Cold War Gone Warm: Same Old Game
The New Cold War gets warm - what's next?
by Staff Writer
September 4, 2008 - If you never understood what the original Cold War was all about in history class, then you are getting first-hand knowledge just by witnessing the recent actions in Eastern Europe within the last month or so. With Russia wanting to reclaim her lost military glory through her recent acts in Georgia, she seems to be finding new reasons to put her old military might to work. That invasion was termed an effort to "support Russian peacekeepers" in South Ossetia. Russia found a new way to accomplish her age-old goals of empire-building. Feeling threatened by the growth of western influence in her former satellite states such as the Ukraine and Georgia, Russia flexed some military muscle with an all-out invasion of a pro-Western country.
Anyone with a remote knowledge of recent history would note that Russia also promoted the same goals in her invasion of Finland 60+ years ago in the early stages of World War 2, setting up a puppet government party at Terijoki (under the leadership of Otto Kuusinen) that "forced" Russia's military hand to act in "the party's best interest", coming to Finland's "aid" and effectively justifying the Russian invasion. After a long fought Winter War, costing thousands of casualties on both sides, Finland eventually admitted defeat and gave up permanent territory to the Russians in the process. When Adolph Hitler made his grand mistake of opening his East Front against the Soviet Union, Russia went from being an enemy to the world to "an enemy of my enemy who is now my friend" for the Allies. As such, Russia was fortified with American munitions, aircraft and armor in an attempt to stem the German assault. In the end, the world was repaid with a stubborn Soviet Union that never quite relinquished her gains from the rape of Poland or admitted that they were ever helped by the West altogether.
What events in South Ossetia are showing us today is that not much has changed in terms of the Russian mentality. Russia will still operate under whatever guise she can muster for its own best interest. In the time of the League of Nations - NATO's forerunner - Russia was expelled from the group after their invasion of Finland. It's highly doubtful that Russia will be similarly expelled from NATO for their actions in South Ossetia, but a watchful eye on the part of NATO is in order. It is also doubtful that Russia even cares to be a part of NATO anymore and is more concerned with tying up her border interests than being part of a world body.
Within the past year alone, Russian bombers have "strayed" in or near NATO ally airspace - from England to Norway and Denmark to Japan. The Tupolev Tu-95 "Bears" and Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjacks" have become an ever-increasing sight, sending Eurofighter Typhoons and F-16's scrambling to intercept. Even American carriers in the Pacific have been scrambling F/A-18's to intercept incoming Bears. All this action may be "testing the fences" so to speak, testing response times to incoming aerial threats. Russia's actions in South Ossetia also exposed several miscommunications between air and ground forces, forcing armor to operate without the benefit of air cover for large periods of time. This wrinkle will no doubt be ironed out in their next invasion of some other interest.
In any case, it seems as though the world stage is being set for a New Cold War- if not a new world war – creating the third global conflict in the last 100 years. It appears that lines are being drawn and sides taken. Major players in a new global conflict would include China and Iran along with the usual suspects (Russia, America, Britain, etc...). This time, however, the stakes are higher than before as many more of the players hold keys to nuclear arsenals. While it is doubtful that any nation would ever truly operate with such clear intentions, the current Russian military action remains an element that should be remembered should things escalate that far.
UPDATE (9/10/2008)
Earlier in the week it was revealed that the Russians would be undergoing joint naval operations with Venezuela. Today, it was revealed that training flights involving Russian bombers will also take place. Two Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjack" bombers landed at Libertador airfield (under the watchful eyes of NATO fighters) to start things off. No doubt these exercises will al be monitored carefully in the region and leaves one to wonder whether this is the Russian way of "getting back" at the US for their too-close-for-comfort involvement with key ex-Soviet allies bordering Russia - namely Georgia, Ukraine and Poland. The Cold War just ratcheted it a notch. |
