So, here we are at a crossroads with a burgeoning power, and we find ourselves without many avenues to take. It is lamentable, but our nation must face the reality that Russia can no longer be counted as a friend. They were rarely an ally, though one would have thought they were, considering the treatment President Bush’s administration has given them in recent years. It did seem at times we could see eye-to-eye on issues such as terrorism.
However, the disproportionate use of force against Georgia in the Caucasus has proven, that little is truly shared with the Russian Federation.
Growing harassment in the business community has forced many companies and corporations to flee Russia, including the Western-owned half of TNK-BP, Russia’s third largest oil company. Although British Petroleum has chosen to fight the hostile takeover of its Russian assets, many other companies were not powerful enough to do so.
Russia also supported Iran in its advancement of nuclear technology, supplying tons of uranium to the country. Russia has delayed important United Nations Security Council decisions on the issue and would undoubtedly veto any resolution allowing the maximum penalties to be applied against Iran should a nuclear weapon be created.
So it should be no real shock that Russia has irresponsibly turned a long-standing dispute between the unrecognized breakaway province of South Ossetia and Georgia, a strong, pro-Western democracy, into a serious international crisis. Even Bush had to take Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the obvious power holder in the nation, aside at the Olympics to express his deep disappointment and frustration at Russia’s unacceptable reaction to the situation – a surprising turn in a relationship that has been widely criticized.
But, we really don’t have any choices. Georgia was the third largest supporter in Iraq, and is the fastest growing democracy in the Caucasus. Only a few months ago, we asked for a plan of membership for the nation to join NATO. Realistically, nothing can be done to help the country. Ideally, we will finally stand up to the Bear of the East; pragmatically, we can do nothing more than embarrass Russia and hope the promising republic in the Caucasus survives. So much for our "superpower" status.
Cato, a political science and economics junior, can be reached via [email protected]
