Europe: Weak, No Conscience | Russia: Strong, No Conscience

So let's see, the sum of world action against Russia since it raped the tiny country of Georgia: U.S.: strong protests by the administration, several good suggestions on the way forward. Europe: deny any remedial action, deny even to decide on any action, but come up with a strong resolution to put off more discussion into the future.

As mentioned here before, Russia smashed Chechnya when they tried to break away. Now, they've smashed Georgia as Georgia tries to prevent its own breakaway republics from leaving. This isn't logic, it isn't isn't about principles, it's simply hegemony on the part of Russia.

Ralph Peters at the NY Post has an excellent article here.

He astutely points out the always-damned positioned of the U.S. - we're roundly criticized for "going it alone", but yet when we don't, we cannot get anything done or any action out of the putrid molasses that is the EU and The UN. Europe, as he says, has no conscience.


Quotes:

The Bush administration begged for a unified front against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's barbarism. Rejecting any penalties for Russia, the EU took the bold step of postponing talks on a trade deal.

As I'd predicted, the Europeans found the rape of Georgia an embarrassment, nothing more. The odious former German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, even took Russia's side. (Of course, Schroeder also took a highly paid job with Russian energy interests, so he may not have been entirely impartial.)

Back when the United States went ahead with the liberation of Iraq over protests from France and Germany - whose corporations made money off Saddam - Washington was damned for going it "alone." Now, as we try to build a consensus to respond to brutal aggression, the same countries want no part of it. (Financial interests are involved again - this time, it's gas, not oil.)

Together, the Euro-American democracies had the power to inflict serious economic and political pain on the Putin regime. But Europe lacks a conscience - and, without Europe, we lack the clout.

This is all going to end badly. Putin's feeling invincible now, and, just to keep in practice, he's gone back to killing journalists who criticize the czar. Last week saw the murder of two more Russian-citizen media figures.

Let's face it: We've got Islamist extremism on the defensive. That's one thing the Bush administration got right. The Muslim-terrorist problem will be with us to some degree for years to come, but it's not remotely as great a threat as a resurgent militarist Russia bristling with missiles and led by a reincarnation of Ivan the Terrible.

Also, click here to see more analysis of Russia's actions.

And more coverage of critical issues and events around the world, at The Pantheon Journal.