June 4, 2009 By James Kimer

Diminished Expectations

oilgas060409.jpgOne of the most subtle forms of discrimination is said to be embodied in the application of diminished expectations – which has certainly been the phenomenon toward Russia in recent years as compared to the high hopes following the collapse of the Soviet Union.  This is a great country of great people with a great history – and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have high expectations for it to develop into a strong and free society.  Yet, as Keith Smith of CSIS notes in this briefing note, at some point the West, especially Europe, abandoned any expectation of a Russian return to normality and legality – a diminished expectation of accountability fueled largely by the corrosive political impact of the energy trade.