There's an irony in the fact that when Belgium laid out the month's "Programme of Work" at the U.N. Security Council, this last week was absent an agenda. Since Russia's invasion of Georgia, the diplomatic community has been rather preoccupied. The United States and Western Europe have flailed about, ultimately unable to check Russia's unabashed aggression. Defying a host of threats from the West, which now include military posturing in Poland, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have invaded a neighboring country with impunity.
President George W. Bush rightly reminded the world that "the cold war is over." Today's Russia is by no means the Soviet Union, and just as much, today's West is not led by Ronald Reagan's big-talking United States. Putin heads an energy-rich, autocratic country loaded with more than half a trillion dollars worth of foreign reserves (most of which are held in U.S. dollars), while the United States is faced with a worsening financial crisis and taxing military commitments overseas.
"On balance, Russia sees that they have more leverage economically over the West than the West has over Russia," says Cliff Gaddy, a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. "Belatedly, this incident in Georgia is waking everybody up to a reality that's already true." That reality is that the West lacks the capacity to contain Russia in the way that it did for nearly two decades after the end of the cold war, and the invasion of Georgia signals a new era, one in which authoritarian regimes can brazenly buck the international system.
The U.S. response has continually grown more bellicose. At the beginning of the week, in concert with much of the West, Bush called for a ceasefire. Day by day, the rhetoric ramped up. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that this was not 1968--when the Soviet Union occupied Czechoslovakia--and argued that the "role Russia can play in the international community is very much at stake here." The United States scrapped war games with Russia that had been scheduled for later this month, and Bush ordered a C-17 military cargo plane full of humanitarian supplies to be sent to Georgia. After a week though, the Russians had not pulled back.
Then came the announcement that Poland had agreed to host the U.S.'s missile-defense system, a military installment that has long sparked tensions between Russia and the United States. As of Sunday, the Russians had promised to withdraw forces from some parts of Georgia, but hinted that they could continue to occupy the country. A Russian general even said that Poland had opened itself up to nuclear retaliation.
Europe has played a different hand. The continent is much more dependent on Russia economically. Russia has grown in recent years to become one of the European Union's largest trading partners, and the EU relies on Russia for a third of its oil and 40 percent of its natural gas. At the same time, Europe simply has a different outlook because of its geographic closeness to Russia. In light of its more complicated relationship, the EU has had a more restrained reaction, joining with the U.S. in suggesting that Russia's position within the G8, as well as its membership in the World Trade Organization or the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, could be in jeopardy.
"If it comes down to Russia's security versus WTO membership, there's no question what Putin will choose," says Gaddy. "Even if the West were fully unified, it still would not be enough of a threat to deter them."
The U.N. has only magnified the ineffective response. At the Security Council's fourth emergency meeting, the body remained deadlocked. This is unsurprising, because as a permanent member, Russia holds the power to veto any measure before the council; it's nearly impossible to imagine Russia accepting terms that hamper its current strategy in Georgia. At the same time, France, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, has assembled a proposal that would get the Russians to pull back, establish mediation and send peacekeepers. Few are optimistic.
"This is the first time in a long while that a permanent member [of the Security Council] has been involved in a situation the council is considering," says Shamala Kandiah, a research analyst for the independent nonprofit organization Security Council Report. "It raises the question of the council's effectiveness in such a situation."
Despite concerns over a new cold war, there's a key difference between the current situation and U.S.-Russian relations 25 or 30 years ago. In Georgia, Russia's invasion is purely strategic, an attempt to increase security along its border. It is not interested in exporting an ideology in the way that the Soviet Union wanted to spread communism. "Russia is staking its ownership regionally," says Steve Levine, author of the book "Putin's Labyrinth." "The U.S. is being challenged: 'Are you a superpower or not?'"
What is most striking is that the attempted check on Russian aggression is varied, unaligned and seemingly ineffective. The post-cold-war world has given way to yet another shift in power, one in which the U.S. doesn't wear the uniform of global policeman as it did in the 1990s. But has the era of global policing passed for good?
