When Vladimir Meets GeorgeWhat's on the agenda for this weekend's informal summit?
Posted Friday, June 29, 2007, at 2:25 PM ET
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StumbleUponMoscow could play a key role in getting Iran to stop its nuclear-weapons program. The Russians supplied Tehran with nuclear technology; they also stand to gain much from oil and gas contracts. They are well-positioned to coax Iran away from the bomb, but doing so might work against their own commercial interests, which these days seem paramount. Getting the Russians to make the sacrifice might require dangling an alternative enticement—material, diplomatic, or whatever—that appeals still more to their interests. The road to Tehran may run through Moscow—but first the American president has to see the route and pave the road.
One bit of good news is that Putin may have overplayed his hand. The best way to mend the frazzled ties between America and Europe is to scare the latter into believing the Russian bear might be back on the prowl, and Putin's rhetoric has gone some distance toward raising the specter. Putin stepped back a bit from the growling. Bush, too, has lately stirred from his slumber. Hence the summit this weekend in Maine.
Soothing talk, though, has its limits. Recognizing each other's interests, sorting out where they conflict and converge, facing up to the former, making the most of the latter—this is the necessary task. The epoch of the superpowers is over, but our problems are easier to solve when Russia and America work together.
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Remarks from the Fray:
I really believe George W. Bush looked into Putin's eyes and saw a kindred spirit. Which is sort of comforting that Mr. KGB has a lot in common with the ultimate Frat Boy. It reveals them for what they really are: immature adults with tremendous power who are incapable of manipulating the powers they command to bring their respective nations down to their level. No matter what schemes they concoct, what misery they can bring about by misusing the forces at their command, neither is the kind of Machiavellian manipulator who can create the sort of "new world order" he wishes to inflict on the rest of us. Oh, they can cause misery on a tremendous scale, desecrate the images of their nations, trample dreams, give hope to evil. But all they leave behind is chaos. And chaos changes. The peoples of the United States and Russia thrive on change, and use chaos to improve. So toast your successes, boys. Congratulate each other on the human suffering you have thrived upon. Your hour is passing, and with it all the horror you love. We've lived through worse than either of you. And we'll see better.
--Telemachus
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(6/30)