Why the Crisis in Ukraine Isn't the Start of a New Cold War
The Ukrainian situation is as a matter of upholding international law and mitigating humanitarian risks.
While it might have been nice to hear the Secretary of State say on Meet The Press Sunday that you just dont in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pre-text, that characterization of Russias involvement in Ukraine is not the kind of aggressive military response thats going to reassure those who see this as an issue of strong Putin versus feckless Obama. To people inclined to condemn American weakness in the face of Russian aggression, John Kerrys condemnation of Russias military incursion into Crimea might sound like more empty words.
But that entire frame is mistaken, and not because Kerry also said all options are on the table. The fact is that Russias Ukraine move is an act of weakness, not strength an act, as Kerry aptly characterized it, anachronistic in both moral and strategic terms. The fact that Russia is trying something like this exposes the countrys global strategy as fundamentally mismatched to 21st century realities. There isnt a new Cold War.
There are basically two reasons, one practical and one ideological, behind Russias aggressive play to keep Crimea and Ukraine in its orbit. First, Russia has military interests in Ukraine, particularly in the Crimean city Sevastopol. Sevastopol is a critical Russian naval base, one that allows it easy access to the Mediterranean that it otherwise wouldnt enjoy. Note Sevastopols location on this map:
The bases significance was highlighted during the 2008 war with Georgia, when the Russian fleet staged blockades in the Black Sea and was used to launch amphibious landings, The Financial Times Kathrin Hille writes. It has also proved its usefulness to Russia in the Libya crisis, anti-piracy missions in the Indian Ocean and Moscows role in dismantling Syrias chemical weapons.
http://www.alternet.org/world/why-crisis-ukraine-isnt-start-new-cold-war