How The West Fueled Putin’s Sense Of Impunity
By GARRY KASPAROV- (WSJ)
Russia’s invasion of Georgia reminded me of a conversation I had three years ago in Moscow with a high-ranking European Union official. Russia was much freer then, but President Vladimir Putin’s onslaught against democratic rights was already underway.
“What would it take,” I asked, “for Europe to stop treating Putin like a democrat? If all opposition parties are banned? Or what if they started shooting people in the street?” The official shrugged and replied that even in such cases, there would be little the EU could do. He added: “Staying engaged will always be the best hope for the people of both Europe and Russia.”
The citizens of Georgia would likely disagree. Russia’s invasion was the direct result of nearly a decade of Western helplessness and delusion. Inexperienced and cautious in the international arena at the start of his reign in 2000, Mr. Putin soon learned he could get away with anything without repercussions from the EU or America.
Russia reverted to a KGB dictatorship while Mr. Putin was treated as an equal at G-8 summits. Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi and Germany’s Gerhardt Schroeder became Kremlin business partners. Mr. Putin discovered democratic credentials could be bought and sold just like everything else. The final confirmation was the acceptance of Dmitry Medvedev in the G-8, and on the world stage. The leaders of the Free World welcomed Mr. Putin’s puppet, who had been anointed in blatantly faked elections.
On Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy sprinted to Moscow to broker a ceasefire agreement. He was allowed to go through the motions, perhaps as a reward for his congratulatory phone call to Mr. Putin after our December parliamentary “elections.” But just a few months ago Mr. Sarkozy was in Moscow as a supplicant, lobbying for Renault. How much credibility does he really have in Mr. Putin’s eyes?
In reality, Mr. Sarkozy is attempting to remedy a crisis he helped bring about. Last April, France opposed the American push to fast-track Georgia’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership. This was one of many missed opportunities that collectively built up Mr. Putin’s sense of impunity. In this way the G-7 nations aided and abetted the Kremlin’s ambitions.
Georgia blundered into a trap, although its imprudent aggression in South Ossetia was overshadowed by Mr. Putin’s desire to play the strongman. Russia seized the chance to go on the offensive in Georgian territory while playing the victim/hero. Mr. Putin has long been eager to punish Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for his lack of respect both for Georgia’s old master Russia, and for Mr. Putin personally. (Popular rumor has it that the Georgian president once mocked his peer as “Lilli-Putin.”)
Although Mr. Saakashvili could hardly be called a model democrat, his embrace of Europe and the West is considered a very bad example by the Kremlin. The administrations of the Georgian breakaway areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are stocked, top to bottom, with bureaucrats from the Russian security services.
Throughout the conflict, the Kremlin-choreographed message in the Russian media has been one of hysteria. The news presents Russia as surrounded by enemies on all sides, near and far, and the military intervention in Georgia as essential to protect the lives and interests of Russians. It is also often spoken of as just the first step, with enclaves in Ukraine next on the menu. Attack dogs like Russian nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky are used to test and whip up public opinion. Kremlin-sponsored ultranationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin went on the radio to say Russian forces “should not stop until they are stopped.” The damage done by such rhetoric is very slow to heal.
The conflict also threatens to poison Russia’s relationship with Europe and America for years to come. Can such a belligerent state be trusted as the guarantor of Europe’s energy supply? Republican presidential candidate John McCain has been derided for his strong stance against Mr. Putin, including a proposal to kick Russia out of the G-8. Will his critics now admit that the man they called an antiquated cold warrior was right all along?
The conventional wisdom of Russia’s “invulnerability” serves as an excuse for inaction. President Bush’s belatedly toughened language is welcome, but actual sanctions must now be considered. The Kremlin’s ruling clique has vital interests — i.e. assets — abroad and those interests are vulnerable.
The blood of those killed in this conflict is on the hands of radical nationalists, thoughtless politicians, opportunistic oligarchs and the leaders of the Free World who value gas and oil more than principles. More lives will be lost unless strong moral lines are drawn to reinforce the shattered lines of the map.
