U.S. and Russia Enjoy Mutual Interests

Eric Margolis’ Nov. 28 commentary proclaims that “Russia Checkmated Its New Best Friend,” that is, U.S. global interests and, specifically, those in Central Asia. Margolis claims that Russia has presently achieved victory in Afghanistan through its proxy, the Northern Alliance, resulting in the U.S. and Pakistan being cut off from Central Asian resources, specifically the oil-rich Caspian Basin.

These conclusions are based on unsupportable and unreasonable assumptions. The false premise is that Russian interests are diametrically opposite to those of the U.S. both globally and regionally. This is just plain wrong.

Even limiting the sphere of U.S.-Russian interaction only to oil matters, Russia, Azerbaijan or any country carrying the pipeline would be vitally interested in protecting the supply route of oil to its consumers, chiefly the United States and Western Europe. So far, no safe pipeline route has been found through Chechnya, Georgia, Abkhazia or Iran.

Margolis calls U.S. support of the Northern Alliance an enormous blunder. He is wrong not only because there was no other force to rely on but because of the positive long-range possibilities engendered by our coalition-building efforts.

First, there is a clear-cut area of mutual cooperation and collective security between the oil-producing, oil-consuming and oil-transporting countries in the region. Second, a pipeline through Afghanistan (if one is built) will create a stable flow of revenue and jobs, stimulate economic development and create a firmer basis for U.S.-Russian cooperation than the one that Margolis put forward.

Boris Gorbis

Beverly Hills

*

Margolis’ column on Russia and the Northern Alliance was an eye-opener. Once again we are fighting a war for oil, not for human rights, and once again our “new friend” Russia turns out to be our “old friend” Russia. Whatever happened to our coalition?

The above would all be moot if we developed an alternative fuel. It’s time we realized that we cannot rely on oil and oil interests. The time has come for us to have an alternative fuel.

Beverly Klein

Pismo Beach