Posted on 08/22/2008 9:22:36 PM PDT by joanie-f
The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart … Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
Western Europe can accept at least part of the blame for Vladimir Putin’s strategic ruthlessness. Nearly a year ago Western Europe dragged its feet in allowing Ukraine and Georgia into NATO, partly as a result of Putin applying oil-supply-related pressure to the Germans.
No surprise there. Western Europe prefers incessant bureaucratic quibbling to action, or even real diplomacy, anymore. So Putin rightly figured that, having been denied current membership in NATO, Georgia’s chance of successfully calling on Western Europe for defensive help was minimal to nonexistent.
As for America, President Bush has a dangerous habit of trusting world leaders exponentially more than he should. He calls Putin his ‘friend’. I suggest that Putin is no one’s friend, unless it is to his political advantage. Bush has been played like a violin, and only belatedly is he becoming angry and suspicious to the degree that he should have been long before this invasion.
Putin has Europe over a barrel (of oil), and, as a result, their leadership is willing to allow worthless pieces of paper, signed by a man who has no intention of abiding by the promises contained therein, to forestall any real action to defend Georgia – not realizing that Georgia is simply the first in a series of Putin-envisioned dominos, many of which will probably fall before the Europeans get their act together and genuinely attempt to stop the toppling.
By then Europe will not only find itself over a barrel; it will find itself entirely energy-dependent on Russia: the makings of a political extortion nightmare of unimaginable proportions.
Ralph Peters, author of Wars Of Blood And Faith, The Conflicts That Will Shape the Twenty-First Century, observes:
The determination, especially in Western Europe, to minimize the importance of the rape of Georgia -- Putin's actions amount to nothing less -- is gratingly reminiscent of the cries of "Why Die for Danzig?" that echoed in Britain and France in the late 1930s. And, while politicians and pundits will do their best to minimize the perception of a military threat from the new Russia, it bears remembering that, in 1930, the German Reichswehr had 100,000 men and equipment hardly fit for a playground, yet, a mere ten years later, the Wehrmacht had millions of men under arms, the best weaponry in the world, and most of Europe under its boot-heels. While it may be unhelpful to be an alarmist, it's even less useful to be willfully naïve.
Reading the beginning of the NATO reaction to Russia’s invasion provides us a realistic glimpse into the extent of the organization’s impotence. It is unclear exactly who – Russia or Georgia – is at fault. And delicate words such as ‘situation’ and ‘loss of life’ abound, rather than the more accurate ‘invasion’ and ‘murder’.
Nor does NATO impose any real punitive action. As a matter of fact, the only ‘action’ (if one wishes to stretch the meaning of the word) taken is the cancellation of an upcoming NATO Council-Russia meeting.
Putin must be quaking in his boots.
Eastern Europe cannot afford to be so naïve, or to allow their perceptions and responses to be so oil-dependent. They have longer, and more painfully personal, memories regarding Russian aggression. As a result, they are not rolling over and playing dead as are the Western Europeans. The Baltic Republics, Ukraine and Poland are expressing solidarity with Georgia. Ukraine has told Putin that his fleet runs the risk of losing its Crimean base, and they are threatening to hand over to the West two ex-Soviet radar installations. And Poland has suddenly agreed to America’s terms regarding a missile defense system, of which Ukraine has now also asked to be a part.
History has taught them well. The Baltics, Ukraine and Poland are beginning to experience nightmares in which they are in Russia’s crosshairs, and, in the background, Western Europe and the U.S. are sitting in plush upholstered chairs, at a long, highly-polished conference table, debating over the wording of potential sanctions/threats of military intervention/expulsion from international organizations. The bickering is beautifully scripted and open-ended.
Depending on America’s, and Western Europe’s, response over the next few weeks -- whether we allow Georgia to become a Russian satellite -- Eastern European leaders may be forced to rethink their instinctive turn toward the West. We may well betray their trust.
In which case, no one – not America nor any nation of Western Europe – deserves to wear the title ‘leader of the free world’. The ‘free world’ will be leaderless, and less ‘free’ with each new notch carved on Putin’s belt. Not to mention the inevitable emboldening of Islamic fascists, Iran, North Korea, China, and other avowed enemies of liberty -- although all such tyrannical regimes/movements have been continuously emboldened since America’s last genuine leader left office in 1989.
