GEORGIA ON MY MIND
The pundits and the press have been sounding off lately about Georgia and "Russian aggression."
So why is Georgia, one of the smallest and poorest nations on earth, so important to the United States? President Bush, like most Americans, could not have located Georgia on a map or named its capital city before this crisis. (He probably still can't). And now we have one Sarah Palin, who would presume to be a heartbeat away from the presidency and who does not know what the Bush Doctrine is, as well as Senator John McCain, who would presume to be Commander-in-Chief and still refers to the Czech Republic as Czechoslovakia, advocating NATO membership for remote Georgia. What this means, my fellow Americans, is that the United States would be treaty-bound to go to war with Russia in the event of Georgia/Russia hostilities. Read the last sentence again and let it sink in.
The Obama administration will need to completely overhaul US foreign policy to include de facto recognition of Russia's legitimate security needs and recognition of Russia's sphere of influence, including South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia. Only this way can America's own security be assured. The profligate Bush administration has pledged $1 billion to help Georgia recover from its ill-advised invasion of South Ossetia and consequent beating by the Russian army. This arrogant interference of ours will only enrage the Russians and inflame anti-Americanism. It is not in our interest to confront Russia and set off a new arms race costing billions of dollars that we will have to borrow from abroad while increased geopolitical tensions keep energy prices sky high. The only way to meet America's national security needs is to work with Russia to create a neutral, demilitarized buffer zone around the Russian border. Enormous oceans to the east and the west and docile neighbors to the north and south act as America's buffer zone. Helping Russia achieve peace of mind about its security and true American intentions will reap untold benefits for the United States.
The offensive missile batteries in Poland and the Czech Republic need to be withdrawn immediately. The Russians will be more than amenable to a tit-for-tat withdraw of their armed forces from the Western Hemisphere. We need Russian cooperation at the United Nations on a host of issues from nonproliferation to global warming and terrorism. It is not in the interests of the United States to alienate this large and powerful country while sticking up for every thorn in its side. Current American policies towards Russia betray a haughty ignorance of her history and contempt for her people, who approve of Vladimir Putin and the Georgia war.
The United States risks military confrontation with Russia at its peril.
I heard president-to-be Barack Obama say that he has Jay-Z and Ludacris in his iPod. May I suggest a little Shostakovich, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky for a glimpse into the Russian psyche and then a meeting with president Medvedev to set this crucial relationship straight.
DANIEL BRUNO SANZ
Daniel Bruno Sanz writes about financial and political affairs. His areas of expertise include currencies, stock markets, Latin America, Japan and Russia. In early 2007, he predicted that Obama would win the Democratic primary when polls showed him 20 points behind Senator Clinton. He also forecast Obama would win 52% of the popular vote and beat the Republican nominee in the general election. Today he forecasts an Obama victory in 2012. His
2007 book and other writings are available at DanielBrunoSanz.com. He is a native of New York City.
