OPINION
NOVEMBER 20, 2008
Obama Should Look Into Putin’s Record, Not His Eyes
The U.S. has the chance for a fresh start on Russia relations.
By GARRY KASPAROV
Even as Barack Obama faces front-page issues like Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, he will still have to find the time and courage to deal with a certain nuclear-armed autocracy that controls much of the world’s oil and gas.
How should Mr. Obama deal with Russia’s official president, Dmitry Medvedev, and Russia’s real leader, Vladimir Putin? The choice is straightforward: Mr. Obama can treat them like fellow democratic leaders or like the would-be dictators that they are. His decision will tell the world a great deal about how seriously he takes his promises of change.
The Kremlin is very eager to be accepted as an equal. It apparently hopes that Mr. Obama will send the signal that democracy in Russia doesn’t matter, that the Kremlin’s crushing of the opposition and free speech is irrelevant, and that annexing pieces of neighboring Georgia is a local issue and not an international one.
Last week Mr. Medvedev was in France to meet with the leaders of Europe. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is also the current European Union president, tripped over his tongue to ingratiate himself and to present himself as a great peacemaker.
Mr. Sarkozy proudly announced that Russia had “mostly completed” its obligations to resolve the conflict with Georgia. But there is no way to “mostly” accept a dictatorship.
Russia’s ruling elite has close allies among the European nations that Mr. Obama is expected to woo. I am far less concerned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s clownish remarks about Mr. Obama’s “suntan” than about the way he so eagerly rushes to defend the commercial and political interests of Mr. Putin’s clan.
Leaders like Messrs. Berlusconi and Sarkozy have no allegiance to the nation of Russia. Rather, they are defending Mr. Putin as a means to protect their personal and business relationships. Will Mr. Obama’s desire to be the toast of Europe come at the expense of democracy in Russia? Mr. Obama must listen very carefully when European voices defend the Putin regime. Nearly always there is the hiss of gas or the bubbling of oil in the background.
Last weekend Mr. Medvedev was in Washington to continue his new charm offensive. But Mr. Obama must remember that he was selected by over 66 million votes while Mr. Medvedev needed only one — that of his predecessor, Mr. Putin.
Here is the full story.
he will still have to find the time and courage to LEAD a certain nuclear-armed autocracy that controls much of the world’s oil and gas.
Come on , we are tired of him , i’m French , and 80% Europe wants peaceful relationships with Russia , Germany has the same position as France , not only Italy , same for Spain , same for Sweden etc…
Russians in the overwhelming majority are happy with Putin and Medvedev , , funny that the biggest egotistical player of history with Fischer is telling we are looking after our own interests , as if USA , UK , China etc.. were not doing this … talking about hypocrisy . was he saying that when Yeltsin was selling his country’s assets to foreign countries and when corruption was 50 times worse than now ? no of course , Mr Kasparov was millionaire with banks account in fiscal paradises whilst his people was struggling in the 90’s for basic needs
Now he’s doing the coward blaming us for not having cold war relations with Russia ? France as current Europe rotating presidency holder CANNOT alienate Russia on her own (and don’t want it either .. why ? because Georgia attacked them? because Russian people are not prepared for democracy yet and are happy with their president ? because Russian’s standard of living is much higher now than 10 years ago and that the country is democratizing too slowly ? ).
It’s up to him , Mr Kasparov to struggle for his ideals and blame the relevant countries for Russia being more aggressive and suspicipous about the West (think Nato enlarging at their borders , Missiles shields , Iraq war , West policy towards them in the 90’s etc..) . What does he expect from us , that we confront Russia to impose them our own values or blackmail them instead of working together for peace and common prosperity ? won”t happen . Russians just left 70 years of Communism, just before was the Czar and in the 90’s , the country’s ressources were dilapidated and corruption was even worse than ever before , they have to make their own history , Russian people is a Great people , very intelligent , cultivated , suffered a lot during this century , and even if it’snot perfect there yet democratically , it is still Much , Much better than before and is on the right track , Mr Kasparov should rather go in demonstrations with the common people instead of behaving as an amateur in politics
Anon said: “Come on , we are tired of him , i’m French , and 80% Europe wants peaceful relationships with Russia , Germany has the same position as France , not only Italy , same for Spain , same for Sweden etc…”
Oh, but who would expect less from a block of countries that historically has shown that when it comes to international affairs they will only pursue the most cowardly option just not to get involved. These are the same countries who gave a free pass to Hitler…but then cried for help when he came crushing through their door. Typical reaction from European countries: ‘As long as my house is fine, I don’t care if my neighbors house is burning, or if their children have no food, or if they are being bbed, etc’
Actually , historically it shown as the country that fought the most wars and won the most in Europe , go back to history lessons , from Charlemagne , Templars and Hospitallers ,Louis XI , Louis XIV’s century , François Ier Napoleon’s Europe conquest for nearly 20 years and so on .
