<html> <blockquote type=cite cite>Tuesday, February 18, 2003  A Weekend Full of Shame  By Boris Kagarlitsky  The global crisis that came to a head over the weekend has resulted in defeat and unprecedented humiliation  for the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. Washington had been sure that France would not  veto its proposed UN resolution on launching military action against Iraq. But last Friday it became clear that  the U.S. proposal was dead in the water even without a French veto. The weapons inspectors did not follow the  script that Washington had expected, and Security Council members took the floor one after the next to state  their opposition to war.  An even bigger humiliation for Bush followed in the form of huge anti-war marches around the world, including  the United States. The few West European governments that still support Washington came in for massive  street pressure. A consensus is building around the world that Bush is a dangerous man. The leadership in  Washington kept stubbornly repeating that Saddam Hussein poses a threat to humanity, but their exhortations  had the opposite effect. Hussein clearly poses a threat to his own people, but millions of people around the  world have reached the conclusion that Bush, not Hussein, poses a threat to the planet.  While the U.S. leadership came under attack, Russia once more  demonstrated its impotence and insignificance. Over the past decade  Russia has been politically dependent on the United States, and  economically on Germany. The United States dictated Russia's political  agenda, while Germany gradually became its most important business  partner and source of foreign investment. This system worked quite well  so long as Germany kept a low profile in international affairs and at least  made a show of solidarity with the United States. When disagreements  between the United States and Germany came to the surface, however,  the Russian leadership was at a loss.  Moscow behaved like one of Ivan Pavlov's dogs. So long as the signals  come one at a time, the dog's conditioned reflexes respond properly -- it  salivates at the sound of the bell. Then the scientist gives it two  contradictory signals. The poor beast goes into a panic, spinning around  in its cage. Something similar has happened with the Russian leadership  this winter. Only when it became clear that France and Germany would  secure a majority in the Security Council, and that no veto would be  required, did President Vladimir Putin demonstratively side with the  victors.  For 10 years Kremlin ideologues have led the public to believe that Russia must support the United States or  risk condemnation from the "entire civilized world." The events of last Friday revealed, however, that  Washington is now isolated. Russian policymakers drew the right conclusion in the end. As was immediately  obvious, however, their actions were driven not by firm principles or concern for the national interest, but sheer  opportunism. The sight of Russian leaders mouthing words dictated in Berlin while never taking their eyes off  of Washington was nothing short of embarrassing.  Russian society, unfortunately, seized the opportunity to sink to the level of its leaders. On Saturday, when  hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Western Europe, the United States and even  Australia, Russians preferred to stay at home. This would have made sense if Russians supported Bush or  approved of the war, but polls show that opposition to war in Iraq is no less widespread here than in most  European countries. Even the Chechen campaign no longer enjoys broad support. Anti-war sentiment may be  quite high, but the public has no plans to tell anyone about it.  Local leaders in some provincial towns organized anti-war marches, rounding up participants using the good  old Soviet tactic of "compulsory voluntarism." In Moscow, where the old tactics no longer work, two  demonstrations were held. Leftist and pacifist organizations rallied about 200 young people on Tverskoi Bulvar  under the slogan: "No War in Iraq and Chechnya!" The Communists and their nationalist allies barely managed  to turn out twice that number. For the Communists, with their enormous resources, this turnout was humiliating.  But the left can hardly be proud of its efforts, either.  The politicians may well be pleased with how Russia extricated itself from this crisis. Things could have been  worse, of course. But to be honest, the weekend's events left me feeling deeply ashamed for Russian society.  Boris Kagarlitsky is director of the Institute of Globalization Studies. </blockquote></html>