Following the South Ossetian War, Edward Lucas re-asks Lenin’s famous question: What is to be done?
He lists some options (indented; with my comments below each one):
1) A “Georgia Solidarity Campaign” to lobby hard for a full troop withdrawal, NATO soldiers in Georgia (see the “Checkpoint Georgia” article by ex-ambassador Donald Maclarin in today’s Telegraph). International brigade of volunteers to help Georgia. Visa free travel to EU and US for Georgian (and Ukrainian) passport-holders.
As well as this, the EU should speed up Georgia’s economic integration with Europe. The objective would be to increase the Georgian standard of living up to something like European standards, while the South Ossetians and Abkazians of course continue to live at Russian standards of wealth and freedom.
The same needs to be done with Ukraine, which should also be offered NATO membership.
2) Sweden and Finland into NATO ASAP
Assuming they want to join, this would be an excellent measure. Both countries have sizable and effective armed forces, and Sweden in particular has a large arms industry. If they don’t want to join NATO, maybe they would want to join some defence organisation that was part of the EU.
3) Big counter-attack on information warfare, expose Kremlin lies, inventions, distortions of history. Hit hard on Katyn, Gulag denial, Stalin nostalgia.
Katyn should be played for what it is worth, however it’s propaganda value isn’t likely to be great since it was some time ago and the Russians have admitted they did it. Pointing to Stalin nostalgia is likely to be much more effective as propaganda.
4) Sue Chekists everywhere–Strasbourg, Hague, any western court (Can’t someone in Spain get Pinochet-style arrest warrant out?) Make them scared to travel.
This is reminiscent of the “smart sanctions” that havew been used against the Zimbabwean elite. Russia’s oligarchs like to visit Europe so make it harder for them. At the same time, why not apply the same measures tio their families, so if their wives want to do a bit of shopping in London or Paris, or their kids want to go to European universities, don’t let them.
Let them know that they are pariahs to all civilised people.
5) Use separatist arguemnt against Chekists Idel-Ural, Tatarstan, Chechnya
If South Ossetia can leave Georgia, Chechnya can leave Russia.
6) Stop talking about “Russia” (except where journalistic convention demands it). These guys aren’t Russia. They are criminal gang of bullies, crooks and murderers who have hijacked Russia.
They are the Russian government, and the Russian government are kleptocrats.
7) Demand Germany and Netherlands pull out of Nord Stream
Agreed. The less dependent we are on Russian gas, the better.
8) Build up NATO presence in Baltic states (Balts provide the buildings, other NATO countries the people)
British Army of the Dvina, anyone?
9) Constant name and shame of Chekist allies and stooges in Europe. What on earth is Cyprus doing? It should feel the deepest sympathy for Georgia…
10) Attack them financially. Raid Raiffeisen Bank, find out who owns Gunvor, RosUkrEnergo. Make all contact with Chekist-run commercial entitities toxic to professional reputations, careers. Without bankers, auditors, lawyers etc they will find life much more difficult.
This would be hard to do without formal sanctions. Lawyers, bankers, etc, are used to dealing with clients who’re a bit dodgy.
