RUSSIA

How to Manage Moscow

Kicking Russia out of the G8 will solve nothing. We need to rope it into the international system.

By Richard N. Haass | NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Sep 1, 2008

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  • Posted By: Glenno @ 09/22/2008 7:05:26 PM

    How about US try something new, and take Russia's security concerns into account? Stop US from interfering in Georgian and Ukrainian elections, stop pushing NATO to Russia's borders (2/3 of Ukraine dont want NATO), stop building missile shield on their borders, stop arming your satelites states to attack Russia, stop ignoring Russian objections (and internation law) by destroying Serbia and proclaiming independence for Kosovo.

    The American Empire will hopefully soon fall as the Soviet Empire did, so maybe America should try to cooperate with other nations instead of dominating them while the US still has the majority of power in the world.

  • Posted By: uglylastslonger @ 09/05/2008 3:15:12 AM

    "Russia possesses approximately half the world's nuclear weapons, is the largest producer of natural gas and the second largest producer of oil, is a major exporter of modern arms, holds dollar reserves nearing $300 billion and, with its seat on the U.N. Security Council, is positioned to facilitate or frustrate a good deal of U.S. foreign policy."

    Yea, so what? We also know what happens to the guy with the best seat on the Titanic. He went down with it, as did the Soviet Union went down owing the same exact craps the Russian has now.

    I'm amazed that guys like Pukin still walk around thinking the world owes him respect. How childish is that.

  • Posted By: doktor @ 08/27/2008 9:28:37 AM

    to know something more serious

    27 Jul 2008 - The Grand Chessboard:About Oil & Natural GasThis is the north and south part of just the Caspian Sea area and who holds the tracts of oil and natural gas. It is not a US Show, ...
    www.rense.com/general82/grand.htm

    13 Aug 2008 - RFID In Your Clothing And ShoesIn 2003, Albrecht's consumer group CASPIAN led a successful boycott against Italian clothing manufacturer Benetton. The resulting worldwide opposition ...
    www.rense.com/general83/where.htm

    24 Aug 2008 - Pipeline Plans And Diaper DreamingWe gotta grab that Caspian Basin and have pipeline routes out for the oil and ... Even Turkmenistan is against running a pipeline across the Caspian Sea and ...
    www.rense.com/general83/pipe.htm

    1 Aug 2008 - Phew! Bush Dirty Diapers!As the bad news unfolds in the Caspian Basin that the US is being 'shut out' of its delusional Grand Chessboard scheme, there are other forest fires, ...
    www.rense.com/general82/dite.htm

    14 Aug 2008 - Stupid Strikes AgainTime and time again, the US has violated Russian sovereignty throughout the Clinton and Bush Administrations to get to the oil and gas in the Caspian Basin ...
    www.rense.com/general83/stupid.htm

    11 Aug 2008 - Operation DagestanWell, it has choice 'beach frontage' on the Caspian Sea. ... The entire Caspian Basin community is 'against' the US running a pipeline through their source ...
    www.rense.com/general82/opd.htm

    9 Aug 2008 - Bush And His Zionist Pals - Stupid Is As Stupid DoesBy the stroke of a pen, Russia has taken over most of the entire Caspian Basin area's ... That is one of the few routes they have out of the Caspian Basin's ...
    www.rense.com/general82/pals.htm

    20 Aug 2008 - Israel Planned To Use Georgia Airbases In Iran AttackThe objective of Israel is not only to acquire Caspian sea oil for its own consumption needs but also to play a key role in re-exporting Caspian sea oil ...
    www.rense.com/general83/isrpl.htm

    10 Aug 2008 - Soros Is CIA In EUThey wanted in on the Big Caspian Basin Oil and Gas Grab but did not want to ... He is one of the Caspian Basin Investment Club investors and without that ...
    www.rense.com/general82/euciac.htm

    5 Aug 2008 - Translating And Dissecting DC LiesAs I have illustrated in earlier essays, they have also failed miserably in their Grand Chessboard scheme to take over the Caspian Basin oil and gas as well ...