Mr. Kasparov, leader of The Other Russia coalition, is a contributing editor of The Wall Street Journal.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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there would be little the EU could do.
yean ingerence in inner state policy, likewise China, they send us to fuck up
In reality, Mr. Sarkozy is attempting to remedy a crisis he helped bring about. Last April, France opposed the American push to fast-track Georgia’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership.
yeah, blame France, we are like the Jews,when something goes wrong in the world, either the Jews, either the frenchs are faultive ; BTW Sarko is jew and french, what a sin!!! renault lobbying is tiny compared with what it is with other wealthy nations
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2008/08/13/more-on-georgia/
bizarre some people think that Georgia had already been in Nato, that would have likely accelerated the processus of war
August 15th, 2008 at 1:42 pmI admire the hell out of Garry Kasparov. The world would be a much better place if him and his party were in power instead of Vladimir Putin and his mafioso.
Whilet franchie might not like it, Kasparov’s point is still valid - France and Germany did help precipitate this crisis by refusing to to bring Georgia under NATO’s protective umbrella. This show of weakness undoubtably encouraged Putin to invade his defiant neighbor and threaten vital Western interests in the region.
What strikes me as completely unacceptable is how the two most worthless members of NATO since 1945 are able to hold the alliance hostage to their fecklessness. If there’s anything that the US and its more committed allies need to learn from the debacle in Georgia, its that we need to reassess and reconsider our own commitment to NATO as it exists today. As the geostrategic faultlines in the world have moved east since the fall of the Soviet Union and 9/11, so must our center of gravity move east, as well. If this means forming entirely new alliances with the states of the former Soviet Union - many of whom, unlike western European nations such as Germany and France, fought alongside the United States in Iraq - then so be it. If that means leaving an increasingly irrelevant NATO to die on the vine, then so be that, as well. When it comes to providing arms and counsel, some of our friends across The Pond have been decidedly lacking - it’s time we freed one another from our commitments.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:27 pmMy biggest hope here is there are [those] within TPTB inside Russia that have had a belly-full of this bullshit of the last week … and the fall of Russia in the eyes of the world … that will “take good care” of those who brought this about … and quick.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:50 pmThe Georgian President’s view that liberty and freedom is worth defending goes to the core of American values. Hence his bewilderment at our lackluster response and a ‘cease fire’ agreement from Sarkozy that allowed Russian tanks to roam freely over Georgia.
August 15th, 2008 at 3:16 pmIt is not the core value of Socialist France and Germany.
Merkel calling the Russian violence “disproportionate” when she had Medvedevs ear was sickening. It is perfectly normal for a Socialist country to determine itself what ‘rights’ its citizens get to enjoy.
Unfortunately NATO is all we have. And that is little or nothing. If the US wasnt in Europe, Russia could run them over with ease too.
August 15th, 2008 at 3:32 pmIs Russia, like Iran, inviting retaliation? Is that why Russia continued to build nuclear bomb shelters even in the late 1990s?
And, as much as I like Sarkozy, why hasn’t France airlifted critical supplies into Georgia like the U.S.? He’s calling for a cease fire from Russia so why doesn’t he put his money where his mouth is?
I believe sanctions against Russia should begin immediately. It has greedily absorbed Western aid money for years. Set Russia adrift financially and see if it’s still full of war rhetoric.
August 15th, 2008 at 4:01 pmand a ‘cease fire’ agreement from Sarkozy that allowed Russian tanks to roam freely over
the manufacturer of BS is passing…
yeah that’s true pôve gland, attention à ton dosage de bile
August 15th, 2008 at 4:03 pmBillie, because of his position : he had to obtain a raisonable agreement of both camps , and likely not easy to discuss. If he had voiced Russia, then the Russians would be yet in Tbilisi, showing there that they can fuck the moralisator world
August 15th, 2008 at 4:17 pmHey Franchie, why don’t you just shut the fuck up? Everywhere I go on this website I have to read you brainless twitter. You are a typical European (I know because I lived there for almost four years), you make excuse after excuse for not doing anything until the boot of an oppressor is on your neck and then you whine like a pig for the U.S. to bail you out. You have nothing to add to the conversation other than BULLSHIT so why not go out to your coffee shop and talk to the rest of the appeasers that live in your over rated, pretentious shithole of a country?
