By Maria Stoyadinova
News Roundup: Russia
As the U.S. presidential elections approach quickly, Russia is scrambling to underscore its military determination and unyielding ambitions for regional dominance. While the Georgian conflict renewed world interest in Russian affairs in late summer, the subsequent John McCain hard-line statements on Russian affairs and the Republican campaign emphasis on Sarah Palin's Russian expertise have conclusively focused the global spotlight onto the country. The Kremlin wants the new American Commander-in-Chief to enter the White House with the clear idea that Moscow isn't ready to compromise.
President Medvedev is shrewdly taking the opportunity to let anyone watching know that Russia is not joking when it comes to its geopolitical neighborhood. A few weeks ago, he signed agreements with the Georgian separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, guaranteeing Russian protection for the enclaves. Around the same time, the Duma gave a nod to a 25 percent increase in Russian defense spending for 2009. At the end of last month, Prime Minister Putin expressed open support for the elimination of the Russian-South Ossetian border.
In sync with these 'hard-line' demonstrations from the Russian political realm, the country's media has also stepped in to emphasize the message. This week the Russian newspaper Pravda staunchly criticized hints from Washington about the possibility of an embargo on Russia, underlining, among other things, the damaging effects such a move would have on the US economy and calling the proposition a product of "stupidity and vindictiveness." In late September, the same newspaper published a piece condemning Ukraine's foreign policy course and ambitions for NATO membership, entitled "Will Russian Tanks Roll into Ukraine?", showcasing a potential link between Ukrainian pro-Western policies and confrontation with Russia.
The timing of this active pro-Moscow campaign, launched by Russia's politicians and media, seems to have one goal behind it: making sure that the new U.S. president is fully aware of Russia's potential and ambitions at the onset of his term, setting the tone for and U.S.-Russian relations over the next four years.
Maria Stoyadinova is a graduate student in the IR/International Law program at the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C. She is a Bulgarian national.
Email the Author | Email This Post | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Johns Hopkins University.
Comments (6)
Yeolds:
That's an interesting map - but those aren't necessarily military bases; most of those countries have military advisers or staff officers that work with the country's NATO contingent, or work in the embassy as attaches for military affairs, or they are counting the US Marine guards that handle embassy security. I don't think 11 troops in Croatia, or 12 in Bulgaria constitutes a military "presence" except in the most strict of meanings. By that measure, the Russian military has a presence in the United States as well. Also, in terms of the Gulf Region, the US has between 250 - 300 troops in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the large presences in Afghanistan and Iraq, and in all other countries has no presence at all or a presence of between 10 - 30 total troops. Hardly massive regional occupation. It would be more interesting to see the number of countries that have a sizable, say, over 2,000 troop, presence in them. I imagine that number is much smaller, probably around the 30 - 40 mark, just as (probably high) guess. And, while the U.S. spends a lot more on its military than Russia, Russia spends a much higher portion of its GDP on the military (about 9% of the total budget for the U.S., and 16% for Russia). I'd be interested in seeing a worldwide map of Russian Military Presence 1950 - 2007, but unfortunately, none appears to exist...
October 14, 2008 11:49 PM | Report Offensive Comment
Posted on October 14, 2008 23:49
historical USA military presence in world 1950-2007 interactive map:
http://www.motherjones.com/military-maps/
October 14, 2008 2:11 PM | Report Offensive Comment
Posted on October 14, 2008 14:11
bschuber:
We are close to 200 sovereign nations smallest Vatican, Largest Russia.
The Major countries of Nato most have larger US forces in them, at times as in Germany a number of bases, in other countries a number of bases [Afganistan, IRaq, most of the Gulf excluding Saudi Arabia], at times just major USA EMBASSY PROTECTORS - can't trust those natives, lol; Advisors an trainers [Georgia comes to mind], permament or temporary naval bases [remember the Cole in Yemen].
You recall the neo-con idea to keep troops in Iraq as long as Germany/South Korea - 50-60 year + [the USA can not afford that].
Once I saw a map on the net [interactive] showing the distribution of troops/marines etc - sorry do not remeber the site.
hope the above helps
October 13, 2008 1:55 PM | Report Offensive Comment
Posted on October 13, 2008 13:55
Yeolds:
I'm curious, I've seen this statistic quoted several times on this board, but I have no idea how it would be possible for the US to house military bases in 120 countries - that would be something over half of all countries in the world, which seems to be quite ridiculous just on a common sense basis. And as for them not being popular, I have spent time around Russian military bases in foreign countries, and I don't think they are any more popular than those aforementioned US bases in Japan and South Korea.
All in all, very good article I thought.
October 13, 2008 6:04 AM | Report Offensive Comment
Posted on October 13, 2008 06:04
Russian used to be so cooperative but they all of a sudden found that they are back-stabbed. A cornered,disillusioned bear has to bear its teeth to deter a shrewd,crooked,and doubletalking hunter.
October 10, 2008 9:03 PM | Report Offensive Comment
Posted on October 10, 2008 21:03
This Bulgarian lady would be most welcome in neo-con spin land. The disputed territories between Russia and Georgia are not the business of Uncle Sam [nor of Europe] history of the region backs the Russian stand. That Mr Chaney., mr Mccain and supporting staff misjudged the issue when they egged and armed the idiot in residence in Georgia, they were either on Kool Aid or ....
The worry of the lady should be the USA DoD and related budgets [total approx 1 trillion dollars] representing more tha half of the total defence related expenditure of the world, raher than the miniscule [by comparison] of Russia's defence budget.
the minute this lady can cite that Russia has bases next to the border of USA as the USA has bases around Russia, then she can call on Russian imperialistic efforts, til then she should worry about the nation that has 700+ inastallations within 120+ countries [where quite a few are most unpopular by the natives, as in Japan, S. Korea, etc].
Let us remeber that Georgia attacked the disputed regions notwithstnading international covenent applicable to the issue, thus Georgia followed the LeAD OF usA, DISREGARD ANY AND ALL INTERNATIONAL LAW when such interferes with political/millitary desires.
October 10, 2008 7:30 PM | Report Offensive Comment
Posted on October 10, 2008 19:30