THE UKRAINE: THE "B" TEAM AMATEURS ARE AT IT AGAIN

I once had a friend who was a journalist for Magyar TV (Hungarian TV) who was based in New York.  My friend was appalled by the amount of ignorance she encountered on the part of Americans concerning knowledge of the rest of the world.  To prove her point, she took to the streets of New York City with a camera man and interviewed passersby.  "Have you heard of Budapest?" she would ask.  Most had not.  In fact, most had not even heard of Hungary.

When citizens are uninformed, it is not surprising the type of leadership they place in power.  And, certainly, our present government must take the cake for boneheads and bloopers affecting foreign policy and how to proceed in a world in which challenges from egomaniacal power-seekers are commonplace.

The latest case in point, obviously, is the Ukraine. Once again, those who make our foreign policy have demonstrated that they lack essential knowledge and the tools to anticipate and respond proactively. A cursory examination of a map of eastern Europe reveals the strategic value of the Ukraine for Russia.  Keep in mind, too, that the Russian Federation under Vladimir Putin has embarked on a course of elevating itself by way of marketing its vast natural resources, including oil, natural gas and metals.  With western Europe showing itself to be more and more unable to do without Russian resources, the likelihood of any challenge from that quarter to Russian power moves would be unlikely. And, once again, the hapless folks who are charged with national security and foreign policy in Washington appear dismally unprepared for what is now taking place around the Ukraine and especially in the Crimean Peninsula.

 Russian territory between the Ukraine and central Asia is limited in size, and through this geography must pass major amounts of oil and gas.  Furthermore, the territory is key to Russian leverage in the Caucasus.  Looked at in this manner, that Russia would want to exercise influence in the Ukraine is nothing short of conspicuous.

Further strengthening Russian resolve  to act with authority and force in the region has been the American encouragement of former Soviet Union satellite nations to join NATO, thus depriving Russia of the buffer across the east European plain that these countries once provided. In addition, a recent American presence in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has no doubt reawakened old Russian fears of American meddling in its backyard.  Also, the 21st century invasions of Georgia were precipitated by fears that American advisers were facilitating the passage of arms into Chechnya, a region which is absolutely linked to Russian notions of security.

In 1994, the Ukraine, Russia, the United States and Britain signed an agreement guaranteeing the territorial integrity of the Ukraine. In return, the Ukraine agreed to give up nuclear weapons.  But, now, with a recent history of 20 years of tactical moves from the West in the region, Russia may well feel constrained to restrict its recognition of the validity of that agreement, hence the hard line on the Ukraine.

And now, with a timid and weak president whose advisers on geopolitical matters are severely lacking in knowledge and experience, we find the U.S. once again in a position which will cause its friends and allies to question its commitment and resolve.  Somehow, I cannot help but think that the crisis at hand could have been anticipated and even avoided by having the right people at the helm in Washington.

Deo Vindice!

May God bless Texas and may the Lone Star State remain forever red!