Putin's National Security Vision -- Dmitri Trenin, Real Clear World/Carnegie Endowment
Vladimir Putin has laid down his views on Russia's national security policy. In an article in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, he pledged to make Russia militarily strong, so as "not to tempt others" into thinking they might win control of its resources. But the problem with Putin's vision is that the military modernization he has in mind still rests on the unreformed concept of the United States as Russia's principal likely adversary.
There is no question that a country with Russia's natural riches, given its complex geopolitical position, declining population, and lack of alliances with other major powers, needs to have modern defenses and a capability to protect its national interests. It is also true that, as Putin mentioned, Russia's military was neglected for two decades-until the beginning of military reforms in 2008. There is no doubt that a Russia that is comfortable within its own borders and friendly with its neighbors, and that forms partnerships with the United States and Europe as well as China and India, is a major, even indispensable factor for global stability.
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My Comment: My nationality is Russian, so I took special notice on this post by Dmitri Trenin .... and guess what .... there is very little that I can disagree with. His analysis is spot on, and his critique deserves a wide reading within the Russian political establishment itself.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's full article on what are his views on Russian defense and national security can be read here.
2 comments:
Fortunately enough, the Russian political establishment will not listen to you or to people like the article author, cause they know better.
So the Russians are "obsessed" with the US? Pray tell, who is trying to encircle Russia with the Missile Defense System. Who is invading bordering countries and establishing bases. Who is using proxies controlled by US-NATO to wage war on Russia as in Georgia. Putin is spot on and way ahead of all those pitiful "analysts" and knows that the US's strategy is either to force regime change in Russia installing one of their puppets as a president or, if they fail in that, to destroy it. Russia under Putin you see is a thorn in Washington's side because it opposes US imperial and global domination agenda through regime change and continuous war.
I also found the mentioning of investing in "science and technology" amusing at a time when the US has abandoned every plan of space exploration and peaceful technology to focus only in War, while Russia and China are pioneers with more and more money poured towards space exploration.
Thank you Brodie for your comment.
You have an interesting point of view, but one that I know is not shared in Russia. Russians on the street have the same altitude about America attacking Russia that the Americans have about Russia attacking them .... it's not going to happen.
As for Putin's comments about building Russian military strength .... he said the same thing when he was President before Medvedev .... and ended doing what he will be doing when he becomes President again .... focus on the Islamic insurgency in the Caucasus, and strengthen anti-terrorism operations in Russia as the whole.
As for investment in science and technology .... I wish it was true. Their space program relies on technology that has been around for decades, and China is just trying it's best to copy them. But I will agree with your assessment about the U.S. abandoning space exploration and researching new technologies, their priority right now is U.S. national security and domestic entitlement programs.
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