  • Posted By: Glenno @ 08/26/2008 7:38:04 PM

    I have waited over 10 years for Russia to stand up against the US "containment of Russia", if America wants peace with Russia, maybe stop encirceling them, creating and arming anti-Russian neighbours and building rocket shield on their borders. Maybe treat them as a partner instead of a defeated enemy

  • Posted By: St. Petersburger @ 08/26/2008 4:22:30 AM

    Why is it that it is only now, almost three weeks after the beginning of hostilities between Georgia and Russia, that articles are starting to appear in the American news media that present a more balanced view of the situation, instead of the hysterics and histrionics of the earlier days of the conflict?

    • Posted By: sergem @ 08/26/2008 10:51:03 AM

      Regarding news coverage of this conflict: I follow news coverage in Russian, German, and English. It's a big news in Russia, it still makes some headlines in Germany but in the US it almost disappeared from the news. As a matter of fact, it's never been a big news in the US. On day one, when Georgia attacked, the US media was preoccupied with a sexual affairs of a certain US senator, then for a few days Georgia/Russia had a fair amount of coverage, then it almost disappeared from the news, replaced by more important (for the American public) subjects like VP nomination, and now by Dem's convention. Very soon this conflict will be completely forgotten and left for the obscure diplomacy.

  • Posted By: andrey60 @ 08/26/2008 9:17:27 AM

    Absolutely correct article. If you want to help Russia - don't kick it out of G8 structure and really help it with joining WTO. Thing will settle down by itself, most of the Russian population are normal decent people, developed rules of civilized society will bring much needed regulation and adjust administration and governance, which is in big demand in our huge barbarian country. From Russia with love

  • Posted By: tbh21 @ 08/25/2008 2:15:59 AM

    None of the comments thus far have any ring of truth to them including Pavel the Russian. Since the rise of Putin and his theft of the wealth of Russia he has seen, and had previously practised in the KGB ,how easy it is to fool people into thinking that all of this and everything else he and his henchmen/Oligarchs are doing is for the greater good of Mother Russia and therefore the Russian people. His rise to power and his consolidation of the same is a well orchestrated putsch very reminiscent of the former Soviet actions. The problem is; everyone is afraid to do anything because, as the article states, they are one of the worlds largest producers of oil etc. and the E.U. abolutely need these things simply to survive. Read Russian military history and find the worlds largest and most brutal colonialist country in all of history. Making all the zprejudicialo and misinformed negative comments about the USA may make you feel good or intelligent but only serve to show your utter lack of knowledge of the Russian leadership mindset and actions.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/25/2008 5:23:50 PM

      I have been a Kremlin Watcher since the early 1970's. I actively served against them until the wall came down, and Yeltsin.
      Putin is a strongman, in a nation that requires it. He is also a strongman with higher approval after two terms as leader, than any of ours in my memory have had going into office. (Reagan may have these numbers beat, I haven't gone academic on this thought... I sure loved him, for an R...)

      • Posted By: St. Petersburger @ 08/26/2008 4:33:56 AM

        You dfinitely haven't spoekn with anyone who lives in Russia. We are not all docile sheep. But we do understand the politics of the Russian government in this situation and support them.

    • Posted By: K-man @ 08/25/2008 4:09:03 AM

      That is you who doesn't understand Russian anything - including Russian leadership mindset and actions. Just wake up, open your eyes and see the truth. Unfortunately, the way you speak shows that neo-con brainwashing in good old US is very successful ... Such a shame! ...

  • Posted By: superskeptic @ 08/25/2008 8:12:43 AM

    Good article but what about Russia's annexation of part of Georgia and commiting war crimes in the process. Do we just overlook those in order to have a pragmatic approach to relations with Russia? Do we overlook Russia's disregard for a neighbor's sovereignty? Unfortunately those tough questions are not addresssed. Furthermore Russia has isolated itself from the international community and made it clear it could care less what the international community thinks hence the logic of inviting them to join it seems rather bizarre.