The U.S.'s announcement of missile deployment in Poland, west of Russia's border, looks more like a standoff than the triumph of economic interdependence and diplomacy that the advances of globalization once heralded. If that is true, then the peaceful decade of the 1990s, the talk of the end of history and the triumph of liberal ideals may be written off as the good old days. Instead, the realist conception of powerful states in competition for security may once again rear its head.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
259 comments:
1 – 200 of 259 Newer› Newest»valium no prescription generic valium appearance - valium street names
buy tramadol overnight cod tramadol 50 dosage - tramadol for sale no prescription usa
buy ativan online lorazepam 1mg nhs - 1mg lorazepam compared to 1 mg of xanax
buy generic tramadol online buy tramadol online no prescription mastercard - buy tramadol tennessee
ativan mg ativan drug overdose - much generic ativan
buy tramadol ultram for dogs dosage - buy tramadol online paypal
buy tramadol online without a prescription buy tramadol online overnight - tramadol buzz
buy ativan online ativan to clonazepam conversion - lorazepam 1mg information
cheap tramadol online buy tramadol 150 mg - tramadol dosage liquid
tramadol online no prescription tramadol 50 mg for toothache - 100mg tramadol withdrawal
can you buy tramadol online legally what's the tramadol high like - ultram side effects in elderly
buy klonopin online klonopin withdrawal vertigo - klonopin anti anxiety side effects
buy ativan online ativan reversal - ativan overdose quantity
buy tramadol next day buy cheap tramadol online no prescription - tramadol legal status
buy tramadol ultram tramadol hcl hcl - order tramadol online overnight
buy tramadol india tramadol high triglycerides - online pharmacy with tramadol
buy tramadol online no prescription where to buy tramadol usa - tramadol hcl online
ambien online no prescription ambien generic or brand - where can i buy ambien pills
tramadol online really cheap tramadol - tramadol migraine
buy tramadol 50mg tramadol 50 mg dose - tramadol to buy online
online soma soma holdings - soma zip code
ambien online purchase buy ambien mastercard - ambien cr 12.5 recreational
buy ambien online ambien drug screen benzodiazepine - ambien and alcohol use
order tramadol online buy tramadol 6914 - buy tramadol 200
buy tramadol india buy tramadol direct - buy tramadol with paypal
klonopin anxiety klonopin dosage compared to xanax - 2mg klonopin once
buy ambien online how do i purchase ambien online with no prescription - ambien cr and headaches
buy soma where to buy somatropin online - generic soma manufacturers
tramadol no prescription buy tramadol online forum - tramadol zydus 50 mg
buy cheap soma soma muscle relaxer pregnancy - order generic soma
best buy tramadol tramadol withdrawal flu like symptoms - buy tramadol with visa
buy tramadol overnight cod tramadol (ultram rx) - 100mg tramadol withdrawal
klonopin online klonopin withdrawal high blood pressure - klonopin 93834
buy ambien online ambien side effects in women - ambien zolpidem same thing
buy tramadol without a script buy tramadol 100mg - cheap tramadol online uk
ativan online ativan dose get high - what does lorazepam 1mg do
klonopin clonazepam klonopin withdrawal long does take - klonopin typical dosage
buy tramadol uk tramadol 50 mg tab amneal - tramadol for dogs long term use
soma carisoprodol buy soma online us pharmacy - generic form soma
ambien pills buy ambien online reviews - generic ambien makers
buy tramadol online tramadol jaw pain - tramadol 50 mg price street
buy discount tramadol can you buy tramadol online - tramadol dosage bnf
klonopin online no prescription overnight klonopin weight gain or loss - klonopin generic brand
buy soma online no prescription how to buy soma online - buy soma 350 mg
zolpidem without prescription how to order ambien - ambien yellow
buy tramadol online tramadol online us - buy tramadol mastercard
generic viagra generic viagra online canada - viagra online pay with paypal
tramadol buy buy tramadol cash delivery - 200 tramadol buy
order herbal viagra pink viagra dosage - buy viagra dapoxetine
viagra online canada cheap herbal viagra online - cheap viagra mastercard
order viagra overnight can women buy viagra - viagra what dosage is recommended
buy ambien online ambien overdose stories - buy ambien no prescription overnight delivery
viagra online can you buy viagra at walmart - buy viagra 100mg online uk
soma price does medication soma look like - what is generic soma
clonazepam online street value 2mg klonopin - klonopin medicine
buy viagra order generic viagra us - buy viagra singapore
zolpidem 10 mg ambien drug abuse - ambien cr chew
buy viagra online reviews buy cheap viagra mexico - best way purchase viagra
ambien online without rx ambien cr news - mixing xanax ambien and alcohol
buy viagra professional buy jelly viagra online - viagra q&a
soma no prescription buy soma tickets - order somatropin
