Russian Revanchist Tears

I simply cannot be the only one who grows weary of Russian revanchist tears over how “put upon” they are by the rest of Europe and the world in general.  Well Boo Freaking Hoo.  Since just when have the Russians ever approached the outside world with anything but an attitude and actions of belligerence, intimidation and straight up racism and violence?   The only times that there has not been some sort of dictatorship in charge there was nothing but utter chaos that simply laid the groundwork for the next batch of dictators and oligarchs.

The word revanchism was practically invented to describe Russian longings for lost empire and territories.  Don’t ever expect the Russians to ever acknowledge that all those former Tsarist and or Soviet captive nations declared their independence at the first opportunity because they were sick and tired of Russian hegemony, oppression and occupation.  Apparently the Russians and the Islamists have a certain factor in common; the belief that once a territory falls under their control their rights of self-determination are gone, forever expunged and never to be restored.

The latest batch of belly aching from Moscow is that the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are bringing in NATO supplied heavy weapons to defend their borders from Russian provocations.  Tough luck Uncle Pooty.  The last time I looked these sovereign and independent nations had twice before been occupied and absorbed by Russians and like the Jews who survived the Holocaust they have vowed “Never Again!”  Who can blame them?  Both the Tsarist and the Stalinist deported and or executed any “uncooperative” locals by the hundreds of thousands and then deliberately and forcibly moved Russians into to their stolen and vacated homes and jobs.  The Soviet era of occupation came as a result of a despicable deal the Russians made with Hitler; a nasty bit of work for which they were never held accountable.

Now the new Russian Oligarch complains about “mistreatment and discrimination” against ethnic Russians in the Baltics and Ukraine.  If Putin and company really cared for them they would be volunteering to repatriate their “countrymen” and apologizing to the Baltics nations for the hundreds of thousands who died or disappeared into the Gulags never to return, all at the hands of his beloved Russians. 

Putin’s government has supplied thousands of ethnic Russians in the Baltics, even those born after their independence was declared, with Russian passports.  This in itself should be considered a violation of international law and a violation of these countries internal affairs.

Chamberlain and Daladier, Hitler and Mussolini may have gotten away with negotiating away Czech sovereignty while forcing them to wait in the other room, but I don’t think the Baltics are going to sit back and see the process repeated at their expense.