Does a (lack of) public debate influence priorities?
Joshua Keating has posted this on Russian warnings.
The Russians have become increasingly assertive over recent years on a number of fronts.
Remember the Estonian cyber-attack? Tariffs on timber exports? Cold war style flights? We have had the Polish meat stand off, Ukranian gas supplies being off and naked aggression in Georgia. Now they are increasing military links with Venezuela.
One can envisage individual goals for each of these Russian actions. But do readers see all of these activities as part of a larger pattern aimed at a wider objective or piecemeal short-term regional geo-politicing?
Russia has real challenges ahead: a declining population, HIV epidemic, low male life expectancy and falling investor confidence. But the siloviki seem focussed on Russia's borders and beyond. Would a free press and active civil society mean a greater focus on these priorities?
Posted at 19:55 17 September 2008 by Andy Pryce | Comments[2]
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