Twenty years adrift exacts a terrible price.
Now envision President Barack Obama occupying the White House in five months and the nightmare ratchets up to a level far beyond human comprehension.
~ joanie
Evil is emboldened when good men do (little or) nothing.
At least Poland is ready.
BRAVO!!
“At least Poland is ready.”
How so?
You have a keen eye to the reality of the situation, and especially to the stark historic parallels.
You shine at whatever subject matter you apply yourself to, joanie. But given the power of this piece on foreign policy, I’d replace Condi Rice with you in a heartbeat. And I’m not joking.
Thanks for the ping, Joanie.
Your take on the West’s impotence is sad but spot on. And your take on the nightmare that will result if Obama is elected is terrfying but spot on.
Stay well, dear friend!
Hey, good to see you. Everyone doing ok?
t.
Thanks for the very kind words, EV.
Considering the source, and his own commitment to righting our republic, I feel doubly blessed.
~ joanie
Thanks for the kind words, MM.
~ joanie
Well done!
Thank you for the ping and the missive, Joanie — well written as always.
I don’t think the next few years will be kind to the Western Powers, as it seems the socialist “bread-and-circuses” positions of their administrations has blinded their populous to the potential failures of their politics. There’s little concern in the coffee shops or around the water coolers for other than the latest gossip from Hollyweird, or the antics of the latest ‘Reality’ show — none of which I’ve ever watched.
I’ve seen socialism closer than most here, but it was still somewhat muted in Britain when my family made the break for a freer life. Where do I point my kid to now that the level in play here in the US is where Britain was in the Fifties?
Eeevil — you may want to point “Media Lizzy” and some of the other BTR folks here; joanie-f is one of the stalwarts of FreeRepublic and the USA. Thank you both.
I have no more hope for a McCain administration. He loves compromise and compromisers. Think Colin Powell and worse.
Thank you for your excellent insights, as always, brityank.
I believe the ‘bread and circuses’ mindset that you reference is the greatest enemy of the Western world today. If our ignorance and apathy were able to be turned around, all of our internal and external enemies could be defeated or kept at bay.
But, as you observed, most Americans (and Western Europeans) are more concerned with the accumulation of creature comforts, and the ability to be entertained, than they are with learning from history and instilling a knowledge of it in their children.
Sad days are ahead for what’s left of the ‘free world’.
Stay well and vigilant ...
~ joanie
Nor do I. (See Reagan Would Be Ashamed).
~ joanie
Sadly, we will likely do nothing of significance.
Now envision President Barack Obama occupying the White House in five months and the nightmare ratchets up to a level far beyond human comprehension.
I have no more hope for a McCain administration. He loves compromise and compromisers. Think Colin Powell and worse
This is the nightmare of this election.
While BHO is unsuitable in so many senses of the word, his alternate waiting in the wings is married to a former POTUS who disappeared behind the Iron Curtain when we were enemies.
On the other 'side' we have one who leans Socialist, whom I have no faith in to muster the forces of freedom to take a stand, on paper or in the field.
Although he has stated the conflict against terror will be ongoing, I am not sure the full scope of the enemy is readily apparent.
It is the same enemy who was backing the forces who shot him down and imprisoned him, back for another run at the brass ring.
Pray for this country, people...pray like you’ve never prayed before.
Thank you, joanie. Excellent, as usual...
I love Ralph Peters. Thanks for this post.
Well said, Joe.
I've often wondered how a man who was imprisoned for five-plus years in a hell hole like the Hanoi Hilton could emerge from that experience and still be willing to compromise with evil. One would think that he, more than anyone, would understand the deadly danger in that.
Jeremiah Denton, after enduring a similar fate in Vietnam, became a staunch conservative, maintained that philosophy in the senate, and is still unwilling to compromise with evil (whether within or outside of our borders) when he comes across it.
Unfortunately, McCain is running for president, and Denton was defeated in his first re-election bid. Such is modern American politics.
~ joanie
Amen, BG.
~ joanie
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