The return of the evil empire

[GHOST OF RONBO]

Since the Fall of Communism, the Western Europeans have been complaining about a "unipolar" world in which America is the world's sole superpower. The Europeans foolishly imagined that they could become the other "pole" who would counterbalance the United States. Instead, they may get a new "bipolar" world—with an aggressive fascist Russia as the other pole.

Russia's figurehead president Dimitri Medvedev has now declared Russia's policy of reasserting a "sphere of influence" in nations on its borders—and beyond. It makes official Tzar Vladimir's policy of reconstructing the old empire Russia enjoyed under the Soviets and before.

The next target for reabsorption will be Ukraine, where Yulia Tymoshenko has betrayed the Orange Revolution for the sake of her own ambition by forming a new parliamentary coalition with the pro-Russian party she helped defeat in 2004.

Meanwhile, Russia's leaders are consolidating their dictatorial control at home through the murder of more journalists in restive provinces to the north of Georgia.

"Russia Claims Its Sphere of Influence in the World," Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, August 31

President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia on Sunday laid out what he said would become his government's guiding principles of foreign policy after its landmark conflict with Georgia—notably including a claim to a "privileged" sphere of influence in the world.
Speaking to Russian television in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, a day before a summit meeting in Brussels where European leaders were to reassess their relations with Russia, Mr. Medvedev said his government would adhere to five principles.

Russia, he said, would observe international law. It would reject what he called United States dominance of world affairs in a "unipolar" world. It would seek friendly relations with other nations. It would defend Russian citizens and business interests abroad. And it would claim a sphere of influence in the world….

In his unabashed claim to a renewed Russian sphere of influence, Mr. Medvedev said: "Russia, like other countries in the world, has regions where it has privileged interests. These are regions where countries with which we have friendly relations are located."

Asked whether this sphere of influence would be the border states around Russia, he answered, "It is the border region, but not only."