order tramadol online mastercard tramadol online us pharmacy - buy tramadol online legally
clonazepam online generic for klonopin - buy clonazepam cheap
soma online muscle relaxer like soma - order soma online no prescription
where to buy cialis online no prescription cialis daily hypertension - cialis 5mg online canada
buy viagra buy viagra condom - order viagra online canadian pharmacy
generic carisoprodol buy cheap soma online no prescription - soma wadhwa for sale childhood
order cialis no prescription cialis discount - buy cialis online using paypal
buy cheap generic viagra online viagra medicare - viagra online no rx
buy viagra buy generic viagra no prescription - generic viagra us pharmacy
cialis for sale cialis 80 mg price - cialis price lilly
buy tadalafil cialis trial offer - generic cialis online india
buy viagra online order viagra online canada no prescription - order viagra online uk
soma online soma zip code - buy soma us
tramadol buy tramadol dosage liquid - tramadol addiction and withdrawal
buy viagra no prescription buy viagra online london - buy generic viagra with paypal
sildenafil tablets buy viagra online from canada - where to buy generic viagra forum
buy viagra pills online viagra cialis online pharmacy - where to buy viagra uk
buy tramadol online no prescription tramadol 25mg - tramadol prescribing information
buy tramadol cheap online where can i purchase tramadol with a mastercard - tramadol high similar
buy viagra online generic viagra reviews forum - where to buy viagra online australia
propecia for sale cheap propecia from canada - propecia generic usa
buy viagra 100mg galaxy 959 viagra board - buy generic viagra online canada
buy propecia online when will generic propecia be released - propecia 2011
buy viagra online buy viagra online with mastercard - viagra online yahoo answers
buy tramadol online buy tramadol in the usa - tramadol hcl dosage
propecia online propecia generic patent - what does generic propecia look like
buy cialis no prescription buy cialis legally online - cialis 2.5
buy viagra professional order viagra free - buy generic viagra europe
tramadol generic tramadol to get high - tramadol 50 mg bijsluiter
tramadol online no prescription what's the tramadol high like - buy tramadol online cash delivery
buy tramadol online no prescription overnight tramadol dosage osteosarcoma - buy tramadol online no prescription usa
buy tramadol free shipping tramadol withdrawal method - legit online pharmacy tramadol
order propecia online buy cheap propecia online - buy generic propecia online uk
cialis online cialis going generic - order cialis online mastercard
buy tramadol next day buy ultram tramadol online - tramadol withdrawal in newborns
tramadol online tramadol ultram alcohol - tramadol death by overdose
buy retin-a buy retin-a cream 0.025 - difference between retin a gel or cream
buy atomoxetine order strattera usa - dosing guidelines for strattera
order tramadol online without prescription help buy tramadol - legal buy tramadol online united states
buy tramadol ultram buy tramadol 99 - tramadol 50mg capsules
buy propecia online buy propecia australia cheapest - propecia cost in nz
retin a creme buy retin a cream online no prescription - retin a micro vs tazorac
buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg online - safest place buy tramadol online
tramadol online no prescription order tramadol legally - tramadol 50mg used dogs
buy tramadol online buy tramadol with visa - tramadol clorhidrato 100mg gotas
buy tramadol 100mg tramadol 50mg ratiopharm - tramadol for dogs drug interactions
buy propecia online propecia cost nhs - propecia side effects in pregnancy
buy tramadol online with mastercard tramadol hcl 319 - tramadol hydrochloride addiction
buy tramadol tramadol hcl liver damage - safe place order tramadol online
buy retin-a cheap retin-a - retin a micro gel pump coupon
generic strattera strattera qt prolongation - strattera price usa
buy retin-a online buy retin a paypal - retin a micro vs tretinoin
buy strattera strattera side effects last - proper dosage strattera
buy tramadol online tramadol for dogs after neutering - tramadol dosage for small dogs
buy tramadol online no prescription cod tramadol dosage levels - tramadol hcl vicodin
tramadol 50mg tramadol dosage weight - buy tramadol cod
buy propecia generic propecia safe - propecia side effects reversible
tramadol online tramadol 50 mg 319 - tramadol 50mg dosage dogs
buy strattera strattera and high blood pressure - best dosage strattera
buy retin-a online retin-a dry skin - retin a cream molluscum
buy tramadol online tramadol use for withdrawal symptoms - tramadol no prescription free shipping
where to buy tramadol tramadol ultram schedule - tramadol - withdrawal procedure
buy tramadol tramadol hcl blood thinner - tramadol hcl and pregnancy
tramadol 50 mg tramadol is generic for - tramadol hcl blood pressure
buy retin-a buy cheap retin-a online - retin a gel stretch marks
buy generic propecia propecia korea - cheap propecia with prescription
