Special Extra — NATO deals with Russia

NATO deals with Russia

NATO has announced that it has suspended the special council it formed with Russia, allowing Russia to be informed of its actions and participate in its decision-making process. NATO will not meet with Russia again until all Russian troops have withdrawn from Georgian territory, which includes Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russia’s response? The card-carrying nationalist psychopath Russia appointed as ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said: “The mountain gave birth to a mouse.” Using paranoid and mocking language disturbingly reminiscent of the USSR, Rogozin claimed NATO was siding with evil in Georgia, that Russia was not only 100% innocent of wrongdoing but fighting an angelic battle for good. From Rogozin’s appointment alone, it was clear that Russia had no intention of reciprocating NATO’s show of good faith, which in light of the Georgia attack (Russia provided no consultation with NATO whatsoever, an act of truly breathtaking hypocrisy) now seems utterly ill-advised.

Russia craves respect and consideration, yet Russia gives none in return. Russia fears encirclement by NATO, but it provokes the mighty organization, whose military power dwarfs that of Russia into total insignificance, ignoring NATO’s concerns and proceeding to seize prisoners and steal American HumVee vehicles. Canada, Sweden and Norway have all announced they are undertaking fundamental reassessments of their relationships with Russia, and the strongest words of condemnation have issued from the U.S. White House.

NATO can only conclude from Russia’s childish behavior that it has learned nothing from the measured response, and therefore is forced to escalate until Russia is brought to heel.