August 15th, 2008 at 6:54 pmAbout a 2 week period longer from when the “break-away” folks in Odes is seat….who-ever, started screaming “OWWWW, THEYRE HHHUURRRTING MMMEEE!!!
Which means the “BEAR WAS THERE AND WAITING!” Think about that. Who really started this dog and pony show? respects to the innocents dead, poor pawns for some far more greater plan. WE have major mech batts in Germany do we not? Maybe time for a late summer romp up around a certain gap with the M1-A1″s I hear the call of Patton….thumpin in his grave…thumpin in his grave..
August 16th, 2008 at 2:13 amMike in Dallas, do you know what does mean in your constitution “freedom of speech” ?
then consider that I use it, mainly in responding to brainless twitters of your side.
Say what you want, if you were handling the strong position that your advocating, then Tbilisi would be alredy erased from this planet.
do you also know that Bush and Sarkozy were on the phone the last each day ?
August 16th, 2008 at 2:38 amI bet the Europeans were very glad to see the back of you after 4 years. It doesn’t sound like you learnt a thing while you were here.
August 16th, 2008 at 5:19 amAmen, and pass the ammunition.
I’ll tell ya what made me sick - the sight of Mikheil Saakashvili meeting with Nicolas Sarkhozy. If I were Saakashvili, I would have refused to sit down with Sarkhozy on principle. After the French stiffed Georgia at NATO, I would have sent out the presidential maintenance engineer to greet his ass.
ji -
August 16th, 2008 at 6:14 amYou’re right, NATO is all we have right now, but like any bad marriage, that can change. We need to start exploring our options and alternatives - NATO is a post-WWII dinosaur.
Yeah he spent 4 years in Europe. I always stay 4 years in places I hate. Idiot. If it was for work then you should have turned down the move.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Kelly’s Heroes -
August 16th, 2008 at 7:06 amPerhaps Mike was stationed in Europe. Some of us who lived in the Old Continent didn’t have much choice in the matter.
Right on.
August 16th, 2008 at 9:58 amThink about it… a Socialist French ‘Conservative’ is *still* left of Obama. Sarkozy showed he’s no better than Neville Chamberlain. Waving around a worthless ‘agreement’.
Russians STILL laughing at him.
Yep that is right, I was serving my country while you were sucking cock. NCTAMS MED DET U.S. Navy 1993-1998.
August 16th, 2008 at 5:10 pmYou ban guns and the violent crime rate goes through the roof, now you want to ban knives. What are you going to od once they are gone and people are still getting killed because they can’t defend themselves, ban stick and stones?
August 16th, 2008 at 5:14 pmhttp://mrhayoun.blog.tdg.ch/archive/2008/08/16/la-guerre-russo-georgienne-ii.html
sully, I dont’t think so, but rather they laught at the tempest in the cup of tea that your meids is making
now, there was also a deal : Bush take only the media voice, just shouts while not sending forces, uh a little agreement between best possible ennemies was also on, the russians are letting the US and Israel to bomb Iran nuclear infrastructures, that’s it, no need to throw your bile on to the french socialist but conservative, you still didn’t see the point
August 17th, 2008 at 4:13 amThe women of England breathe a collective sigh of relief that Mike from Dallas is not interested. Phew! Close one.
The general principle here is that it’s better than no civilian has firearms. That way an argument over spilt beer doesn’t become like the OK Corral. In general, it works very well. I think you’ll find our murder rates are much lower than cities in the USA.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:11 am