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Russia, ticked. They Don't Get No Respect!By Rick Horowitz I know you're thinking pretty much what I'm thinking about this latest little tiff with our good friends the Russians. You're thinking, "Where's the gratitude? We let some two-bit, rundown shell of a superpower in on the action in Kosovo, and before we know it, they come charging across the border like some Slavic Bruce Willis and snatch up the only decent airport in the whole province for themselves? What's that about?" That's what you're thinking. You're also wondering just how 200 strategically located Russian soldiers can be such a pain in the peacekeeping force, and you're probably wondering whether there are more where they came from -- whether the next wave of Russian "resupply" forces, for instance, will enjoy visiting the Pristina airport so much that they'll decide to stick around, too. And naturally you're wondering, watching Boris Yeltsin chuckling away on your TV screen, whether the whole thing was the colossal chain-of-command mistake they first said it was, or some perfectly deliberate, stick-in-the-eye power grab. (Or whether Boris has simply been hitting the vodka again.) Mostly, though, you're wondering, "What got into them? Why would they do such a thing?" I'll tell you why. Italy. When Italy came up big, the Russians came up angry, and everything that's happened since then is the thoroughly predictable result. A confession first: The world's diplomatic-cable traffic doesn't exactly come pouring across this desk, so what you're about to hear isn't based on anything like inside information. Or even outside information. But as a matter of human nature, it makes total sense. When you get disrespected, you get ticked off. When you get ticked off, you try to do something about it. When the Russians got ticked, they took the airport. What they want is a zone of their own -- just like the United States and Great Britain and France and Germany. And Italy. There's the rub. Russia probably could have lived with the United States and Great Britain and France getting chunks of Kosovo to patrol. They wouldn't have been happy about it; after all, they still remember divvying up Germany after World War II, and Russia was right in there with those other folks, divvying and gobbling. They might even have handled the idea of Germany getting a zone this time around; after all, the Germans are major players in Europe these days, and they're actually on our side for a change. But Italy?! Land of Gondolas and Fountains? Italy, which is to military prowess what Martha Stewart is to slam dancing? Italy, which goes through governments like a runny nose goes through Kleenex? That Italy? They get a zone and Russia doesn't?! Museums, sure. Tomato sauce, absolutely. Italy's right up there. But not this, not Italian troops and Italian tanks and such zipping around Kosovo like they own the place. Not when Russia's been cut out of the deal. There was a time -- was it really that long ago? -- when the rest of the world trembled at the footsteps of the Russian bear, when they wouldn't have dared to ignore Russia's interests, to dismiss Russia's power. Things have been tough lately, but still... Italy in and Russia out? There's only so much insult a country can stand before it decides to take matters into its own hands. "We've got the airport -- now let's talk." You have a better explanation? Posted
6/15/99. Have you told your friends yet? What are you
waiting for?
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