The only thing I liked (or I should rather say loved, admired, and was ecstatic to hear) about McCain's campaign was his unwavering dedication to defending Ukraine from Russia's imperialist politics. In the second presidential debate, McCain said in no uncertain terms that Ukraine was now in Putin's sights (a great insight that I'm yet to hear Obama replicate) and that any aggression against its neighbors coming from Russia needed to be penalized. I never heard Obama take a position that would even come close to this dedicated anti-Russian imperialism stand.
In the aftermath of Obama's visit to Russia, I feel that he has forgotten about Ukraine and the constant danger that Russia's dream of imperialist expansion still represents for all its former-USSR neighbors. All talk about stopping the NATO expansion as a sign of goodwill towards Russia once again leaves Russia's smaller neighbors out to dry. Of course, Russia is big, scary, and unpredictable. It has a huge number of nuclear weapons that it will never let go. The question is whether the Obama administration will give up on Ukraine's independence in order to placate a much stronger Russia.
Russia's entire national identity is constructed around its imperialism. Of course, the US also have a strong imperialist agenda. If you take imperialism out of the US national identity, however, there will still be a lot left. Not so for Russia. In the recent years, Putin and now Medvedev have been promoting an agressive pro-imperialist ideology. Talking to the Russian leaders about democracy, goodwill towards its neighbors, and respect for their national sovereignty is a waste of time. They are not going to stop. They will keep trying to meddle in Ukraine's affairs and nothing less than the restoration of the Russian Empire will be enough. Remember, the empire always needs more.
I truly hope Obama understands this even though he isn't saying it out loud at the moment. I have to believe this because it's the only thing that can save independent Ukraine.
9 comments:
With all due respect, the Obama administration has more important issues on its plate right now. What with the economic crisis and the Muslim terrorism, you know. It's not a good time to take on Russia and worry about Ukraine. This tiny Eastern European country cannot be our priority at this point. Obama is right in that he doesn't want to spread himself too thin. We need to concentrate on our own problems right now.
Tiny?? Maybe you should use Google more often. This will allow you to learn things before forming opinions: "Ukraine is the largest whole-Europe country and the second largest country in Europe (after the European part of Russia, before metropolitan France)" (Wikipedia).
As for the rest, do I really need to remind how big of a problem Russia can be if allowed to act unchecked?
A country's sovereignty is never a tiny issue.
Thank you, Andrea!
Clarissa,
---constant danger that Russia's dream of imperialist *expansion* still represents for all its former-USSR neighbors. All talk about stopping the NATO *expansion*...
Which of the two expansions is "better" is a matter of taste. I personally prefer NATO expansion to Russian expansion, but it would be very difficult for me to find arguments proving that US and NATO have any moral superiority over Russia in those expansionist matters. So for me it is more of an issue of cultural affinity. Speaking of Ukraine: what do the polls say - what does the majority of population want?
I also strongly believe that the US did a great disservice to the humankind by behaving in a "we are powerful, therefore we can do what we want" way, as now it gives countries like Russia, Iran, etc right to say - "we are just doing same things the US does, but we are actually even better, because we are not hypocrites about those things like US is; we openly talk about our neighbors being in our sphere if national interests, or about the destruction of Israel in case of Iran, while the US masks its actions by talk about bringing democracy to other countries".
And, returning to Russia, I really hope they one day understand they actually are a European country, and that there is nothing wrong about belonging to that club. Hope they understand that before the Chinese take them over...
V.
"proving that US and NATO have any moral superiority over Russia in those expansionist matters"
-The US don't have a history of making Ukraine part of their country and forcing everybody BY LAW to speak English. The US are located pretty far geographically, so this turn of events is very unlikely. What are they going to do, turn Ukraine into a new US state? Hardly likely. At this point, the US never tried to falsify elections or intrude in any way into Ukrainian policies. So, this analogy is wrong.
"as now it gives countries like Russia, Iran, etc right to say - "we are just doing same things the US does, but we are actually even better, because we are not hypocrites about those things like US is"
-This part I agree with completely.
---The US don't have a history of making Ukraine...
As long as we are talking strictly about Ukraine, I agree with you. However, I was talking about general tendencies as well. Some other countries did suffer from US expansionism, and did not suffer from Russian one.
--At this point, the US never tried to falsify elections or intrude in any way into Ukrainian policies.
Why are you so sure? US did it to some other countries, why should one reject at least a possibility in case of Ukraine?
V.
"As long as we are talking strictly about Ukraine, I agree with you. However, I was talking about general tendencies as well. Some other countries did suffer from US expansionism, and did not suffer from Russian one."
-If Mexico, for example, decides to turn to Russia because Russia is far away and never did anything bad to Mexico, that would make sense.
I really don't see at this point how the US represent any danger to Ukraine. I can't imagine the US making any efforts to eradicate our language and culture. I mean, why would they?
"Why are you so sure? US did it to some other countries, why should one reject at least a possibility in case of Ukraine?"
-Hypothetically, anything can happen. However, with Russia we already have a long history of oppression, invasion, genocide, etc. I see no reason for the US to want to do any of those things to Ukraine. It would be weird to fall back on Russia - whose attitude to us we already know as a matter of fact - because of a vague fear that Americans might do something bad.
I do not think US represents danger to the existence of the Ukrainian nation or to formal independence of the Ukrainian state. I would not be so sure about the de facto independence though... Experience of Estonia shows that countries backed by the US sometimes have to participate in questionable US actions, like the Iraqi war, for example... Not because the US directly orders them to participate, but because they are too afraid to lose US backing in arguments with Russia...
Anyway, it is indeed better than the threat of actually joining Russia, I agree.
V.
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