The Real Russia - And realist illusions

The Weekly Standard ^ | July 1, 2009 | Cathy Young

[SolidWood]

In the past decade, American commentary on Russia has been sharply divided between "idealists," who deplore the rise of neo-authoritarianism under Vladimir Putin and urge a tough stance toward the Kremlin, and "realists," who argue that U.S. policy should emphasize practical cooperation rather than democratic ideals which ignore the specifics of Russian culture. This debate has acquired new urgency as the Obama administration seeks to craft its Russia policy and prepares for Barack Obama's trip to Moscow July 5. The realist approach is advocated in two reports presented as expert recommendations to Obama, from the Century Foundation and from the Commission on U.S. Policy Toward Russia (co-chaired by former senators Gary Hart and Chuck Hagel). Recently, these reports have sparked heated polemics that illustrate the pitfalls of realism--including some of its proponents' tendency to effectively side with repressive regimes against dissenters.

On June 9, the Washington Post published a critique of the two reports by Russian policy analysts Lev Gudkov, Igor Klyamkin, Georgy Satarov, and Lilia Shevtsova. While crediting the experts with some constructive ideas, Shevtsova and her co-authors chided them for confusing the interests of Russia's leadership with those of the people and serving as de facto enablers of Russia's "authoritarian traditionalism."

A vitriolic rejoinder from British journalist and scholar Anatol Lieven, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, appeared on National Interest Online under the title "Russia's Limousine Liberals." Blasting the authors' views as "bizarre" and "twisted," Lieven portrayed them as self-centered intellectuals who do not know their country and "do not really give a damn what ordinary Russians think or feel."

[Jimmy Valentine]

Problem is Obama probably has a Communist Party card with a much lower membership number than Putin.

[Ben Ficklin]

Its impossible to get past the first sentence of the article.

She frames the last decade as idealists and realists, but NeoCons have been in charge for most of the last decade.

So the real question is, did the NeoCon policies benefit the US?

The neocon strategy to claw their way back into power is to say that, even tho Obama has adopted Realist policies, he is really an Idealist.

[justa-hairyape]

Obama has adopted Realist policies, he is really an Idealist.

Realism or idealism wont matter much when the Russians are moving two entire armies across Eastern Europe. So when will that happen ? How about this fall.

Russia to march two armies in Belarus in military exercises in September

Excerpts

Two whole Russian armies are going to take part in strategic military exercises Zapad 2009, head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Nikolay Makarov told, RIA Novosti reports.

He noted the whole armies would be marched in Belarus.

It should be reminded that wide military exercises Zapad 2009 are scheduled for September 8–29.

The forth coming Belarusian-Russian Zapad 2009 exercises are peculiar for their scale and the plans to improve command system of the regional force grouping.

[Ben Ficklin]

"Realism or idealism won't matter much"

What's the neocon strategy on this and will it "matter much"?

[flash2368]

None of those “Foggy Bottom” state department people have a clue about how to handle Russia. They cannot even manage to get one word translated correctly much less deal with them on a Diplomatic level.

As long as we keep dealing with them from the mindset that they are the enemy we will fail. O will go to Moscow and they will chew him up and spit him out.

They are above all P A R A N O I D. As long as we feed the paranoia by doing STUPID things that make them insecure about our intentions...we will have problems.

The only thing in our favor now is that they view “New Africa” and its bumbling leader as a big joke.

[justa-hairyape]

The key will be watching what happens a few weeks after the Kavkas 2009 military exercises that are going on right now in the Caucasus. Will end a little after Bambi and the Progresso’s go hoping into Russia. Last year after their 2008 Kavkas military exercises, Russia invaded Georgia. If they invade and complete the take over of Georgia this July, one must assume that every major exercise the Russians undergo is actually a cover for troop deployment. They are also two other troop exercises scheduled this year, but I have not been able to find out where they have been scheduled to occur. As far as what Neocons can do about that, you will have to ask one. All I know is that the US does not have enough available troops to handle Russia.

[dfwgator]

Churchill’s words still ring true today:

“I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.”