ANALYSIS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS IN PROF. SKOSPLES' ECONOMIC SYSTEMS COURSE AT OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Monday, September 1, 2008
What Russia's invasion of Georgia tells us about today's world
Recently, the public (should) start to have a closer look at the war between Russia and Georgia. This is considered as a serious threat to our global peace. According to this article in the Time magazine, Moscow's behavior is no longer a simple attack on Georgia. More importantly, it is a sign, an attempt that Moscow takes to reform the Soviet Union. "[Vladimir] Putin [the President-turned-Prime Minister] declared that the dissolution of the Soviet Union was 'the greatest geopolitical disaster of the [20th] century.'," quoted from "Staring Down the Russians" by Zbigniew Brzezinski. 17 years ago, Soviet Union failed to practice communism, and broke apart. Now, Russia wants to take control over all of its former colonies, and once again tries to apply such economic system. However, in my opinion, Russia is rather using a wrong approach. It is using both ruthless force and unethical economic pressures against the former colonies. For example, its tragic attacks against Georgia and its economically isolation against central Asian neighbors like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan... I am sure each economic system has to try hard in order to survive. And I also agree that such systems can go through adaptation if needed. However, I think Russia's attempt is rather desperate and unaccepted. The international public should definitely take some actions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is exactly where economics plays havoc with "moral" political decisions. not that I necessarily that Russia is being particularly aggressive or out of hand. It would be hypocritical of the US to say so because we went into other countries with the excuse of protecting citizens/corporations and we are very aggressive in protecting our spheres of influence (Vietnam, Iraq and/or Latin America anyone???!!)
Anyway, There is no way that the UN or the EU or NATO will ever be able to come to a consensus about the Georgia issue because of OIL and natural gas considerations. Not only does the west not want a new cold war, they like the inflow of natural gas and oil from Russia (Germany gets about 50% of each from Russia). Obviously this clouds any decisions they might make regarding sanctions or military action agaisnst Russia.
Post a Comment