Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Rant: What is Putin supposed to do?

By Peter Lavelle
Published on January 04, 2005


Western media and their Russian media allies excel at describing Putin’s Russia. Some members of both are more colorful than their peers. Some members of both express their glee and hope that Russia faces destruction. Still others see Chechen terrorists as some kind of Polish Solidarity movement. However, it is almost impossible to find commentary and analysis on what Putin should do.

Western media and their Russian allies have one collective hope – hopelessness for Russia and its people. All seem to hope for “the worst, the better” when it comes to Russia’s future.

Well, I have some questions for Western media and their Russian allies and follow up with my own suggestions for the Kremlin.

*

What is Putin supposed to do? Allow the country’s vast energy resource wealth to be controlled and owned by a small group oligarchs and bandits? Why should oligarchs be the almost exclusive winners in Russia’s economic development?

To Putin’s critics: What economic policy should Putin follow? Shouldn’t the state be charged with over viewing Russia’s energy resources, as is the practice in the majority of energy exporting countries?

What is Putin supposed to do? Allow a bandit like Mikhail Khodorkovsky to sell Yukos to an American oil company? Khodorkovsky owns (or owned) companies, but the oil belongs to all Russians to benefit from. What is Putin supposed to do? Allow people like Khodorkovsky to control vast swaths of Russia’s economy and de facto regional control? While should people like Khodorkovsky determine Russia’s national security interests? Who elected people like Khodorkovsky to make such decisions?

To Putin’s critics: Should Putin simply leave the oligarchs alone? Maybe a better course would be wholesale re-nationalizations of stolen state property?

What is Putin supposed to do? Allow oligarchs to control the country’s electronic media? What short memories people have. I remember the 1999 parliamentary elections well and the role the oligarchs played in the election using television. If that is what the West calls a free media, I’ll take the present in a heartbeat! Russia is a better place without Vladimir Gusinsky and Boris Berezovsky. Russia’s electronic media today is not about some kind of Kremlin scheme of mind control. I invite those write about Russia’s electronic media to actually observe it. Watch television here for a week and you will find it boring and full of junk – just like in the West. It is extraordinary that critics of Russia’s media refuse to ask the following simple question: Are Russian audiences provided enough information about themselves and the world around them to make rational decisions? The answer is yes.

To Putin’s critics: Should Russia’s media be controlled only by those who are rich enough to afford “free speech?”

What is Putin supposed to do? Allow Russia to drift apart? After the shock of the Soviet collapse, Russia’s internal state structures remain weak. Under Yeltsin, regional governors were allowed independence that potentially threatened Russia’s sovereignty. Outside a few true experts, how in the world can Western media convincing claim they know the true state of democracy in Russia’s regions? However, even cursory knowledge of Russia’s regions informs that “when one scratches and governor, you find an oligarch.”

To Putin’s critics: Is a Russia collapsing in the interests of anyone in the West? Think about this seriously. A collapsed Russia would be a grave threat to the West and boon to international terrorism and China. Wishing Russia’s demise is to enter the realm of insanity.

What is Putin supposed to do? Ignore the vast power of the tax authorities have to assure the state is paid its do? Isn’t tax collection a normal function of any modern state? Many countries around the world put criminals in jail for this reason because the state could not achieve this end by other means. International petroleum prices will not remain high forever. What is wrong to with collecting unearned super profits for the state budget as a future cushion?

What is Putin supposed to do? Is he expected not to be interested in what happens on Russia’s borders? While most of the world sees the Kremlin “meddling” in domestic affairs of its neighbors, Putin is under enormous pressure from his own security people, and public opinion, to be as pro-active as possible – there are millions of ethnic Russians beyond and very close to Russia’s borders. The United States “meddles” in elections all around the world. Putin is interested in the events on Russia’s borders not as a neo-imperialist as claimed, but rather as a defensive measure. On the issue of Ukraine: those in Ukraine and the West should be very careful and pragmatic when it comes to Ukraine’s integration into Western institutions quickly – millions of ethnic Russians in Ukraine seeing a new “hard border” separating them from Russia may simply stage their own revolution saying “Nyet!”

