ARTICLE CRITIQUE
Response to Heritage Foundation Executive Summary "Russia's Economic Crisis and U.S.-Russia Relations:
Troubled Times Ahead" by Ariel Cohen and Richard Ericson
by Gordon Hahn
The
article reviewed below is an executive summary of a set of proposals put
forward by the Heritage Foundation’s Ariel Cohen and Richard E. Ericson.
Although there are some commendable points made by the authors, it suffers from
the usual Washington consensus bias that sees Russia’s role in international
affairs as one that should serve primarily American and Western interests,
regardless of Russia’s national and security interests. No substantial concessions are made to
Moscow. Belated and therefore
insubstantial concessions are made only to have their effect negated by putting
new roadblocks in Moscow’s efforts to integrate into the global and Western
economy. The paper ignores NATO
expansion – the pivotal issue impacting the relationship – and proposes to
continue policies that dismantle and deny Russia a small sphere of influence in
countries directly on its borders – while the U.S. reserves the right to add
those same countries to its global sphere of ‘vital interests.’
To access the full analysis, please click here Download Heritage_Foundation_Cohen_Ericso_Nov_09
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