The Sleep of Reason: The war on Georgia & Russia’s foreign policy
The Sleep of Reason: The war on Georgia & Russia’s foreign policy

Author(s): Yuri E. Fedorov
Subject(s): Security and defense, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: AMO – Asociace pro mezinárodní otázky
Keywords: Russian war on Georgia; Dmitry Medvedev;
Summary/Abstract: The attack on Georgia known as “the Five-day war” sparked anew debates about Russia and its policy. Many believe that it confirmed the gloomiest analysis of Russia’s domestic developments and international behaviour; interred the hopes that under Medvedev the country would return to normality; proved that aggressiveness results from systemic characteristics of Russia today. Supporters of such views often see Russian policy as a product of “the sleep of reason” that, as the Spanish by-word says, “produces monsters”. The sleep of political reason in Russia is seen in a yearning of ruling elites for a “historical revanche”, a superpower status and deciding vote in security related issues in Europe and Eurasia; in dreaming of restoration of the Empire; in a strong conviction that use of military force is practical for and effective in advancing Russia’s interests abroad; and in the upsurge of jingoist enthusiasm caused by the war on Georgia. Taken together it signals that Russian society is gravely poisoned by morbid mental syndromes.

• Details
• Contents