Thursday, March 25, 2004
A Russian View
Iraq War, one year later, from a Russian point of view:
"By using antiwar rhetoric, but doing nothing to undermine the U.S.-led campaign to topple Hussein, the Kremlin did strain its relations with the Bush administration somewhat. But Russia's role in the diversification of world energy supplies, and its assistance in combating the influence of al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan, helped limit the negative impact on U.S.-Russian relations."
"By taking a middle way, Russia took a calculated risk that the United States would need to retain cooperation on security and energy issues," Alfa's Weafer said. "Russia chose the best strategy of neither supporting nor too strongly opposing the war, while calling for a UN role. ... [This also] gave Russia a great deal of credibility and respect in Europe and the Arab world."
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"By using antiwar rhetoric, but doing nothing to undermine the U.S.-led campaign to topple Hussein, the Kremlin did strain its relations with the Bush administration somewhat. But Russia's role in the diversification of world energy supplies, and its assistance in combating the influence of al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan, helped limit the negative impact on U.S.-Russian relations."
"By taking a middle way, Russia took a calculated risk that the United States would need to retain cooperation on security and energy issues," Alfa's Weafer said. "Russia chose the best strategy of neither supporting nor too strongly opposing the war, while calling for a UN role. ... [This also] gave Russia a great deal of credibility and respect in Europe and the Arab world."
