Former Defense Secretary: We Should Not Demonize Russia

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen warns that the U.S. could fall into a cold, or even a hot, war if Americans and Russians fail at their reconciliation effort. Cohen says that the U.S and Russia must remain in contact with each other to avoid the possibility that each nation will "demonize" the other. (0:29)
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Former Sec'y Of Defense Says Russia Key To Disarming Iran

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen argues that, as a long-time economic partner of Iran, Russia may play a critical role in reducing Iran's nuclear ambitions. But, Cohen adds that Russia may want to avoid tension with Iran because of its commercial interests in the Middle-Eastern state. (0:31)
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Former Defense Secretary: U.S. Must Carve Out Role For Russia

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen says the U.S. must figure out what role it wants Russia to play in the world. Among other things, Cohen says Russia can be either a "perennial adversary"or an "ally." (0:44)
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Former Nat'l Intelligence Council Chairman Says U.S. Doesn't "Understand" Russia

Fritz Ermath, Former National Intelligence Council Chairman, says U.S. policy making toward Russia should be informed by the deepest possible understanding of Russia. He says the U.S. devoted extensive research to that understanding during the Cold War, and the current policy-makers need to study Russia more today. (0:45)
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Policy Expert Describes Obama's Arms Control Policy As A "Rush To Failure"

Baker Spring, Research Fellow of National Security Policy at the Heritage Foundation, described the Obama administration's failure to conduct the fundamental reviews necessary for a well grounded arms control policy as a "rush to failure". Spring went on to add that arms control was at the heart of the U.S.-Soviet relationship and is now a central theme of the U.S.-Russia relationship. (1:04)



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Arms Control Should Be A Two-Way Street, Says Russian Expert

Yevgeny Volk, Coordinator at the Heritage Foundation's Moscow office, joins a discussion, via satellite, on the upcoming U.S.-Russia Summit. He says Russia must look at arms control as a two-way street, not only preventing present threats but also forthcoming threats. He also adds that they must realize that the threats are not coming from the United States. (0:40)
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Brazil & Mexico should join G8

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Eric Farnsworth, Vice-President for Council of Americas suggests Brazil and Mexico should be allowed to join the G8 at a Subcommittee meeting on the Western Hemisphere. February 4, 2009.
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UN-Russia cites Ukranian famine in escalating tensions

His Excellency, Mr. Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations said several Ukranian delegates have expressed concern about the victims of the famine of 1932-33 and the subsequent years of suffering and deaths of Ukranians during the Soviet era. Mr. Churkin admitted many suffered during the famine and Soviet regimes but rejected that the regime oppressed only Ukranians. He asked us to look at other areas and countries including Kazakhstan, where tragedies took place. Kazakhstan was denied a voice at the GA last week when their representative attempted to address the sufferings of the countries civil society during Soviet occupation.

Churkin claimed the Ukranian leadership is looking at these historical circumstances in a negative way. He cited many incorrect statements made by Ukrainian delegates including accusations of genocide against Ukranians, as breaking the "brotherly bond" between the Russian and Ukranian people.  Churkin also inferred: "the hyperactive attitude of the United States delegation is aimed at exacerbating the situation between Russia and Ukranian delegates."

Churkin also believes these issues are being brought up now by the political motivation of some leaders in the current United States and United Kingdom administrations in order to spark unrest. He is hopeful for a "fresh opportunity for new US leadership" to help resolve these issues but would not say which presidential candidate the Russians support. The General Assembly spokesperson, Enrique Reyes, responded to Churkin's allegations and said there was no agreement from members on the issue of the famine-forcing the President of the GA to postpone the meeting.

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Russia will not deter Iranian nuclear program

Military historian and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute Fredrick Kagan says that we do not need to maintain perfect relations with Russia in hopes of deterring the Iranian nuclear program, since Russia will support Iran either way (0:39).
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Russia granted de-facto sovereignty over former Soviet states

Military historian and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute Fredrick Kagan discusses what would happen if the U.S. took the same liberties as Russia and contends that the U.S. has allowed Russia to take de-facto sovereignty over former Soviet states (0:40).
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President Uribe on Russian relationship

President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia comments on his relationship with Russia and Russia's involvement in South American countries. (1:13)
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Future with Russia will be hard to navigate

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns explains the future of US and Russian relations and explains that they may be strained.
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No business as usual with Russia

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns explains the steps that the Bush administration has taken in dealing with Russian hostility.
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U.S. 'sucking on thumb' when it comes to oil policy

Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) says that the U.S. must take a cue from Russia and China and have a more aggressive approach to oil (0:14).
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Cyber attacks hit Georgia

Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Paul A. Schneider describes how Russia used cyber attacks against Georgia. (0:23)
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U.S.-Russia relations must be reviewed

The U.S. must review its relationship with Russia according to Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman. He also says we must protect the Ukraine and Baltic countries as well. (0:30)
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Second Cold War unacceptable to Edelman

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman says we do not want a second Cold War. Edelman says that we still should protect Georgia.
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Lieberman asks about Russian interest in Ukraine

Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) asks about the significance of many Russian passports recently given to Russian-Ukranians and the possible link to a conflict between the countries. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman indicated there was reason for worry. (1:11)
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Russia Georgia Conflict - Background and Context

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* The history of Georgia is full of conflict, and for thousands of years its inhabitants have constantly struggled to maintain their territorial independence. Before the might of Russia was first felt in the 18th century, Georgia had been a part of many great empires (such as those of Rome, Byzantium, Ottoman Turkey, and Safavid Persia), though it has also gone through periods of hard-fought-for independence.


