In his 1997 book, The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives, Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote,
“A power that dominates Eurasia would control two of the world’s three advanced and economically productive regions.”(1)
As one reads the book, it becomes clear that Brzezinski feels that it would benefit the US if Russia were divided into three regions.
Western Russia, he feels, should become a European country and should separate from Siberia and the former Asian republics. During World War II, Germany sought to conquer the Soviet Union and take over the Urals, Siberia and the Ukraine.
What Hitler’s Germany failed to do through military aggression, the US/NATO allies appear to be accomplishing through low-intensity conflicts and the corruption of the leadership in sovereign nations.
International financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are supporting these U.S./NATO initiatives.
As of 2005, the US and its allies have successfully overthrown the elected government of Yugoslavia and colonized Georgia and the Ukraine. Bringing in the Baltic countries, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, as members of NATO further threatens Russia’s security. These countries, which border Russia, have long histories of anti-Russian behavior.
Since the time of Alexander Nevsky, Germany has repeatedly invaded the Baltic region in order to bring Catholicism to what were mainly pagan cultures. The legacy of these incursions has been the growth of a dominant German Baltic population, which during World War II cooperated with Nazi Germany.
In December 2004, the Latvian parliament drafted a resolution condemning what they called the Soviet occupation of their country and demanded that Russia pay compensation. They also attempted to cleanse Latvia of citizens of Russian descent by asking for their voluntary repatriation to Russia. In Estonia, the Prime Minister Juhan Parts, apologized to the villagers in Lihilu for removing a memorial commemorating Estonians who had joined Nazi Germany’s SS forces to fight the Soviet Army. (2)
Despite the loss of the Baltic states and the former Warsaw Pact nations, which have joined NATO, Russia could still have an important economic and political base with the countries of Eurasia. However, its relationship with the Ukraine remains vitally important.
Three quarters of Russia’s natural gas exports pass through the Ukraine. The Dniepr River, which flows through Kiev, is a key transportation rout for Russia to Byelorussia.
Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet is located at Sevastopol on Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula.
If the Ukraine becomes a member of NATO, then the NATO alliance would have a 1,000-mile border with Russia.
It is very likely that within two years the Ukraine will become a NATO member. If this occurs than Russia will face a problem in transporting its natural gas. The leadership of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Vladimir Rushailo, warns that political manipulation by foreign money poses a threat to the members of the CIS and particularly to Russia. At the present time, the CIS is unified in its political outlook. The CIS consists of Armenia, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Uzbekistan participating on a bilateral basis.(3)
Oil rich Kazakhstan is seen by the United States as a pivotal country in this region, through which US corporations could provide oil to the world market. The US seeks to control Eurasia in order to send oil from East to West, and toward this goal has sent messages to Russia and Iran to keep their distance from Central Asia (Eurasia). This would be like Russia threatening the US to keep its distance form Mexico and other Latin American countries.
The CIS has created the Baku-Tbilisi-Cayhan pipeline as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum pipeline. The most important pipeline the US is considering is a route going from the Caspian port of Baku thought Azerbaijan and Georgia to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Many of the Kazakhstan leaders have become increasingly concerned over NATO’s bombing and destruction of Yugoslavia, feeling it set a precedent for future meddling in sovereign nations. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are particularly worried over the US colonization of Georgia and the so called “orange Revolution”, instigated by the US in the Ukraine.
On January 6, 2005, Interfax reported that the inter-district economic court of Kazakhstan authorized the liquidation of the “Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan”, an opposition party which they feared would carry out the same sort of Georgian- and Ukrainian-style uprisings. The council of the Assembly of Kyrgyzstan has accused US Ambassador Steven Young of organizing activities which they regard as preparation for the same kind of revolution that was carried out in the Ukraine.
The council also referred to an organization called PORA which is currently operating in their country. This organization is being funded by the Soros Foundation and parallels the activities carried out by OTPOR, the group of Soros-funded political activists that aided in the overthrow of the Yugoslav government. President Askar Akaev of Kyrgyzstan stated that Georgia is no longer an independent country. Indeed, their President Saakashvill and his ministers actually receive their salaries from the multi-millionaire George Soros. (4)
Millions of dollars from Soros and from the U.S. government have supported the overthrow of sovereign nations. In addition, the US Agency for International Development funds the Center for Ukrainian Reform Education, producing radio and television programs designed to prepare Ukrainian citizens for the reform or replacement of their national government and economy. One can only imagine what would happen if a foreign country would set up radio and television programs in the United States to educate US citizens about altering their national’s government and economic system.
Fearing similar incursions in their lands, Tajikistan and Byelorussia are building military base. Byelorussia is in the process of organizing a major boost in its air defense, which will include relay systems and other defense programs.
This year, Russia and Byelorussia will sign an agreement on the creation of a common regional air defense system. As NATO surrounds Russian borders, it is of interest that Finland and Japan are making new claims on Russian territory.
Finland, which joined Nazi Germany in World War II, lost the Karelia Isthmus and some border areas to the Soviet Union. Finland borders the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, and the Gulf of Finland. Major battles took place between Finland and the Soviet Union on the Karelian Isthmus. Not only is Finland trying to reclaim this territory, but NATO has recently requested that Finland allow NATO to use its harbors and airfields to transport vessels and troops. As with Finland, Japan is making territorial demands on Russia. Japan wants Russia to return the Etorofir, Kunashin, Shikotan, and Holbomal islets, all of which were secured by Soviet troops in the last days of World War II. (5)
The Japanese government has approved new defense guidelines which involve military research with Washington. The two countries are building a missile defense system which is expected to be deployed on Japanese land and on its war ships in the near future.
In 1996 the US- Mutual Security treaty with Japan was redefined to revitalize their strategic alliance, which the two countries seek in order to legitimize the presence of US bases in Japan. These bases serve multiple functions: Encirclement of Russia and China, US intervention in the area when it feels necessary, and facilitating US intelligence surveillance.
This military build up is created to insure that Japan and the United States will have full power and control of the Asia/Pacific area. In response to such American initiatives, China plans to build a network of gas and oil pipelines running from China’s western province of Xinjiang to the major East coast metropolis of Shanghai. Russia and China are also seeking to establish a Pan-Asian energy bridge that will bring about a significant realignment with Central Asia. China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, all belong to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The organization was developed according to the principles set up by the United Nations, requiring that they respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations. President Vladimir Putin and President Jiang Zemin in Moscow signed a Sino-Russian treaty on July 2001. The treaty reflected a commitment to collaborate in standing up to Western domination. The two countries plan to hold military exercises from August-September 2005 on Chinese territory. Russia plans to install a new generation of air defense and powerful tactile missile systems with the major goal of upgrading its defenses.
As the world divides up into enemy camps we are painfully aware of the growth of military buildups. At the suggestion of President Vladimir Putin, Russia, China, and India are considering forming an axis.
The Asia/Pacific region is a major area for world power, and it is here that we find competition for economic power. It is in this region that competitors are seeking economic advantages and building up military threats. Unless the US and its allies seek peaceful agreements with Russia and China, we are facing military conflict and the possible devastation of the Asia/Pacific region.
