Eyeing U.S.-Russia Relationship

In “U.S. Takes Russia for Granted at Its Peril” (Commentary, May 1), Katrina vanden Heuvel and Stephen Cohen’s statement is absolutely correct: “Sept. 11 notwithstanding, the post-Cold War nuclear world is more dangerous than the Cold War period itself. The main reason is the instability of Russia’s nuclear infrastructure.” We continue to include Russia on our watch list of targets due to its economic and military instability and have established our military presence to stabilize former Soviet republics to help maintain their own autonomy from Moscow and to defend their own nuclear stockpiles.

Moscow’s fear of military encirclement is real, but with China as its big problem. Open letters from retired generals accuse President Vladimir Putin of betraying national security interests with an alliance with the U.S. But why not ally with the U.S.? Simply put, the Russians still have a bankrupt economy and Putin is banking on the U.S. to bail them out again.

The accusation that the Bush administration’s policy of treating Russia not as a real partner but merely as a helper when it suits U.S. purposes has been Russia’s modus operandi with the U.S. for decades. Where does it say that this is wrong? Better, who cares? By our actions, we certainly do not take Russia for granted, especially at our own peril.

Donald Dickey

Westlake Village

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Vanden Heuvel and Cohen lament that the “chance to establish a truly cooperative relationship with post-Communist Russia . . . has been gravely endangered by Bush’s own policies.” They argue that Russia has received little in exchange for its support of the U.S. war on terrorism, but they overlook a key concession from the Bush administration: its 180-degree shift in policy on Russian activity in Chechnya.

Before the post-Sept. 11 partnership, Russia was conducting a campaign of terror on the people of that region. Now the U.S. views Russia as conducting a campaign of counter-terrorism in Chechnya. This exercise in doublespeak should be well appreciated in the nation that was once the prototypical Orwellian society.

Tom Gorman

Pasadena