With the prospective re-election
of Vladimir Putin on the horizon, the Russian people are out in
droves to protest his policies. Many in opposition to Putin's
policies showed up for the various rallies, numbering more than
25,000 people in total by one estimation by the Moscow police, with
thousands more around the country. These protesters were flexing the
political muscle that is their rights as members of a democratic
government. Having such a show of support has helped bolster the
confidence of liberals, nationalists and communists; all parties that
are in opposition of Putin politics.
These protests were the cause of
last week's parliamentary election in Russia, and are meant to put
pressure on Putin; specifically on his bid to return to presidency.
This vocalization also shows the distaste and animosity that is held
for one of Russia's most prominent politicians. This was a major
shock because the government felt politically forced to allow the
demonstration to take place, and went so far as to license it. This
made the demonstration one of the largest to take place since the
fall of the Soviet Union. On that note, many there said this rally
was reminiscent of those rallies of the 1990s.
Another major factor in this grass
roots demonstration is in the participants. Through the various
articles, nearly every Russian social group or class are mentioned.
There are comments about young Russians holding I-Pads to broadcast
this event, while standing next to businessmen and old ladies. Having
such a wide variety of people show support for this cause, presents
major possibilities for Russia's future. This has allowed the
opposition to grow bolder and make a number of demands, such as the
release of a number of prisoners and the removal of Vladimir Churov
who runs the Central Election Commission.
On top of all of this was the
media coverage received for the demonstrations. With such a huge
undertaking, the Kremlin could not effectively bury it on Russian
television. Not only this, but the government-controlled stations
provided coverage of the rallies; including Boris Nemtsov, the
current opposition leader. While the coverage on these stations did
not show Putin in a negative light, there was virtually no mention of
the demonstrations in a negative light.
This demonstration creates the
possibility for a major shift in Russian politics and power that
needs to be taken into account for national security. The fact that
the government of Russia allowed this protest to occur seems to be a
positive slant in the direction for the democratic processes of the
country. One thing that makes this specifically reassuring is the
peaceful manner that this protest was accomplished. While there was a
police and military presence, the government had no cause to use it.
This in itself showed a major shift from the assumed crackdown of the
government that outside sources promote. Having the possibility of a
more democratic government creates the possibility of a better
economic and political connection with Russia. The United States
could benefit from this because it could lead to a lessening of
strain between the two governments and allow for negotiations for
supply routes through Russian controlled or influenced territory.
While these are a number of
national security benefits from this action, a number of concerns
arise as well. For one, the articles comment about how the communist
and nationalist parties are gaining strength and confidence from
these movements. Concern must be raised, and intelligence taken to
evaluate what will happen if these parties gain a strong hold in the
Russian government. The questions of a change of policies, or values,
must be addressed and accounted for in watching and preparing for
future American involvement with Russia.
Another problem is the unrest that
such demonstrations can cause in the Russian society. So far, Russian
protestors and government officials are using legal, open means of a
democratic government. However, the question needs to be addressed
what will happen if Russian protestors cause social strife in the
future; or if the government also cracks down on these political
freedoms. Also a national security concern would be the chance that
Putin loses the election, but refuses to turn over power to the
victor. Such an action, while maybe not probable, must be considered
because of the world wide implications of such an action.
Sources
No comments:
Post a Comment