| Arnold. A Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies |
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On Tuesday, September 23, 2008, the Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, co-sponsored with The Harriman Institute, held a panel discussion, entitled “The New Cold War? U.S.-Russian Relations after the Invasion of Georgia.” Moderated by Professor Richard Betts, the discussion featured Professors Robert Jervis, Stephen Sestanovich and Jack Snyder. Below please find links to the full text of their remarks. | |
| “Russian leverage over Iran is, I believe, exaggerated; in fact, the United States has more leverage. To my mind, the likelihood of Russian policy getting either much more supportive, or a whole lot less supportive, of the United States on Iran, is rather small.” Please click here for the full text of Stephen Sestanovich’s remarks.
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"Russia is a weak, two-dimensional power, drawing on its superficial oil wealth and on the remnants of the Soviet military industrial complex. It is hobbled by Russia's profound demographic crisis, which former Russian President Vladimir Putin is doing nothing to correct. It is limited by the fact that Russian financial power is totally dependent on income from oil and gas exports to its potential geo-political rivals, Europe and possibly, in the future, China. It is hampered strategically by the mixed blessing of autocracy, which on the one hand permits Russia to concentrate its resources on whatever foreign policy task the autocrat decides to prioritize at the moment, but on the other hand, hamstrings social and economic innovations that are needed to turn Russian into really a first-rank player in the world." Please click here for the full text of Jack Snyder’s remarks. |
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“The United States has gotten over-extended. I think NATO expansion was a mistake, and many of us on this panel argued that it was a mistake at the time. I think those chickens are coming home to roost…. So, we have to take this situation as it is.” Please click here for the full text of Robert Jervis’ remarks.
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“[I]t’s almost two decades after the Berlin Wall opened, and it's easy to forget … what a dangerous and trying time that forty-plus years of Cold War was. In one sense the Cold War was a stable conflict, in that the two superpowers competed fiercely and waged a titanic struggle to determine which form of social organization would come to dominate the world. Yet they never went to “hot war” against each other. But what a price!” Please click here for the full text of Richard Betts’ remarks.
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| Columbia University www.columbia.edu/cu/siwps | |