* In 1801 the Russian Tsar took advantage of internal conflict in Georgia and in September Alexander I confirmed the incorporation of Russia's southern neighbour into the Empire.


* By the end of the century a national liberation movement had developed in opposition to Russian rule. The Marxist Social Democratic Movement was gaining much support and the Menshevik wing of the party (more moderate than its revolutionary brother, Bolshevism) came to dominate politics in Georgia, as in the rest of Russia.


* Notably, Joseph Stalin, a native of Georgia, came to lead the revolutionary Bolshevik party in his home country.


* Georgian nationalism was widespread, and when the Revolution of 1917 plunged Russia into disarray, this territory declared its independence as the Democratic Republic of Georgia. This freedom was short-lived, however, and early in 1921 the Bolsheviks' Red Army annexed Georgia to Russia once more.


* Georgia was ruled by the Soviet Union until 1991. Soviet Rule was bloody, and around 50,000 people were killed between 1921 and 1924, while Stalin purged another 150,000. Georgia's relations with the Soviet Union were never very good: they suffered under Krushchev's policy of de-Stalinisation, which was strongly critical of the always-nationalistic Georgian people (since Stalin himself was Georgian).


* Communist Georgia endured further problems in the late 1980s: the First Secretary, Patiashvili, was ill-equipped to deal with the challenges brought by Perestroika, and violence increased between the Soviet authorities, Georgian nationalists and other nationalist minority groups (notably those from Abkhazia and South Ossetia). A landmark event was the violent break-up of a peaceful demonstration at the government building in Tbilisi, the capital, on April 9th, 1989- twenty Georgians were killed, and hundreds more were wounded or poisoned. The event contributed to the radicalisation of Georgian politics and encouraged many to conclude that an end to Soviet rule was desirable.


* Independence finally came on April 9th 1991, after the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia held a referendum on March 31st- this was approved by 98.9% of the vote. In the following years Georgia experienced high levels of political unrest and violence; for example the first president, Gamsakhurdia, was ousted in a violent coup d'etat only a few months after taking office. Further problems ensued in 1992 as ethnic and separatist clashes occurred in Abkhazia and South Ossetia as the regions attempted to break with Georgia; hundreds of thousands of refugees fled to Russian-controlled territories in the north. Gamsakhurdia later returned and led a rebellion against the government, though this was successfully crushed.


* Relations with Russia deteriorated from the mid-1990s onwards due, in part, to the pro-Western stance of Georgia's leaders which Russia has been strongly opposed to. The United States sent considerable amounts of aid to Georgia, for example setting up the Georgia Train and Equip Programme to assist the nation's military, and Georgia signed a strategic partnership with NATO, expressing desire to join both NATO and the EU. A powerful coalition of pro-Western reformists led by Mikheil Saakashvili, among others, united in November 2003 to oppose Shevardnadze's corrupt government in the parliamentary elections- massive demonstrations were organised in Tbilisi when it became apparent that the elections were rigged. After two weeks of tension Shevardnadze resigned, and Saakashvili won the presidential election of January 2004 with a huge majority of 96% of votes cast. Saakashvili has been in power in Georgia ever since, and has faced many problems- peace in the unrecognised autonomous republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has always been fragile and until now has relied on assistance from Russia and the United Nations.


* Until Russia's invasion of Georgia this August, relations between the two nations have been difficult given Russia's continuous support of the separatist governments of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as the presence of two Russian garrisons in these regions. The Georgia-Russia Espionage Controversy of 2006 also did much to harm relations between the two states, when in September four Russian officers were arrested in Georgia on charges of espionage. A diplomatic war ensued which world organisations, such as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, attempted to diffuse.


* The rising tensions between Russia and Georgia in 2008 have been expressed chiefly through continuous denunciations and accusations by both sides, while violence has increased in separatist, pro-Russian Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The immediate build-up to the August 2008 military conflict began when Russia dropped the economic sanctions imposed on Abkhazia by the Commonwealth of Independent States in March of the same year- Karl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, stated that this action looked like a 'de facto annexation', and his opinion was certainly shared in Georgia. The crisis deepened when a Georgian unmanned, unarmed, aerial vehicle was shot down over Abkhazia on April 20th- Georgia accused Russia of being responsible, on the basis of video footage of a Russian MiG-29 shooting down the drone. Early in May Russia and Abkhazia responded by claiming that three more Georgian reconnaissance drones had been shot down, and they declared that Georgia was planning a military offensive on the region, though these allegations were dismissed by Georgian officials as provocative and propagandistic.


* On May 31st Russia sent apparently-unarmed railway troops into Abkhazia, allegedly to repair a railway line- this was condemned as an act of aggression and an infringement of Georgia's sovereignty by NATO's Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and the troops were pulled out on July 30th. In July violence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia continued to escalate, and in Moscow there was outcry over Condoleezza Rice's endorsement of Georgia's proposed membership of NATO. On July 15th, Abkhazia and South Ossetia were said to be planning to join the Union of Russia and Belarus but that they would need to be recognized as independent before they could join the Union as members. Georgia said on July 16 that if Russia did not accept a plan for resolving the conflict Georgia would be forced to "unilaterally bring an influence to bear on the deployment of armed forces in Abkhazia."


* Tensions reached breaking point and on August 1st South Ossetian and Georgian forces clashed- seven days later Russia sent troops across the border, transforming a separatist conflict into a full-scale war between Russia and Georgia.



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Aid flight to Georgia goes off "without a hitch"

Gen. Norton Schwatrz, the newly appointed Air Force Chief of Staff, says that an aid flight to Tblisi, Georgia was a success. Northern and central Georgia has become a combat zone in a territory dispute with Russia. (0:19)
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