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Tuesday, 22.03.2011
Russia squanders its credibility in Libya
Gisbert Mrozek, Moscow. Russia and China, not having used their power of veto in the UN Security Council made way for air strikes on Libya. Now Russia demands the end of air attacks as civilians got killed.
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It had been a surprise, when British warplanes attacked Libyan tanks close to Benghazi , "to enforce the no-fly zone", but this did not violate UN resolutions 1973.
And civilian deaths are not collateral damage but inevitable result of air strikes – especially when their actual goal is not only the implementation of the no-fly zone, but obviously the maximum weakening of the military potential Gaddhafis to assist the weak opposition to victory.
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Russian politicians had warned of such involvement - having gained bad experience in Chechnya and Afghanistan, but in vain. Non-violence and non-interference
So far Russia had in all international conflicts always rejected violence. Any resolution of conflicts should be achieved through diplomacy and politics, violent interference in the internal affairs of a state is inadmissible, that was the refrain of Russian foreign policy.
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When it came to the bombing of Yugoslavia, the then Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov on his way to Washington reversed immediately still over the Atlantic. Even that was only a gesture, but at least in the sense of non-violent conflict resolution dogma. Unlike in the case of Libya.
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The Soviet Union and Russia - as well as many EU countries - developed intense economic relations with Colonel Qaddafi. As well as lucrative arms exports to Tripoli.
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But there ar not only pictures of Gadhafi and Putin, but just as beautiful of revolutionary leader Gadhafi with Sarkozy, John Blair and other democratic leaders.
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Russia in the wake of the West
As well as in Libya started the demonstrations, Moscow without question since joined the anti-Qaddafi, the U.S. and EU policy, it imposed sanctions and declared Gadhafi persona non grata.
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This was Kremlin politic - while Foreign Ministry wanted to stick to the tried and true line of non-intervention. As Moscow Newspapers wrote, with tactical skill like this the relationship with the West was not spoiled - laying at the same time foundation for good business with the forthcoming new Libyan government.
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The political tsunami never came ...
Annoyingly, however, Qaddafi had more support than the opposition expected. In contrast to the neighboring countries opposition did not become a political tsunami, although mainly in the Western media representation sometimes looked big and strong.
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Russia has thus lost its credibility in two respects:
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because of cancelling his foreign policy dogma of non-interference and non-violence in favor of human rights interventionism and as an old (albeit uncertain) ally has been dropped.
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As a result, Russia went all in tow of the West and will have big problems to get out of it. If it in fact wants to.
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Military action instead of democracy
By the way: an assessment Gaddhafis and intrigue in the Libyan desert is a different question.
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If opposition in each country would see the military power of NATO countries as their quiet reserve and could mobilize it - by looking democratic and Western-compatible - this would be absolutely devastating.
And it would turn out to be the opposite of democracy.
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