To Putin’s critics: What are Russia’s legitimate interests on its borders? Most criticism of Russia’s foreign polices focus on the West’s own sense of democracy. When do the rights of ethnic Russian minorities matter? Much of the commentary coming from the West perverts and undermines the term of “self-determination.” Western commentary on Russia’s interests concerning its own people living beyond Russia’s borders invites a Yugoslav scenario a hundred times worse. Many hateful Western minds and commentators should be very careful about what they wish for.

What is Putin supposed to do? Should Putin appoint a leader of one of Russia’s liberal parties as prime minister to prove his liberal credentials? It is truly amazing that Western media and pundits simply can’t tell the truth about the state of liberalism in Russia – it is completely discredited. Russia’s liberals had their moment under Boris Yeltsin. What did it produce: oligarchy capitalism, poverty, grave social alienation, and the growth of unhealthy nationalism. Russia’s liberal have discredited themselves in the eyes of most Russians. It is incumbent upon them to rehabilitate themselves. Condemning Putin, like they did last month, informs me that they aren’t up to the task – but that is not Putin’s fault.

To Putin’s critics: With all the NGO money and assistance provided to Ukraine’s opposition, why can’t the a few people with a clue and money from the West explain to Russia’s liberals their sad fate is their own? If this can’t be done, it is possible that Putin may lose control of Russia’s fate and it will fall into the hands of elements that would welcome a truly frightening confrontation with the West.

What is Putin supposed to do? Should Putin open a dialogue with known terrorists in Chechnya – some of same people behind the Beslan massacre? Chechen bandits don’t represent some kind of Polish Solidarity movement. Chechens are a crucified people. Bandits and terrorists aren’t their saviors.

To Putin’s critics: Western protection, through granting asylum to those known to have (or had) contacts with Chechen terrorist sends the wrong message to Russia. Who exactly is Putin supposed to negotiate with in Chechnya?
(I have previously posted that there is mounting evidence that Bush is behind the slaughter of the Russian school children in Beslan near Chechnya. #msg-4382491)

I could ask the same kind of questions concerning many other Kremlin policy issues. However, the above should make clear that Putin’s room for maneuver is actually quite limited. This has not been made clear to Western audiences.

*

On another note and before I am again accused of being a Putin propagandist, I have my own suggestions for the Kremlin.

While not exhaustive, I would strongly suggest Putin pursue the following:

With the exception of the oligarchic empires, allow all businesses a “back tax physical.” Economics Minister German Gref has mentioned this. It is good idea. Back taxes clearance for businesses beyond the natural resource sectors needs to be pursued. Businesses created after the fall of Soviet Union and not directly involved in the natural resource sectors should be allowed to participate in such a program – that means oligarchic owned and controlled Vimpelcom, as well.

Oligarchic empires still need to be trimmed, but not via the Yukos example.

Putin needs to reign in individuals around him who use government positions for personal aggrandizement. Vimpelcom again comes to mind.

Stepashin’s “black book” should be the basis of re-negotiating some of the Yeltsin privatizations and then close the book. Such re-negotiations could be dramatic, but should end a very sad chapter of history.

“Super tax collection” should have a positive orientation. The billions of dollars collected after Stepashin’s “coup” should be directed to the new Public Chamber to fund civil society projects. Western NGOs, most of them useless in Russia, claim the state can’t fund domestic NGOs. Well, the Russian state should, through redirection of some back tax collection, support home grown institutions.

Russia’s electronic media is not as “unfree” as reported. The problem is that it’s boring. Instead of being afraid of dissent, the Kremlin should employ spin-doctors who can easily defend and explain its economic and political agendas. It is my experience that Russians truly appreciate a healthy debate.

Concerning the “near abroad” – the Kremlin hopefully has learned that engaging all political forces on the ground is necessary. Backing Kuchma’s choice, in the way Kremlin spin-doctors did, should have sent alarms off! Change is not necessary bad - often it creates new opportunities. As Ukraine’s political season has shown, the Kremlin’s predilection to support the status quo is not always the best strategy.

Chechnya: the Kremlin needs to designate Chechnya and the surrounding regions as a top priority. Nothing less than a “Marshall Plan” is needed there. Rebuilding infrastructure is the best defense against alienation and terrorism. Putin has suggested that he will entertain ideas from Germany and the EU on ending the crisis in Chechnya. He should seriously listen to both. For Chechnya, thinking “outside the black box” is a must.


http://www.untimely-thoughts.com/index.html?cat=3&type=3&art=1245