Foreign Policy Lesson, or How B5 Applies to Latvia
It has occurred to me that my fellow foreign policy students heard all about the issues facing Latvia… but none of you really have. Then, as I was walking to work a couple mornings ago, I had an epiphany. For those of you who like B5 or are at least basically familiar with it (which is most of you), I think I have a decent analogy to describe the situation here: If this were the B5 world, Latvians would be the Narn and Russians would be the Centauri.
You see, until 1991, Latvia was under Soviet control. There are continuing debates between the two as to whether Latvia was justly “incorporated” into the USSR of their own free will or “occupied” by unwelcome Soviet troops. On gaining its independence, Latvia was very nationalistic and rather hostile toward the Russian speaking 30-40% of its population. Russia, on the other hand, is smarting from a loss of power in the region and does what it can to assure Latvia that it is still bigger and badder. Suffice it to say, there is no love lost between the two countries. When either gets a chance to stick it to the other, they take it.
Fortunately, they are not going to go to war anytime soon, no matter how much they like to snarl at each other across the border (a border which itself is a subject of much dispute). Also fortunately, the Latvians are not spotted and the Russian ambassador does not wear his hair in some elaborate fan shape :). The US, however, does have to do a delicate dance between two countries who thoroughly dislike each other yet with both of which we’d like to remain on good terms.
This concludes your foreign policy lesson for the day :).
You see, until 1991, Latvia was under Soviet control. There are continuing debates between the two as to whether Latvia was justly “incorporated” into the USSR of their own free will or “occupied” by unwelcome Soviet troops. On gaining its independence, Latvia was very nationalistic and rather hostile toward the Russian speaking 30-40% of its population. Russia, on the other hand, is smarting from a loss of power in the region and does what it can to assure Latvia that it is still bigger and badder. Suffice it to say, there is no love lost between the two countries. When either gets a chance to stick it to the other, they take it.
Fortunately, they are not going to go to war anytime soon, no matter how much they like to snarl at each other across the border (a border which itself is a subject of much dispute). Also fortunately, the Latvians are not spotted and the Russian ambassador does not wear his hair in some elaborate fan shape :). The US, however, does have to do a delicate dance between two countries who thoroughly dislike each other yet with both of which we’d like to remain on good terms.
This concludes your foreign policy lesson for the day :).
posted by Gabi @ 9:40 AM
2 Comments:
At Sun Jun 19, 11:41:00 PM CDT,
Pinon Coffee said…
Thank you, Gabi. That communicated very well.
I think I now understand better both Latvia and the importance of communicating in words that the audience understands. Seriously. :-)
At Sat Jun 25, 01:16:00 PM CDT,
E E Holmes said…
*Claps*
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