Jan-Maat’s Reviews > Eiszeit > Status Update

revelation of authorial purpose in last 20ish pages of book: military descalation, accommodation with Russia, and priviledging of it's perspectives and worries necessary to allow development of civil society in Russia and possible development of a democratic society.
I do feel though the book could be radically rewritten to support that view the reader is dragged through a lot which isn't relevant to her end point.

Because of June 1941 and 1812 "Russische Aengste und Bedrohungsgeefuehle sind also ebenfalls historisch begruendet, berechtigt und plausibel"

well yes, that is true, however it is also true that many countries in the world have histories that feature being repeatedly invaded including many of Russia's neighbours who have been invaded and or annexed sometimes repeatedly by Russia?

earlier in the book the author took offence on Russia's behalf for being described by Obama as a regional power, now she says the small number of Russian bases abroad cannot be compared with the 150,000 US soldiers posted abroad and the US's 800 odd bases overseas. This we call having your cake and wanting to eat it too.

"Die Frage, ob Putin's Politik offensiv-expansiv ist oder einer strategischen Defensive entspingt, is daher von grosser Bedeutung"

By this stage of the book Putin's policy, if he has one, looks neither offensive nor defensive, rather reactive and not thought through

"Wenn nur Russland dopt, warum gewinnen dann die anderrn?"

Maybe because the psychological effects of doping on the athlete are greater than the physical ones?
In anycase what kind of a defence is 'well everyone's at it' ?

a couple of reviews for her other books have described her as a 'useful idiot' for the Kremlin, I don't see that - thinking about what emerges in the space between her words the view of Russian politics is not positive and so not useful, while she seems too clever to be an idiot, certainly a tendentious text though.

2nd time that the author mentions Putin's 2010 speech to the Bundstag suggesting a free trade zone from Vladivostok to Lisbon. The implication is that all Putin ever wanted to do was play nicely with the other kids. On the other hand without joint meetings on the topic, working groups, proposals. Then it is nothing. Just a speech, no matter how many times you mention it.

pointing out the interweaving of commercial and political interests in the USA is one thing, but the book needs more to demonstrate that this caused conflict between Russia and Georgia, & even if it could be established that Senator McCain, as implied here, played a roll in encouraging Saakashvilli to fight we're still a long way from understanding why he took such a risk and why his military backed him up

"1998 wurde Russland Mitglied der G8"

as far as I recall the concept of the G8 was created purely as a salve for Russian feelings, perhaps really as an attempt to boost Yeltsin's prestige - which in a sense confirms her argument but in the opposite direction

If Russia played a role in winning round the agreement of the central Asian states for the US & it's allies to use their bases for the adventure in Afghanistan then she ought to mention it. Otherwise since they were former states of the USSR Russia's acceptance of their decision is neither here nor there