Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Biden Sanctions Russia, Halts Black Sea Naval Exercise
Joe Biden spoke with Vladimir Putin by telephone earlier this week, setting the stage for a new phase in the US-Russian relationship. Gone is the obsequious Trump team, and the Biden crew want to make clear to the Kremlin that actions will have consequences now. Scarcely had the phone gone cold than the US sanctioned some 32 Russian persons and organizations. This was in retaliation for Russian interference in the US election and cyber attacks. In addition, 10 Russian intelligence officers are being expelled from the US. At the same time, the administration has canceled the Black Sea transit by 2 US Navy vessels. The carrots and the sticks are back.
The Biden administration has taken the view that Vladimir Putin is the same guy he has always been, and that reforming him and therefore Russia is not going to happen. He will continue to probe for weaknesses and take advantage of those he finds. When he encounters resistance, he will likely look elsewhere for a soft spot. Hence, the administration has issued the sanctions. As one White House official described the new footing of the relationship, "We are willing to talk about certain things, but we can't have a strong relationship while you continue to take these malign steps."
As a result, says the Washington Post, "The executive order is sweeping, covering a range of actions that can be sanctioned, from cyberattacks to election interference to transnational corruption. Creating such an umbrella order streamlines the messaging, allowing the administration to sanction one state -- Russia -- for a diverse set of activities under one authority, experts said."
"It's good to clearly message our priorities to Russia," said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. "By packaging a response to several things at once, the administration can get off the back foot and move on its agenda. What we don't want is to always be in response mode to Russia."
Sergei Naryshkin, head of the SVR (formerly the First Chief Directorate of the KGB), told reporters, it was "an unfriendly step, which, in my opinion, is also ill-considered. We all understand that relations between the two great powers, Russia and the United States, largely determine the level of international stability and security. Obviously, this step contributes to the destruction of international stability." He added, "The package of U.S. sanctions is a manifestation of unfair competition."
One cannot recall Messrs. Beria or Andropov whining like that from the top spook's chair. Of course, Mr. Naryshkin is working in a different time with different opportunities to warp the story in favor of Moscow. However, the tone is the same as it was when Washington pushed back against his predecessors. It is the cry of the thief bitten by the family dog in mid-burgle.
Having sent that message, and expecting some kind of retaliation (some US diplomats will probably have to come home), the White House also de-escalated the situation by canceling a US Navy exercise in the Black Sea. Politico says, "The Pentagon has scrapped a potential Black Sea transit by two Navy destroyers this week due to concerns about escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the plans.
"Earlier this month, the Navy notified Turkey, which manages traffic through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits leading to the Black Sea under the 1936 Montreux Convention, that they were tentatively planning a routine transit by the two destroyers, according to a U.S. defense official."
The message is clear. The US is prepared to work with Russia on matters of mutual interest, and at the same time, the US will resist Russia where it must be resisted. If Mr. Putin can change gears and adapt to an America that will not simply clutc
© Copyright 2021 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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