    • Posted By: St. Petersburger @ 08/26/2008 4:31:21 AM

      Russia, when I last looked has not annexed these territories. The people in these territories do wnat union with Russia and freedom from the Georgians. Really no different from the Kosovar Albanians wanting freedom from the Serbs - which the United States and most of the rest of the West thought was perfectly legitimate. What proof do you have of Russian "war crimes"? What about Georgian "war crimes"? Killing women and children inthe middle of the night certainly sounds like "war crimes" to me. Russia is not the only aggressor here. And the American chickens are certainly coming home to roost.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/25/2008 5:26:26 PM

      Nice bromide, but remember, the tie eating Saakashvili did shell a city in the middle of the night to start this crap. Most of the atrocities documented were by Ossets, before Ivan got his regulars into armor and lumbering south. Ivans performance was not stellar at all here either. He should really have had this well wargamed and thought out. Frankly, they did poorly.

  • Posted By: Micky Marsh @ 08/25/2008 2:21:14 PM

    The question is; does Russia has anything the G8 needs, only time will tell, for now; let them play the game.

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/25/2008 5:46:24 PM

      If Russia decided to do with their oil output what OPEC routinely does with theirs, and really Cartel up on Europe, the Eurozone would see inflation that would make our 1970's look mild. Russia has prospered precisely because it has provided a stable supply of Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants to the west. (France, Germany)

  • Posted By: mfenwick @ 08/24/2008 9:16:12 PM

    Why does the U.S. meddle so damn much in other countries' affairs? I get so sick of this country's spouting off all this hypocrisy about Russia "invading" Georgia. Do you think for one minute that if one of our states wanted to secede from the Union federal troops would not be there in a hurry to squash the rebellion? You're a fool if you don't think they would. I wish Russia's president would tell Bush to kiss his ass and then tell him that Russia will withdraw troops from Georgia when the U.S. withdraws troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. That'll teach that s.o.b. of a president we have to keep his mouth shut!

    • Posted By: Braes @ 08/25/2008 5:42:59 PM

      McCain's top advisor on foreign policy is Randy Schunemann, a paid foreign lobbyist for Georgia. McCain needed an old enemy to enhance his relevance. This lobbyist is the same person who brought us Achmed Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress, which wasn't Iraqi, National or a Congress of anything but Chalabi.
      WE are meddling because it makes good sense to Shrub and Condi and DIck, the GOP, likely rogue elements that serve interests other than our Nations within it's halls, etc.

  • Posted By: Braes @ 08/25/2008 5:33:51 PM

    Russia wants a day in the sun, just like China just had. A little respect and positive pygmalion would go a long way toward elevating their pride, and sense of value to the world. Russia is a place with 11 times zones of talent. Making Medvedev into a modern Peter the Great, on his own terms, would be the wisest move of all.
    Making an enemy of Russia would be the goal of an imbecile. Geography, History, Culture, Power, and all that the slavs bring to the table is worth appreciating. Given the international order of our own making, we must have them aboard to do any good or great thing, let alone handle the necessary things.

  • Posted By: Braes @ 08/23/2008 2:20:04 PM

    This is A+ work too. It makes smart business sense to collaborate and develop than to just break. This is why a neocon tantrum does not equate to a strategy. Bushtards. McClones. Double down on stupid, the new GOP slogan.

    • Posted By: conformist @ 08/24/2008 11:21:45 PM

      I've recently watched a 3-hour movie on Nat. Geographic channel about Vietnam war and the cruelty we did there, counting our victory by the number of dead bodies, mostly civilians. Are we really much different from Russians?

      • Posted By: Braes @ 08/25/2008 5:14:34 PM

        Metrics provide the statistics that murderers need to secure the resources to kill. We kill with corporate management and business school leadership. Were good. Efficient. Excellent personnel and equipment.
        Morally, it's a bankrupt process. It's not really a moral enterprise.
        We could wage peace far cheaper and far more successfully. We could drag a cheap renewable energy source and water pump out to the Bush and cure dozens of diseases with drinking water. The depravity that breds terrorism will not be defeated with my old bayonet.
        It will die at the hands of grace.
        May God Always Bless our United States.

  • Posted By: Emilda @ 08/25/2008 3:59:37 PM

    There is an interesting suggestion from Steve Levine. The Russians have a big weakness. The West should keep in mind Russia's Achilles Heel while dealing with Putin and Medvedev. Levine knows this area, having covered wars in Chechnya, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Tajikistan as well as the Soviet-Afghan war: http://oilandglory.com/2008/08/russias-achilles-heel.html

  • Posted By: Micky Marsh @ 08/25/2008 2:31:31 PM

    Anyway do not worry too much about the G8. I believe in the near future it will be G5, three will branch off for personal gain and power.

