Refocusing Political Priorities - Roles of the West in the 21st Century

Written in response to "Mr Putin’s wake-up call" - The Economist

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21614140-western-alliance-responding-better-russian-aggression-ukraine-there-more

With the crisis in Ukraine continuing to escalate and in the midst of the upcoming NATO summit, leaders within the West and Central Europe are under intense pressure to reevaluate their stances towards Russia and towards military spending in particular. The recent article entitled “Mr Putin’s wake-up call” published within ‘the Economist’ presents an interesting perspective on the predicament the West now faces, particularly how recent events may instigate adaptations to formerly conservative foreign policy stances, especially amongst nations in Europe. The author discusses their viewpoint on current events, their significance given the historical context, and how they signal the need for changes in the long term approach of Westward aligned states towards Russia.

The author begins by updating readers on NATO's latest reactions towards Russia’s recent interventions within Ukraine. The author regularly notes the West’s emphasis on “deterrence” and “appeasement” emphasizing what they perceive to be a hesitant and complacent stance taken by the West. In particular, the article implies how NATO has shirked some of its previous statements noting “Article 5: an attack on one is an attack on all”. The author emphasizes the hypocrisy of choosing to not comply with Poland’s request for 10,000 troops, despite escalating provocations on the part of Russia.

I enjoyed the author’s perspective on the West’s approach to foreign policy, particularly how Europe’s national interest / political focus has centered on domestic issues to a greater extent while downsizing its emphasis on military expenditures. The case the author makes within the article is quite compelling as the article frames their statements in a manner that is reminiscent of the familiar critiques of European appeasement preceding World War II.