Ukraine (closed; covers till August 2014)

[OUTLAW 09]

A basic component in IR theory is the 'spoiler', which is the role Russia is playing given its (increasing) alienation from the West combined with its resurgent capabilities. IR is about relative power, and this is the most effective strategy for Russian to challenge the U.S. Historically what has kept Russia (or the USSR) together was its military power and centralized political control. Quantitatively, Russia is #2 behind the U.S. in military power and #10 economically. For those reasons, I think it's a mistake to ignore or dismiss Russia. And - as you mentioned - it has a large stockpile of nuclear weapons.

I've made the argument before that I do not think Russia qualifies as a 'traditional' Westphalian nation-state. Instead, I think Russia is better politically defined as an imperial system. In an imperial system, a political center dominates the subordinate peripheries without regard to ethnicity, nationality, etc. Principles of the Westphalian system such as territorial integrity and political sovereignty are not norms within the imperial paradigm. I think that goes a long way in explaining the vastly difference perceptions between Washington and Moscow.



What do you mean by "the world"?

AP--in many ways Russia currently as it stands acts as a criminal rouge state with two raw resources as does as the cartels in Mexico with drugs again only with nuclear weapons. To be a superpower requires three things---economic power, military power, and political power and the power to project all three.

During the Soviet years they really only had military power and political power evolving out of that military power---they never did have true economic power. With the destruction Yukos they attempted to resolve that problem by using Gasprom now a state not private company to achieve those economic power aims through a series of gas cartels that dictated price and supplies. They even penalize countries and companies for not taking the assigned amounts in the contracts---thus now the EU cartel fines that are coming to the tune of over 10% of their yearly earnings from 2008-2012.

Putin defines his image of the world, Putin defines his image for his own population, Putin defines the reactions to that image, Putin really does not care what the west thinks as he is as anti west as his hardliners are and he views the west as basically weak and decadent and seriously does not believe in the "values" thing. And he has voiced that a number of times since his return to power.

So again--what is Russia to the world? Right now Russia is in fact as isolated as never before even during the Soviet days.

When a rouge country is offered a number of times an off ramp and does not take it then in fact it has decided to remain outside the world community.

IE---today on Interfax they stated that "see we allowed OSCE observers on our control points so it shows we are trying to deescalate" --but was it not Putin himself on his own national TV who stated that he had given his orders to have "new enhanced secured borders" to both the FSB and the Federated Border Security Service? The only reason he wants them there is the false flag operations that are ongoing-and he needs them to verify the fact that Russia is being shelled. False flag-meaning mercenaries firing into Russia to give Russia the argument ---see it is those "uncontrollable" Ukrainians again so we might need to move into the Ukraine to secure the other side and protect our own citizens.

Was it not the same Russian government that denied it had and is still firing artillery/rockets into the Ukraine which normally is an "act of war" in most countries these days even when satellite photos are released showing the opposite.

Is it not the same Russia that has someone "allowed" some of it's more modern weapons that have never been sent to the Ukraine to "somehow" cross that "enhanced secure border"? Again if the border security is "enhanced" why the need for OSCE observers.

Another tap dance to distract the world. Russia even with the OSCE invite has not allowed the OSCE teams to go to the crossing points nearest the mercenary areas near Donetsk. Why not?

So again a criminal rouge country--why criminal--the Russian mob is just about as powerful worldwide as some western countries these days especially on the cyper side of the house.