Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Unity and Revival monument in Dushanbe August 29, 2008. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/PoolRussia Warns It Will Respond To "Aggression" -- Reuters
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia does not want confrontation with the West but will hit back if attacked, Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday, a day before EU leaders meet to draft a response to Moscow's actions in Georgia.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would press fellow European Union leaders to review ties with Russia in retaliation for Moscow's decision to send troops to Georgia and recognize two Georgian breakaway regions.
But underlining the differences in approach inside the 27-member EU, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier took a softer line, saying isolating Russia would harm the interests of the bloc.
A senior U.S. diplomat said Washington hoped the EU would express concrete support for Georgia's territorial integrity, and urged Europe to reduce its dependence on Russian energy.
Medvedev faces growing condemnation from the West, which accuses Russia of occupying parts of Georgia, while the Kremlin said it acted to prevent what it called genocide against the separatist regions.
Read more ....
My Comment: The Russian Government has been threatening the West that they will respond to aggression ..... but what is their definition for aggression. What are the conditions that must be met in order for the Russian Government to state that their survival is at stake .... and this is the reason why they must then respond "aggressively" in kind.
The Russian conditions that must exist in order to insure the survival of the Russian Government and its people are the following (from the Russian point of view and from what I have been able to extrapolate):
(1) Border states of the former Soviet Union must be compliant to Moscow's desires. If Georgia does not permit the independence of its breakaway provinces, it must be shown otherwise. If the leader of Chechnya is a tyrant who systematically brutalizes the population .... but obeys the Moscow line .... he is OK. If Ukraine expels the Russian Black Sea Fleet from the Port of Sevastopol, this is then a declaration of war.
(2) Treatment of Russian minorities in the border states. Discrimination and mistreatment of Russian families living in former Soviet Republics is becoming a sore wound for many in Russia proper. The Baltic states are the most publicized, but countries like the Ukraine, Georgia, in the Far East in Muslim Republics are now guilty of this conduct.
(3) The placement of weapon systems near their borders. The Polish And U.S. agreement for the installation of an anti-missile defense system on Polish soil is regarded as an offensive move by Russia against them. Even though this system can be completely overwhelmed by a Russian military attack, and that its operations would only be focused on a rogue state firing one or at most .... two missiles .... in Russia's eyes this is a weapon system. Period.
(4) Russia's financial lifeline is its energy exports. It is in Russia's interest to keep oil prices high in order for it to earn the revenues needed for its expenditures. To keep the people in line, to rebuild its military, and to establish a proper infrastructure .... the oil must flow and its price must be high. If the price of oil collapses because of energy conservation, new supplies, and the use of new technologies .... this becomes a mortal threat to the Russian Government and its stability. Any change in this status quo will be regarded with hostility from the Russian Government.
(5) Providing military material to former Soviet Republics. Russia has made it very clear that if the U.S. should rearm Georgia .... they would respond in kind.
(WNU Editor): This list was developed over time through many conversations with the many Russians that I know, and through the literature and Russian news websites/blogs that I always read.