Putin's Russia, Border Security & The Russian Press

Interestingly on the official Russian government-controlled news website, VOICE OF RUSSIA, the news appears to be dominated by Olympic coverage of Sochi hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics. You have to do a little search to find news about the big world news of the Russian assault in Georgia. Certainly the Putin controlled press is attempting to always present it's the best possible face to the people of Russia, no matter how paranoid or even brutal some of their security actions may actually be. While Russia was legally allowed to play the role of peacekeeper in South Osettia, it was the extent of their brutal police action against Georgia that alarmed many in the West and the U.S.

The government of Georgia had merely applied for membership in NATO, however was not a member state, just merely proWestern. And the Georgian government wholly miscalculated that this was enough security for them that they could take some strong military action in this breakaway South Ossetia region, never expecting that Moscow might also take strong military action against them. Apparently, the government of Georgia is too young and inexperienced in foreign policy and world affairs matters to recognize the dangers that perceived border security issues present to major powers and the possibility of resulting military action from a major power. And under the domination by Putin, a former KGB official, border security issues seem to rate right at the top of their government concerns list.

But Russia's actions in Georgia may only be a preview for even more Russian actions in other areas where Moscow has felt that it has lost influence in the region or can possibly argue for some sort of a border security issue. In Kosovo, another longtime important issue with Russia, there is an argument on Voice Of Russia that Moscow should arm the Serbs there since the U.S. is backed the Albanians. This is just what the U.S. doesn't need, some sort of a future proxy war in Kosovo or even worse some conflict that could drag in NATO down the road somewhere.

The next president will likely find himself with a full plate of foreign policy issues to deal with.