Media Criticism

Americans have considered Russia a whipping boy in the decade and a half following the end of the Soviet Union. Russia has been pushed into Westernizing their economy while successive administrations have failed to recognize the natural resources available within the massive country. In the 21st century and the war on terror, Russia is beginning to awaken from the failures of communism to take its role in a new type of political atmosphere.

While the Cold War is gone and done, remnants of Cold War geopolitics form Western approaches to Russia. The focus of defensive weapons in Eastern Europe on Russian borders, the disagreement over a missile defense system between Bush and Putin and the legal arms trades by Russia to belligerents in the war on terror have allowed foreign policy experts to maintain a holding pattern in dealing with Russia. In a Foreign Affairs article this month, National Interest publisher Dimitri Simes indicates the “loss�? of Russia if these policies continue because Russia has little incentive to attach itself to the West.

The most vexing aspect of the Russian issue to me is the lack of dialogue in Congress and the primary debates over foreign relations with Russia. I can appreciate that primary voters are more interested in Mitt Romney’s musings on Guantanamo Bay and Dennis Kucinich’s UFO citing but Russia is the key to America’s efforts at managing terrorism. Russia spans all of Asia and offers a connection to burgeoning powers like China and Iran that have cozied up to Putin in recent years. This nation has a number of weapons remaining from the Cold War that may be placed in the hands of authoritarians in Asia and the Middle East. Finally, Russia has the natural resources that can help the nation grow and mobilize quickly once it finds its economic groove.

America cannot add on new enemies in its efforts to create world peace. Vladimir Putin may be on his way out but it is clear that whoever his successor is will share the same mentality as Putin. The Russian electoral process is guided (or fixed) toward conservative government led by the last generation of ex-Soviet leaders. Since President Bush is stuck in a Cold War mentality, the next president will need to extend an olive branch to Putin and the new Russian leader. If the goal of America is to expand its influence globally by rebuilding international relations, this step is critical to securing a significant ally. This goal may seem lofty and mainstream candidates may be unwilling to kowtow to Russia since the shadows of Soviet rule are still cast in the minds of American voters.