Underestimating Russia's Importance Could be a Fatal Mistake

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton recently landed in Moscow to meet with Kremlin leaders in order to get beyond a cold war mentality with the Soviet powerhouse. The U.S. and Russia have had notoriously bad dealings as of late in the area of nuclear arms control, but can it be blamed on a lingering "Cold War Effect? In my opinion, this seriously over simplifies the issue. I think the true issue lies in Russia's perception that they are no longer a world power to be reckoned with. I believe that Russia's leaders have been both surprised and dismayed by increasing U.S. dominance in the foreign sector since the cold war's end, and have noted the increased rise in power and influence of nations like China in the U.N. security council, as their star grows increasingly dimmer. Russia is also facing a slew of domestic issues right now, including severe under-population and an AIDs epidemic, all the more distracting from their larger policy foreign policy issues. However, underestimating Russia's importance in the world landscape is a huge mistake. For one thing, Russia's cooperation on nuclear proliferation is absolutely essential: there are still many unsecured Soviet-era nukes throughout Russia and the Stans that will obviously have devastating consequences if they fall into the wrong hands. By surrounding Russia with nuclear weapons of our own in an attempt to target our "critical areas of concern" like North Korea and middle eastern targets, Russia is increasingly alarmed, as they see they are in range (though our intent may be far from Russia, the unfortunate and potentially devastating perception remains). Also, with its huge land mass Russia's assistance in the area of climate control is also essential. It is worth noting that Russia's reports of grave human rights incidence must not be ignored. We should consider implementing bilateral pressure strategies involving more of a voice for Russia if and only if they work to improve these conditions considerably. We must let go of these ancient relics and confusions about our issues with the cold war, and focus on giving Russia the respect they deserve in the here and now. If we don't, potential consequences are lethal.