  • Posted By: Glenno @ 08/25/2008 1:32:49 AM

    How about expelling and isolating the US for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Serbia++ or maybe even worse, for building a Missile Defence System in Poland

  • Posted By: ajaxtheleast @ 08/24/2008 1:31:54 PM

    You "manage" Moscow with any other president but George W. Bush.,,,,,PERIOD!

    I'm here-by submitting this as an article to Newsweek.

  • Posted By: pavel.tsarevskiy @ 08/24/2008 12:10:03 PM

    As a Russian which lives in Russia and is a follower of the West valuables as freedom, democracy and so on I want to say that USA government have to understand long time ago that isolating Russia impossible and dangerous. Most of Russian already doesn???t believe Atlantic West. And think that west want to make over everything in station which appropriate for the Atlantic West. For example: USA government dreams about disintegrating Russia, controlling natural resources of Russia use democracy as a cover.
    Using "democracy" as cover American government are mostly thinks only about own interests. But in the same time they want to show it as true way. For this point USA government uses propaganda the same as USSR did. The war in Georgia shows it fully.

    Most of Americans don't understand that Caucasus it is not France, Germany and so on. It's big quarrel family. Where you can't make one member higher then others. Giving weapon to leader of Georgia America created new war. Russia stops it and now destroys this weapon. Of course American government doesn???t like especially CIA which created virtual democracy in Georgia to control Azerbaijan oil and have military base in Caucus.

    As a result of it now more and more Russians don???t believe American west. And most of Russians already ready to increase rates in this game right up to war with West. Just to do not disintegrate Russia and to balance world decisions what means to do not allow doing west anything saying that is good.

    As for me I think USA is overdue with understanding it. Playing virtual sheriff USA actually doesn???t understand where the war can be started and how it???s ripening. It???s just because being super state USA don???t have experience in being active member of Global Wars. Playing in this game USA shows virtually power, they don???t understand that in Russia after few Global Wars it can be estimated as a preparing for World War. In addition small country as Georgia with stupid virtual leader can change USA government politic in any way just because USA believe in own produced propaganda but not in sober mind.
    All it mature World War.

  • Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 08/24/2008 4:47:42 AM

    Mr. Haass, this article is very good but unfortunately the US administration will not be implementing it.

    The US is currently trying to prevent Russia to become powerful again because the US have been preoccupied with other countries and realised that Russia is taking advantage of the situation to consolidate its resources.

    That is why the US is desparate to install the missiles in Poland at whatever costs. The US has also instigated the war in Georgia to evaluate Russia's response. It has also placed its military bases in stategic locations in Europe and send its fleet to the Ukrainian waters.The US has managed to brain wash NATO leaders to face Russia.

    US preoccupation with Iraq and Afghanistan has some how hampered the process. The US will ensure that the next Pakistan leader will be its willing puppet .(the obvious choice will be Kalyani, the CIA groomed general. By the way Musharraf incurred the US's wrath when he decided to approve the Iran-Pakistan-India/China pipeline thus opening a big hole in the sanction bucket on Iran; that was one of the main reasons that the US decided not to fully support the recalcitrant Musharraf.)This will enable the US to fight and defeat the al-Qaeda and Talibans by opening another front (rather from the rear) thus ensuring that Afghanistan will need less foreign forces and whatever troops and military hardware in Afghanistan would be used to face Russia. However Iraq will have to be compromised and it is not surprising that the US has suddenly decided to withdraw its troops from Iraq sooner than envisaged.

    This is also the reason why the US is not taking military action on Iran and the all out effort that has been able to resolve the North Korean issue. Besides all these, the US is trying to strenghten and convince Israel to watch over the middle-east especially Iran; Israel can take on Iran anytime it desires.

    India will now support the US because of the current deal with the US to provide nuclear power plants to India. China, its economy is still fragile and too dependent on the US for its exports. Moreoever China has wasted a lot of money on the olympics and now facing the realities.The US is also able to use the Tibet issue which has been proved to be very effective.

    Therefore Mr. Haass the US will never give your opinion and suggetions the slightest thought.

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