Friday, September 18, 2009

Dancing With the Russian Bear

Something really important happened yesterday that passed almost unnoticed amid the domestic din here in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
While most of us were distracted by the healthcare debate here at home, President Obama announced to the world that the missile system proposed by the Bush Administration to be built in Poland and the Czech Republic( nicknamed son of Star Wars,) will be scrapped and a water based missile program aimed at monitoring doings in Iran will be substituted.

This is really important stuff. It is the opening step in a complicated dance that will lead to a key collaboration between Russia, NATO and the United States when it comes to dealing effectively with the pressing international problems of Iran and Afghanistan.

You are going to hear lots of moaning and groaning from the right on this,but pay no attention. Obama has not lost his mind. We have much more to gain by working with the Russians than by antagonizing them, something the Bush Administration with its macho posturing,failed to grasp. It's not that Russia is a participatory democracy or that Vladimir Putin and his puppet president, Dmitry Medvedev are teddy bears. Not at all. It is just, as my grandmother used to say, that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Abandoning the missile program proposed for Russia's doorstep is part of a quid pro quo program of diplomacy and not, as the Bushies would have you believe, a sign of weakness.

I am sure that President Obama's announcement was part of an orchestrated ballet negotiated and agreed to before the event. It sparked an immediate response from Russia. No sooner had President Obama spoken than the Kremlin announced that in response to the American position, Russia would cancel the medium range ballistic missles slated for Kaliningrad, which borders Poland and Lithuania. See? Quid Pro Quo:-)

The next announcement came from Nato's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen who called for a new strategic partnership with Russia. and urged both Russia and the United States to study the possibillity of a joint missile defense system.

Next week, President Obama will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York-- the very first American President to do so. Nuclear dis-armament and non-proliferation will be on the agenda.

I hope Tehran and Kabul are taking note. There is a new strategic alignment in the offing, one that bodes well for keeping the peace and preventing nuclear disaster. It's the old " enemy of my enemy is my friend" routine. Nobody wants to see nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran or the Taliban back in the saddle in Afghanistan.

One way or another, the world simply won't let it happen. And that is why America is dancing with the Russian Bear while Nato calls the tune.


2 comments:

AuthorJoe said...

I'm sorry, but you have got to be kidding me! The only reason Obama announced this was because Russia has a big barrel pointed right down our nose while we were singing kumbahya and got caught with our pants down. In fact Hillary Clinton had to make a public announcement regarding Venezuela's new found friendship with Iran and the possibility of Mr. Nut Case Chavez receiving Nuclear know how from Iran. Are you starting to connect the pieces yet? In fact, they are strategically surrounding us milatarily and constantly making their presence known by knocking on our door. Once again, they embarrased us in front of our friends and the World. All I have to say is look at all the weapons Russia is selling to our enemies, yeah, this is what you call a good ally huh? A partner in peace right? Iran is the problem created by Russia and China. The problem with the media and our fine elected leaders is that they are still in denial. This country has been under attack by some of our so called trading partners and allies who are now setting us up for the final fall. Please, start calling an Ace an Ace. If you think Isreal is going to continue waiting for us to wake up and smell the coffee, you have another thing coming. Wake up America and get ready, for soon it will be hell in the kitchen! What we need to do is get out of Afghanistan since this is also a Russian trap. God help us all.

Unknown said...

Cool your jets Joe :-) You are making a lot of assumptions about what I am saying that are not in the post-- you ought to go back and read what I actually said and not what you want to think I said

The whole point of the post is not that Russia is a good ally, or partner in peace but that we have a better chance of succeeding in Afghanistan and Iran with Russian help and they have strategic reasons to work with us too, both in Afghanistan and Iran. NATO may want to leave Afghanistan, but it ain't gonna happen I assure you and you know that is so. So better to dance with the Russian bear and emphasize our common interests-- this is not weak of foolish but smart.

Not quite sure what you mean by calling " an Ace and Ace" and I agree that Israel may end up bombing Iran, but there are lots of reasons why that may also not happen. I don't know about you, but I broke my crystal ball yesterday.

Afghanistan a Russian trap?? I do think that is a bit of a reach. The Russians left with their tail between their legs, remember? In fact there are those who say that Afghanistan caused the fall of the Soviet Union.

As for your last point..." God help us all" I totally agree with you there.

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I always appreciate hearing what others think.