Geographical surrealism and virtual sanctions
Posted: 2014/03/19 | Author: SolomonTernaleli | Filed under: განვრცობილი ფიქრები | Tags: Crimea, Putin, Russia,
There have been times, when each country had its own geographical map. Each of them – moreless different…
But then first Marco Polo and Colombo, and finally Google made maps reliable and universal. Thus, Italy has the same borders, whether you look at it in Rome or in Lima…
Russians, however, have terrific attraction to surreal when it comes to geography and maps. They want to have only those maps which satisfy their egos, regardless the reality.
The whole world recognizes Georgia in established borders, but Russians have recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries.
The world considers Gagauz and Transdestrian regions as parts of Moldova, but here comes Russian leadership and says these are either already independent states or must become such.
And now Crimea with 26,000 sq. km and over 2 million population according to Russian maps also became “independent”! One day it was recognized by Russia only, and next day merged to Motherland, smoothly and proudly. The extraction of this peninsula from Ukraine has been like minor surgery using well-proven efficient method – number of Russian speaking people which are equipped with the best ultimate weaponry – Russian passports!
So, Russians or Russian-speaking people are transformed by master of political surrealism – Mr. Putin into long-term distance-activated time bombs, which are first implanted in neighboring countries and then play modernized Trojan horses with devastating effects.
With tactics so well-proven there has been no need in modification so far. Using traps like setting up local conflicts, inducing opponents to fire first and then coming with angry face of savior and by saying: „who the hell harasses my beloved citizens and violates UN charter?“
Now there are no rapid remedies to deal with this eruption of post-imperial nostalgia.
West has its own share of responsibility, named Kosovo. With all justifications and bloodshed to be stopped, it was still first case of external and forceful dissection of European country against its will and of post-war realities. Ukrainian politicians also have their share of responsibility – first observing President/Nuevo-riche Yanukovich’s wrongdoings too long, but then deciding to remove him overnight – with good cause, but with questionable procedures! Keeping Yanukovich formally at position for few months would keep Russians unable to play so easy this scenario, as they have done it now. An intention to cancel special status of Russian language was another very grave mistake of Ukrainian Rada, again playing well for Russian claims of new government’s non-tolerance…
Now regarding sanctions:
Russian invasion in Georgia in 2008 has proved – it is extremely inefficient and dangerous to use half-sanctions against Russians. They just will become more determined. Sanctions can be not a bad weaponry even against tanks and jets, but only in case, if they are timely, strong, efficient and coherent/coordinated! Otherwise, It’s better not to mention the word “sanctions” at all, rather than using it only verbally and virtually… It will be the worst thing one can imagine – to talk about united position to punish, but then to show deviated positions, like “let’s impose sanctions, but make them nice!”
Here is something which would probably sound familiar and irritant same time to Western politicians:
“First they took Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and I did not speak out — Because I was not Georgian.
Then they took Crimea, and I did not speak out — Because I was not Ukrainian.
Then they took Transdnestria, and I did not speak out — Because I was not Moldovan….
Then they took … and I did not speak out — Because I was not …
Then they took … and I did not speak out — Because I was not …
Then they came to us – and there was no one left to speak for us…”
(Surrealist Map of the World, 1929.
From a special issue of Variétés, a Brussels-based magazine, entitled Le Surréalisme en 1929.)
http://solomonternaleli.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/geographical-surrealism-and-virtual-sanctions/
