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What a strange concept, to picture any country holding tangible high-value “cards.” If there was a deck, the United States – the strongest country in the world – would hold most of them. Yet the U.S. still proves unable to really solve anything.
There is an old Hungarian saying that goes like this: “It’s better to be afraid than to be shocked.” I never understood the wisdom in this phrase. In my opinion fear and worry are both bad. I am tired of the fears of the “Western World” of Russia and Putin. I am old enough to remember that during the long decades of the Cold War the U.S. put quite a number of military bases and missiles all over Europe. Still, nobody in the Western world worried about it. Most people thought those were “our” missiles, “our” troops, “our” bases.
This question cannot be answered without a precise knowledge of the Russian system of law and extradition rules. Since I am not familiar with the judicial system in the Russia of today, my answer is quite simple. Their law certainly has a regulation about cases like that. And the Russian prosecutors and police should simply comply with the related rules.
As much as I do not like political statements of principle, there are a few things I hate even more than these “claims”: war, murder, terrorism, and other phenomena that endanger us as human beings. I prefer negotiation, by any means. I think negotiation, and even ransom, are better ways of solving conflicts and getting out of dangerous situations than using any kind of violence. As long as non-violent solutions are still possible – whether it’s talking more, or paying ransom – a government or politician should stick to them.
I do not think Russia has ever lost its power, and it has always been an empire, even in the post-Reagan era when the United States was happy to think that the world had only one super power.
The world should do everything within reason to stop the war between Russia and Georgia. The United Nations should make decrees and send envoys. Newspapers should publish every text that opposes the war. If all the aforementioned measures do not help, we can pray. No super power should send troops, airborne forces or warships. And, especially no nuclear weapons.
The Current Discussion: What's the next likely target of Russia's reassertion of power?
Whoever would ask this question has a view of the world similar to that of former President Reagan, that is, Russia (the main part of the late Soviet Union) = Evil Empire. The Devil, in the form of a country.
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