buy tramadol overnight buy tramadol overnight delivery - tramadol 50 mg online pharmacy
buy tramadol online order tramadol us pharmacy - tramadol vs percocet high
buy tramadol tramadol bluelight - tramadol hcl xl 150 mg
buy tramadol online tramadol toothache - ultram side effects insomnia
tramadol 50 mg order tramadol online reviews - buy tramadol next day delivery
propecia online propecia buy - propecia results in women
buy strattera online strattera generic prices - strattera young adults
buy tramadol without a script tramadol ingredients - buy tramadol online paypal
tramadol 50 buy tramadol online australia - tramadol hydrochloride get high
viagra online without prescription ok buy viagra online - buy viagra safely online
tramadol online tramadol hcl back pain - buy tramadol online without rx
tramadol 50mg tramadol overnight no prescription needed - buy viagra tramadol
buy tramadol cod buy tramadol 200mg - best site buy tramadol
order tramadol tramadol dosage recreational - buy tramadol from usa
buy cialis cialis online blog - buy cialis johannesburg
viagra online without prescription generic viagra prescription online - does viagra work well
tramadol no prescription tramadol hcl 627 - tramadol dosage children
generic cialis cialis daily vs viagra - cialis online singapore
generic viagra buy viagra online spain - buy viagra nz
cheap viagra viagra us - buy viagra online with mastercard
buy cialis can you buy cialis canada - buy cialis 2.5
generic viagra viagra quick tabs - viagra buy online no prescription us
generic cialis can you buy cialis online with no prescription - cialis online united states
generic viagra buy viagra over counter us - buy viagra condom
generic cialis order generic cialis online - buy cialis online safely
cheap viagra buy genuine generic viagra - order generic viagra no prescription
order cialis online cialis daily vs. cialis 36 hour - cialis online without prescription-canada
buy cheap cialis generic cialis efficacy - cialis online malaysia
generic viagra viagra online pharmacy no prescription - viagra for young women
viagra online without prescription buy generic viagra new zealand - viagra online thailand
buy viagra online buy viagra durban - buy viagra online toronto
buy cialis online buy generic cialis online canada - order cialis online reviews
cheap viagra order brand viagra online - viagra for young men
cialis 10mg generic cialis online - where can i buy cialis genuine
discount cialis buy cialis online usa - cialis daily available canada
buy cialis cialis reviews by women - cialis kick in time
cialis for sale cialis from india - cialis how long to take effect
cialis 10mg cialis coupon lilly - low dose cialis online
generic soma soma drug test urine - buy soma pills online
buy soma online online soma no prescription - canadian pharmacy soma no prescription
generic cialis cialis 10mg online - cialis цены
buy soma online soma show up drug screen - some medication
buy cialis buy cialis retail - cialis daily use buy online
buy soma online soma 446 - soma muscle relaxer usa
buy cialis buy cialis edmonton - cialis 0.25
buy tramadol online tramadol for dogs bluelight - order tramadol without
buy cialis cheap generic cialis no prescription - best place buy cialis online us
buy soma online soma 350 mg tab - soma online discount code
viagra online best website purchase viagra - buy viagra hyderabad
buy soma online can i order soma online legally - where to buy somatropin hgh
buy soma online soma health club costs - medication soma compound
carisoprodol soma soma of san diego - cost of generic soma
soma online pharmacy buy soma hair products - soma muscle relaxant side effects
viagra online viagra online without prescription.au - cheap viagra us paypal
soma for sale ordering soma online no prescription - soma brand vs generic
buy soma online soma frames sale - soma frames sale
buy soma online what is a soma muscle relaxer - buy soma online overnight
buy soma online best place buy soma - buy somatropin online no prescription
buy soma online soma 350 mg effects - soma drug brave new world
buy soma online side effects soma muscle relaxer - buy cheap soma online no prescription
viagra online viagra online order no prescription - viagra snorting
cialis cost cialis online deutschland - order cialis at online pharmacy
buy soma watson generic soma - soma pills overdose
buy soma online soma online music - generic soma
buy soma online soma tampa - next day soma discount code
buy soma discount soma bras - buy soma muscle relaxant online
soma online buy somatropin china - buy somatropin dubai
soma drug buy generic soma online - soma muscle relaxant side effects
buy soma watch deadly soma online - history of soma san diego
soma online medication soma compound - usan soma pills
soma muscle relaxant soma drug 2410 - where to buy soma underwear
cheap generic soma soma san diego a day to remember - buy soma online cash delivery
cheap soma online soma magazine online - soma drug
Post a Comment