Unforeseen Contingencies

It's always worth a comment when the great powers demonstrate they can work together on a common project. Too bad it's a terrible project. As the U.S. continues to destabilize the Middle East, Russia now seems intent on doing the same for Eastern Europe.

The tsar of the Russian "Empire" is hoping to crush independence in Georgia, presumably to bring it back to the fold. No doubt there are similar designs on Ukraine and Moldova. The problem for the Russian nationalists and Soviet nostalgists is that there are strong nationalist sentiments and anti-Soviet feelings in these countries. And these include hatred of Russia -- some of it well-deserved -- for what the Russian Soviets did to the people of these countries. Tsar Vladimir's criminal conduct against Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova will backfire by inflaming anti-Russian hostility in the region, and not just among Georgians, Ukrainians, and Moldovans. Putin's inane and thuggish foreign policy threatens to destabilize Eastern Europe -- to the benefit of no one.

Unfortunately, it's extremely unlikely that the West has sufficient backbone to stand up to the Russian government, and Russians themselves seem to be satisfied with their role as docile subjects of the new tsar.

With all of this destabilization going on, its seems as though world leaders are intent on driving us all to the brink of World War III. When it comes it will be facsinating to see how countries choose sides... even just forecasting how many sides there will be seems nearly impossible.

Just so it's clear, the UC blog will be on the side of...