We always get involved … we got involved for Tibet recently , all we had is economical retaliations , we got involved for Iraq (1millions deaths .. ) with everything to lose and it cost us a lot economically , we got involved for Georgia …. Remember that USA’s Bush DID NOT want to send someone for a ceasefire during the Russia-Gerogia conflict (USA armed and brought Saakahvili in power and encouraged him to attack ) , instead , it’s France that had to go to find a ceasefire and this spared a lot of lives … We did it and it was the right decision
Secondly , we never begged anyone and never gave a free pass to Hitler , that is a myth , you are coward enough to hide your nationality , but your argument of ‘my house fine” is laughable , we didn’t nuke anyone, we didn’t invade anyone recently for their oil (disregarding muslim deaths like if they were animals ) , we do not thrive for world domination and we did not arm Sakaachvili nor are trying to put the shamble in Europe by trying to divide EU countries , bomb Belgrad or put missile shield in Czech Rep . Germany , France etc.. they want peace in Europe .
Thirdly , Russians are on the righ track , they have food , their house is far from burning , actually they buy many houses even in Western Europe , most Russians are optimistic about their future , Kasparov was a great chess player but looking for his own agenda
Anon said: “Kasparov was a great chess player but looking for his own agenda”
And Putin is just doing some Dalai Lama work? All of these blind sided Putin supporters are the same as the freaks who maintained Bush in power inthe US for 8 years. You will not see the error of your support until it hit you in hte face as a house of bricks.
The point of Kasparov is that France , Germany , Italy etc.. should be tough with Russia . Fact is being tough and alienate Russia will not make democracy quicker there …
In Western countries like France and the UK , it took more than a century to implement functionnal democracy ..
His other point is that we supposedly follow only our own interests whereas without France quickly broking a ceasefire (against Bush’s will ) taking advantage of UE presidency , many Georgians would be dead right now .
I mean what does he want us to do ? one has to be realistic , France wants Georgians to have their full territory and be prosperous , we are not responsible for this conflict nor for lack of Democracy in Russia ..(which has never been democratic before nor is it part of their philosophical/cultural heritage )/ All we tried to do is solve the conflict the best we could , and now Kasparov blame us … What did he do himself , what did you do for Georgians instead of pushing them into an arm race and breaching Black sea treaty (warship limits) or trying everything to put Russia’s neighbours in Nato and planting missiles at their borders .Kasparov presents the reality as simplified , like black and white , the immaculated white Democrats of the West agains the evil Russians . This is not reality , and Russia IS democratizing , but at his own pace and i respect a lot allRussians who want to accelerate the pace and liberalize their country/press etc… , but no need to fall such low by blaming those who tried to extinguish the fire …
Yet another Kasparov rant. I would rather read about chess in this blog.
Susan, you seem to be in his pocket.
European countries are WUSSES, they only watch their own ass.
Berluskoni is a mafiosi and narcissist Sarkozi has mania grandeur to present himself as a Peacemaker genious…
ONLY US and Britain can influence the world now, and Europe and protect the whole world from RUSSIAN AGRESSION.
Obama should regard Putin and Medvedev as criminals and should not give them an opportunity to validate themseleves as equal political rank figures.
Britain is the first investor in Russia moron .. and they have the same position as France in this problem (Democracy in Russia and Georgia ) ..
Secondly your country is nothing without European influence and wouldn’t even exist without France and Britain so …