Russia: Still an Enigma

"Russia spied for Iraq, study finds" (1)

According to a US Military study issued March 24, documents captured by US forces in Baghdad prove that Russian officials passed military information obtained from American sources to Sadam Hussein during the US invasion of Iraq in March, 2003. Russian officials have denied the claim, but the Iraqis would have had no reason to fabricate evidence of Russian help, especially since they did not expect the evidence to be captured.

Unfortunately, this behavior by our sometimes Russian friends fits into a pattern that includes:
1. Dealing with the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
2. Providing military and nuclear technololgy to Iran.
3. Opposing efforts to bring Iran before the UN Security Council for its nuclear program.

In each one of these cases, Russia has favored the interests of a Muslim power at the expense of those of the US and its allies. Why?

First, Russia has profitable economic ties with Iran, and had such ties with Iraq before the US invasion. Both Iran and Iraq have huge oil reserves, and could pay for Russian equipment, both military and civilian. Unlike the United States, Russia has never let qualms about human-rights abuses or belligerency toward other countries (eg., Israel) stand in the way of making some fast rubles.

I believe that there is an even stronger incentive for Russia to implement a pro-Muslim foreign policy: a quest to reclaim big-power status and influence in the world.

Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moscow was the capital of one of the world's two great powers. Moscow not only had immense military power, including a huge nuclear arsenal, but also was the center of a worldwide ideological force called Communism, which had subordinate parties in every major country.

Although Russia today has a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, it is no longer the heart of an empire (an evil one, according to Ronald Reagan) and has no ideology to export. It is still the largest country in Europe, but has one of lowest standards of living on the Continent. Russia is no longer feared, and worse yet, is not much respected.

President Vladimir Putin is a former KGB officer, and most other important policy-makers and diplomats are former Communist officials too. So are the newly-rich capitalists, who wrangled control of former state-enterprises through Soviet-era connections.

Today's Russia is both militarily and economically subordinate to the United States, and has no way to achieve parity anytime soon. But by acting to thwart US policy goals in the world, Russia shows that it is a serious player in international affairs, a power to be reckoned with. By taking a position intermediate between the US and Iran (or Hamas), Russia is positioned to act as a mediator, or diplomatic deal-maker.

The United States, Europe, and Israel must all recognize that Russia, although no longer a threat, is also not a trusted friend. No vital secrets should be shared with Moscow. If Russia can play a useful role in mediating international disputes, such as the Iranian nuclear issue, use its good offices.

But remember whom we are dealing with.

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(1) Headline, page 1, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 25, 2006.