in size and firepower in its conflict with Georgia, the Kremlin may have the most to lose if the fighting there continues. It is too soon to know with certainty who was responsible for the initial outbreak of violence in South Ossetia, but the war that began there is no longer about Georgia’s breakaway regions or Russian peacekeepers.

"By acting disproportionately with a full scale attack on Georgia and seeking the ouster of Georgia’s democratically elected President Mikheil Saakashvili, Moscow is jeopardizing its standing in Europe and the broader international community – and risking very real practical and political consequences.

"The historic precedents in this case should trouble the Kremlin. The Red Army’s invasion of Hungary in 1956 succeeded in putting down an anti-Soviet rebellion, but simultaneously unmasked the brutality of the Soviet regime and tarnished Moscow’s reputation around the world. Similar consequences followed Soviet interventions in Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan. If Russia continues to overreach in Georgia, it might earn a small tactical victory. But it will do so at the expense of a monumental strategic defeat. . . ."

Tell me again, why wouldn't Joe Biden be a great vice presidential candidate? He could add a great deal of depth on foreign relations.

1 comment:

Amanda said...

I hear Obama will be picking a VP soon....