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Russian army pulverizes Georgia
Photo: Reuters

Russia teaches US a lesson

In this war, Russia won, Georgia lost, and US was resoundingly defeated

Moscow's decision to flex its muscle vis-à-vis Georgia was meant to signal to the West, and particularly to Washington, not to meddle in Russia's backyard. Even before Georgia's invasion into South Ossetia, President Saakashvili was in Russia's sights. He was too American for its taste.

 

Saakashvili was certain he has a trusted friend in the White House; one who would come to his aid and offer significant help during times of crisis. This is what Washington made him understand. He played his role in the alliance fully when he sent his troops to take part in the Iraq War, while maintaining and securing the oil pipeline passing through his country.

 

Yet when the moment of truth arrived, once Saakashvili needed Washington's help, he mostly got nice words.

 

President Bush and his Administration were helpless in the face of the Russia's signal that it won't allow anyone to gain a foothold in territories under its influence - just like President Kennedy did not allow the Soviet Union to keep its missiles in Cuba.

 

Bush has a secretary of state who is an expert on the former Soviet Union, yet she was apparently preoccupied with the problems in Iraq and with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and failed to explain to the president that the Cold War is over; Bush, who does not have a deep grasp of foreign policy, failed to internalize the fact that a new world order has emerged.

 

Bush's unloaded gun 

Russia waited for Bush around the corner: Moscow is the big winner in the war with Georgia, if only because it taught Bush and his Administration a lesson on ties between states. Had Bush realized there's a new deal in the world, he would not have insisted on deploying his missiles in the Czech Republic and in Poland. He would have also realized that he should step back on the Kosovo issue if he wants the Russians to cooperate with him on Iran.

 

Bush's threats that the Washington-Moscow relationship was at risk were received amusingly in Russia. The Russians knew well that he was threatening them with an unloaded gun. Washington needs Russia more than ever if it wishes to impose severe sanctions on Iran.

 

Russia will likely soon boost its pressure on former Soviet states and may even be able to topple Georgia's president and replace him with a puppet regime backed by the Kremlin. One needs to be an eternal optimist in order to think that now, with the US weakness exposed, Poland and the Czech Republic would agree to deploy American missiles on their soil.

 

In this war, Russia won, Georgia lost, and the United States was resoundingly defeated. From now on, all former Soviet states would know that at best they can expect pretty words from Washington. Officials in Iraq and Afghanistan may also start thinking that they cannot rely on the US. Perhaps officials in Israel will start thinking twice as well.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.13.08, 23:29
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