The Caucasus will continue to be a source of unrest and conflict for Russia . The situation might eventually explode, in order to reshape the power in the region as well as to engulf the Russians into a costly and long term conflict.
On Thursday October 23rd, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a news conference in Moscow that Russia is apprehensive of the fact that EU observers have not fulfilled so far their functions of security guarantors in the zones, adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Lavrov also added that If clear-cut and demilitarized regimes are not established in those zones under control of European Union observers and with the participation of observers of the OACE and the UN, activities may start, resulting in dangerous clashes.[1].
Meanwhile, The Ukraine appears to be following the footsteps of Georgia in the destabilization process, and might eventually fall back into the Russian sphere of influence as a new multi-polar re-order takes place. Many of the countries that experienced the transformation of their Anglo-American financed pseudo-democratic revolutions are finding out that unregulated capitalism is the means to have them swallowed with their resources by the bigger and the stronger bully on the block. It is the law of the jungle, where the most deceitful and powerful will prevail.
The Ukraine’ s contrived and US financed “Orange Revolution” has ended as their leaders are currently at war, since the President dissolved parliament this month and called on a third parliamentary election, in a move blocked by his rival, the Prime Minister. Viktor Yushchenko has already reneged on all of his campaign promises like fighting rampant official corruption and putting behind bars some of the Mafia-like politicians and businessmen who have amassed huge fortunes by crooked means.
Ria Novosti news agency reported that the Ukraine is verging on bankruptcy, while the Russian bear is growling at their door steps. Ukrainians have been plunged into disillusion and despair by the lethal combination as they witness the death throes of the orange revolution that brought President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Julia Tymoshenko to power. [2].
The financial meltdown in the Ukraine has led its government to rescue two top banks that were entangled in the US financial crisis. Their national currency’s rate has fallen 12 per cent (the hryvnia, hit all-time low of 5.9 to the US dollar on October 8, 2008), foreign debt totaled just over $100bn as of July 1, 2008, and the stock market is in free fall. The country is also seeking a multibillion dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stabilize the financial sector.
In addition to all their financial woes, the relations between Ukraine and Russia having suffered over Mr Yushchenko’s support for Georgia during last August’s Caucasus war, the Russian gas giant Gazprom as a punishment has now suggested next year’s price for gas imports could soar to $400 (£230) per 1,000 cubic meters from $179.50 now. [2].
It is clear that the Ukraine has entered into the debt pipeline with loan predators like the IMF, to ensure that the Ukrainians will be enslaved by the money masters until the end of time.
The Ukraine has also recently received more bad news as they found out that the West is shafting them, and leaving them out in the cold to be devoured by debt and by their Russian neighbors. German Minister of State Gernot Erler casted doubt on the Ukrainian bid to join NATO and the European Union. On October 21, 2008, Erler took part in a Moscow-Berlin video link on the geopolitical consequences of the recent Russian-Georgian conflict in South Ossetia and said Ukraine and Georgia are not ready to join the alliance. He also questioned the ability of the Ukraine to contribute to European security.[3].
It became very clear to the surprised Ukrainians that The West prefers to have an abundance of Russian gas and oil flowing in their cities, rather than to have another weak and poor country join their NATO and EU membership.
The Ukraine is currently experiencing a rude awakening as unregulated capitalism unravels in their fragile country and destroys it, and as betrayal by the Anglo-American establishment and the West unfolds. The American dream in the Ukraine will have to wait until a new geostrategy is born. Meanwhile, chaos, poverty, and neo-slavery (low wage workers) will continue to predominate this country for the years to come.
However, common sense would dictate that the Caucasus must remain friendly with their giant Russian neighbor, if they plan to survive the 21st century.
Rev. Richard Skaff is the author of “The Human Manifesto,”
Notes
1. Itar-Tass new agency, MOSCOW, October 23, 3008. Clashes may resume in Caucasus , if EU observers not to work.
2. Ria Novosti, October21, 2008. Orange Revolution implodes to leave a nation in despair.
3. Ria Novosti, October 22, 2008. Ukraine blasts German minister for doubting NATO bid.
