There's been quite a lot of comment in the
international press recently about the efficacy or otherwise of the Obama
administration's "reset" of relations with Russia.
All that notwithstanding, there is a major
problem with how the reset has unfolded. It is that the US has been
comprehensively out-negotiated by Russia.
Fans of the reset claim the following gains
for the US:
1. A
Russian abstention from a UN security council resolution authorising sanctions
against Iran for continuing its nuclear weapons program.
2.
The right of passage through Russia for NATO personnel & equipment
headed for Afghanistan.
3. A
treaty reducing the number of nuclear weapons held by the two countries.
Let's take each of these in turn.
1.
The sanctions on Iran have proved to be ineffective and the nuclear
weapons programme is proceeding unabated.
Russia continues to support the Iranians to the fullest extent it
can. No gain to the US.
2.
NATO success in Afghanistan is as important to Russia as it is to the US.
Afghanistan is a major source of drugs flowing into Russia and its fall
to the Taliban would generate Muslim insurgencies in Central Asia and in
possibly Russia itself. It's in Russia's
interests to cooperate and this should not be seen as a "win" for the
US.
3.
Russia needed to reduce the number of nuclear weapons it was
maintaining, as many of them were old, insecure and would have required a
substantial investment to upgrade.
Furthermore, by moving down to equal numbers of weapons on bothe sides,
Russia will gain in a relative sense, as the US currently has superiority. No US win here either.
In summary, US gains form the reset are,
well, zero.
Russian gains, on the other hand, are
substantial:
A. The US has turned a blind eye to
Russia's gross abuses in Georgia. These
are too numerous to go into here.
B.
The US has imposed an informal arms embargo on Georgia.
C.
NATO has backtracked on membership plans for Georgia and Ukraine.
D.
The US is championing Russia's entry into the World Trade Organisation
E.
The Administration is attempting to thwart the passage of the Magnitsky
Act.
F.
The achievement of parity in nuclear weapons capabilities, as noted above.
Now don't get me wrong; there are some good
things about the reset. It's a good
thing for nations to talk with, rather than yell at, each other. The concept of trying to make progress on
issues where progress is possible is useful, as is, in some cases, the idea of
de-linking certain topics from others.
suck shit you whining piece of moldovan shit
ReplyDeleteabove here we have another fine example of russian "superiority" LOL
ReplyDelete