Failure to Act: A Russian Immigrant’s Perspective on the Crisis in Crimea

“Prankster” was the word that the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin chose to use in describing the individual who came up with the list of names targeted by Obama’s sanctions. Indeed, after a series of formidable warnings that were issued by the White House, the expectations were set for a strong American rebuttal to Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea. However, the resulting sanctions were nothing short of a laughable, piteous failure.

The arena of contemporary international politics is much like an extensive chess match of moves and counter moves. It stays immune to the demagoguery of political correctness and social discourse – those types of issues usually remain unique to the nations from which they originate. Therefore, the Crimean crisis can only be interpreted through two major geo-strategic perspectives: 1) Russia is correct in its occupation of Crimea and the defense of its citizens in the region; 2) Russia is incorrect in its military annexation of the region and its blatant dismissal of the international law.

Of course, the Russian perspective is clear: they believe that they have a right to reclaim their territory, protect their citizens, and allow them to join Russia through a referendum. And so what, Russia asks, that the referendum is unconstitutional according to Ukrainian law? The outing of Viktor Yanukovych was equally unconstitutional, yet the West took no issue with that development. The American strategic perspective is equally as clear: Vladimir Putin is seeking to claim total control of a strategic military region. Furthermore, the US recognizes that Russia is attempting to increase its dominance as an energy giant by securing locations that are crucial to gas export. Both of the latter objectives would elevate Russia’s role in the world and run counter to American political interest.

Whichever position we choose to take, the international political calculus of opposing national interests favors the side which makes bold, decisive, and calculated moves; and unfortunately for America, the ultimate chess master in this standoff is Vladimir Putin, not Barack Obama. While Putin sends nearly sixty thousand Russian troops to the border of Crimea, Obama slaps miniscule sanctions on vocal ideologues in the Russian political system. If the White House claims to defend the American interest with full force and magnitude, it is yet to demonstrate any serious commitment to its promise. To put it rather simply – the administration has failed to act.