US-Russia: Peregruska to Perezagruska
Sameer JAFRI
When we retrospect the time since the end of Second World War till
present, we find most of it fraught with the Cold War between the two
superpowers - USA and USSR. Both nuclear-armed superpowers tried to
impose their respective orders of Capitalism and Communism upon the
world.
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US President Obama and Russian
President Medvedev after signing Prague Treaty 2010 |
While USA is said to have promoted and actively supported the
fostering of liberal democratic form of Government with free market
economy and ‘concern’ for Human Rights, the USSR tried to turn the world
to Socialism driven by State control of resources and centralized
regimes. This continued till 1991, the year when Soviet Union collapsed
mainly as a result of its thrashing in Afghanistan by the CIA-ISI
offspring Mujahideen, internal systemic deficiencies facing the Union
and political and economic reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the
form of Perestroika and Glasnost. With the disintegration of USSR, the
Cold War came to an end and USA emerged as the sole undisputed
ringmaster.
Military power
After collapse, Russia replaced the world stature of USSR with
complete hold of Soviet nuclear arsenals and permanent seat in United
Nations Security Council. Though Cold War was over, perceptions and
opinions on both sides remain skeptical of each other’s acts and
postures to the present day. While the US treats Russia as a defeated
adversary, Russia, being a permanent veto member of Security Council and
having hold of second biggest conventional and nuclear military power,
still considers itself a power to reckon with.
In decade that followed the Soviet collapse, relations between the
two deteriorated and reached a new low during George Bush II reign, with
the US planning to deploy Missile Defence System in Europe, especially
Poland, the doorstep of Russia. Though claimed as a protection against
eventual attacks from Iran and North Korea, the plan was considered by
Russia as a threat to its own security. This aside, both the nations
continued to be poles apart over a range of issues from Iran to
Afghanistan. While America accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons,
Russia supported and helped Iran in building civilian nuclear plant at
Bushehr.
Common interest
On taking charge, Obama vowed to ‘reset’ the bilateral relations with
Russia. It all started with Obama’s visit to Moscow in July last year,
where they agreed on a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) to
succeed the previous START I which was to expire in December 2009. New
START was subsequently signed in Prague in April 2010. This treaty is
aimed at significantly reducing nuclear warheads that both countries
possess. It is now waiting ratification by the US Congress so as to come
into effect.
With the turn of events in 21st Century, many areas of common
interest have emerged between USA and Russia. The US needs Russian
support to come out of quagmire in Afghanistan. Today, US is finding
itself at a stage in Afghanistan where Soviet Russia was some two
decades ago. The US and NATO Forces are being routed in the hands of its
own creation-Taliban. Apart from threat of terrorism from across the
border, another major cause of concern for Russia is Cannabis
cultivation by the Taliban, as its smuggling is fuelling the number of
drug addicts in Russia. In their first ever joint operation in October,
Russian and American Forces crushed a huge amount of poppy plantations
in Afghanistan.
This was the first time, since their ouster, that Russian forces
stepped on Afghan soil. In another supportive gesture at Lisbon summit
of NATO, Russia has allowed transit of armored NATO vehicles from its
territory, apart from transportation of food and fuel. Though Obama has
replaced the earlier Missile Defence plan in Eastern Europe with
naval-based mobile defence systems, Russia is still wary of it and wants
a mutually acceptable agreement with NATO on the issue. Another zone of
conflict is the US conspired regime changes in former Soviet Republics
through ‘Colour Revolutions’ and expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe.
Russia considers it as an infringement into its traditional ‘sphere of
influence’. The latest case in point is Georgia which, in August 2008,
was thrashed by Russian Army in a three-day war on its disputed
territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Nuclear issue
Since then, Russia has recognized both territories as independent
states. Lately, amidst normalization of relations between Moscow and the
West, NATO has, for the time being, denied the bloc membership to
Georgia and Ukraine.
Europe has its own compulsions vis-a-vis Russia. It cannot fully
support Washington’s designs because of its heavy dependence on Russian
gas. The US-backed plans of constructing Nabucco pipeline and thus
diversifying Europe’s gas sources and undermining Russian role have not
succeeded yet.
On Iran, both countries have worked hard to achieve some sort of
strategic convergence. Grapevine is that Russia agreed not to sell S-300
missile systems to Iran in return for Obama’s change in stance on
Missile Defence. Also, Moscow agreed for US proposed extended Security
Council sanctions on Iran. However, Russia is still involved in
developing nuclear infrastructure there and has stressed on diplomatic
channels to find an amicable solution to Iran’s nuclear issue.
Emergence of China has greatly influenced the geopolitical landscape.
Both Russia and China have closed ranks together to limit the US role in
Central Asia and Asia-Pacific region.
There is also some progress on trade talks with Americans assuring
Moscow of its speedy accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Since the change of guard in the Washington two years ago, both nations
have come a long way in perezagruska (reset) their relations.
Ratification of the New START by the US Congress will not only help
both nations to substantially reduce their nuclear weapons, but will
also invigorate the efforts of non-proliferation and disarmament across
the world. It is in larger global interest that both nations leave
behind the legacy of Cold War and set an example of healthy
international cooperation.
The writer is India based political analyst
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