Prelude to a New Cold War

The granting of asylum to an American spy seems to be part of a series of new disagreements between the United States and Russia.

U.S. President Barack Obama announced the cancellation of a meeting between him and his colleague [Russian President Vladimir] Putin this week in the middle of the melodrama surrounding American spy Edward Snowden. This episode ended with Russia granting him temporary asylum in Moscow.

Although Snowden’s asylum seems to be a more immediate problem, in reality it’s just another disagreement between the old archenemies of the Cold War.

Russia and the United States have had various points of contention recently. The White House has criticized the Kremlin for human rights and civil society violations, as well as for growing government authoritarianism.

Differences over the conflict in Syria and the new Russian law that suppresses gay rights are also part of the disagreements, but perhaps most serious of all is the way that Russia has reacted to the U.S. announcement of the construction of an anti-missile defense system in Central Europe for the purpose of self-defense from an eventual attack from Iran or North Korea. Russia said one year ago that it was prepared to use “preventative military force” if Washington went ahead with its plans.

In a world increasingly focused on economy and trade rather than ideologies, it is unlikely that a Cold War like the one from the recent past will reactivate, but both powers had best smooth out their differences or face the obvious risk of confrontation.