Demonize Whom?

Anatoliy Serdyukov, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation has noticed Canada. That appears to be so because Canada has noticed Russia's brash and aggressive stance on territories that Canada has embraced as its own historically. Canada has expressed its concern more than a few times over its disagreement with the United States over Canada's sovereignty of the Northwest Passage, with the U.S. claiming it to be international waters, and Canada firmly demurring.

Canada and Denmark scuffle verbally, diplomatically, from time to time over ownership of Hans Island. Canada, the United States and Denmark share scientific enquiry in the Arctic and remain on a sound relational footing; we are one another's sound allies. Denmark is actively assisting Canada in its bid to present scientifically accurate data before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to confirm its territorial claims.

The territory that Canada claims as its own is challenged vociferously and aggressively by Russia, which claims the Lermontov Ridge extends below the sea bed where Canada's territorial waters have traditionally extended. The suddenly renewed interest in Arctic territory spurred by the realization of its undersea riches in minerals and gas and oil. Everyone wants a substantial piece of that pie.

Canada, the United States, Denmark and Norway were astonished when Russia boldly sent an undersea submersible to the sea floor to plant a titanium Russian flag, claiming the territory for its own. Sans United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea approval. Since that time Russia's suddenly-aggressive aerial displays of overflights have produced some puzzlement from North America. There's a message there, and it's fairly clear.

Yet Russia's Minister of Defence is aggrieved that Prime Minister Harper and his Minister of Defence appear to be speaking unkindly in international fora about the behaviour of Russia. Canada, he claims is "practicing the ages-old political tactic of misdirection". According to him, the real challengers of Canada's Arctic sovereignty are the U.S. and Denmark, certainly not Russia. Well, and well.

He's right and he's most certainly wrong as well. It's a matter of degrees, of politesse. And Russia abundantly lacks diplomatic acumen. Russia is being "singled out for harsh treatment", claims Mr. Serdyukov. Wonder why. It's just being a good sort, teasing a bit, not meaning any harm by pretending to challenge Canadian air space and Canadian territory. Can't we take a joke?

Well, no, actually. Neither can Ukraine, or Poland, or Georgia, or Chechnya, or the European Union, come to think of it. Mr. Serdyukov reminds Canadian readers in his article published in the National Post, that "We are partners in the war on terror. We are partners in efforts to stem nuclear proliferation. We are partners in efforts to bring stability to unstable regions of the world." Wot? Say that again?

With all due respect, Minister Serdyukov, any country concerned with battling terror, stemming nuclear proliferation, encouraging stability, would hesitate before sending state-of-the-art munitions to a pariah Islamist theocracy like Iran, and would most certainly refrain from assisting its nuclear ambitions. Back in your court.