Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Deadly Chess








Deadly Chess? Is the West up for the game?

The Western Nations, but most pointedly, the U.S., tends to play its
game straightforward. Not so Russia. Long a practitioner of Communist
double-speak, Russia blatantly announces pullback and withdrawal as it
advances and sinks it's bear-like claws deeper into Georgia, all the while
watching warily it's adversaries moves, or stillness.

If Russia does not suffer for it's actions, it will only become emboldened,
and engage in worse activity with it's other border states and former
vassals in Eastern Europe.

France and Germany will play a large role in determining Russia's
next steps. If those two nations bend their knees to Russia's energy sword,
Russia will only increase its belligerence. It expects adversarial action from
the US and the UK, but the real balance factor will be the two Continental
powers.

Russia clearly understands the awkward and off-balance position of the
US due to our military positions in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the
added difficulty of managing through the last months of the Bush
Presidency and our election cycle.

At this point it appears that the West has blinked. NATO's pronouncements
have been rote and non-alarming. Its statements indicate it is providing
civilian aid - not military. For a military defense organization, it seems to
be avoiding any aspect of military perspective.

Russia is a very wary chess-playing cat, with highly sensitive whiskers. It
seems to have sensed it's quary is just where it wants it for now.

The pawns are lined up, the Kings and Queens are facing off.
Will it become a game of Fool's mate, or Stalemate? Does the West have
a chess master?


US, allies urge swift UN action on Georgia crisis
The Associated Press

Russia warns Ukraine not to interfere at navy base

Georgia: the Reckoning

Video Of The Week

Blog Subjects

Our Blogger Templates Web Design

  © Blogger template Brooklyn by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP