RUSSIA VS. ESTONIA: 21st Century State vs. State Conflict

What does "guerrilla" war between interdependent states look like in the 21st Century? Very much like the war now going on between Estonia and Russia. Russia is using the removal of a statue commemorating Russian war dead from Tallinn (the capital of Estonia) as a pretext to launch an information/economic war against Estonia in order to destabilize the state (the likely real reason is that Estonia is blocking the construction of a Baltic pipeline to Germany). So far:

• Oil shipments have been severed. Passenger rail service has been cut.
• Flash mobs have been generated both in Moscow (against the Estonian embassy) and in Estonia (through the mobilization of ethnic Russians living there). These mobs have been energized by a Russian propaganda machine that depicts Estonia as a fascist antagonist of Russia.
• Russian criminal bot networks (used for phishing and other types of criminal endeavors) have been rented to conduct denial of service attacks against Estonian government computers (to prevent normal functioning and stymie its ability to counter Russian propaganda)

Of course, Estonia like Singapore and other small states, do have substantial asymmetric advantages against larger more complex big states in this type of war, if they would only use them. The key is to make the decision to become a micro-power, which requires resilience and a capacity to enlist commercial partners in defensive/retaliatory warfare, before being subjected to assault.

Remember: Vulnerability to disruption accelerates with size while the capacity to disrupt (using these methods) is scale-free (based on self-replicating computer resources and thereby within the budget of any state, no matter how small).

Comments

[Barry]

"Of course, Estonia like Singapore and other small states, do have substantial asymmetric advantages against larger more complex big states in this type of war, if they would only use them. "

Um, yes. Just in case you haven't noticed, Russia has 'substantial asymmetric advantages' against Estonia, like the ability to screw with their energy supply.

I'm puzzled at why people thing 'asymmetric' warfare means that David defeats Goliath, as opposed to big, powerful countries step on smaller ones.

[Valdis]

Yes, David by himself is often screwed in these standoffs... unless he is highly between in some network Goliath needs. Latvia has also had spats with their overbearing neighbor, Russia, but these may have been dampened because Latvia is a key transit point [highly between] for oil from Russia to points west. Russia is currently in talks with Germany for a route-around of this highly between Latvian position.

A community of Davids -- of various sizes -- can be effective in action against Goliath. Let's see how the EU responds in this attack on one of their own. Various EU members are in the process of signing contracts with Russia for energy needs. We will soon see how important the word "union" is in the phrase European Union.

[Cavolonero]

I think the EU is trying to get rid of Estonia and fold them into the Russian Federation ( why I have no idea, other than it's part of the Big Deal that's going down ) ~

They Estonia when you're driving in your car ...
They ... ( oh never mind )

[zenpundit]

"I think the EU is trying to get rid of Estonia and fold them into the Russian Federation"

No.

[Flagg]

What specific actions could Estonia take?

Can they sever banking links with Russia? Does this hurt them more than the Russian minority?

Stop policing smuggling shipments from Estonia into Russia?

"Accidentally" sink a large barge in the Gulf of Finland, near, but not quite blocking the shipping lanes to and from St. Petersburg? A warning shot across the bow as it were.

They would seem to have a problem with such a large (~30%) Russian minority community. That's a relatively huge potential base to draw globalguerrillas from.

And yes, it will be very intersting to see how the EU handles this.

[Marcello]

"No."

Indeed, although quite frankly I wish we could dump them. Those eastern states have been nothing but a pain in the ass for the European (Dis)Union. I can kinda understand where they are coming from but given their stances they should have tried to apply for membership in the USA rather than the EU, since that is basically what they want.
And frankly just because someone happens to be Russia enemy that does not make it automatically a nice guy.

[Marcello]

"These mobs have been energized by a Russian propaganda machine that depicts Estonia as a fascist antagonist of Russia."

Given that Estonia is probably the only place in the world where they have built monuments to celebrate the SS, I would say that russian "propaganda" is spot on.

[Cavolonero]

Forest Brothers Redux !!

[Duncan Kinder]

Barry:

"I'm puzzled at why people thing 'asymmetric' warfare means that David defeats Goliath, as opposed to big, powerful countries step on smaller ones."

Paul Keres, one of the greatest chess players of all time, was Estonian.

Chess theory abounds in asymmetric concepts. The most hoary of these is knight vs. bishop, two roughly equivalent but distinct minor pieces. Minor piece vs. 3 pawns is another common asymmetry. More fanciful is queen vs. two rooks and queen vs. 4 minor pieces.

So Estonians have asymmetrical concepts ringing in the back of their heads.

Actually, for all its jazzy modern connotations, asymmetric warfare is quite old. The great sea power vs. great land power conflicts all were asymmetric: Athens vs. Sparta; Rome vs. Carthage; England vs. France. The Battle of Agincourt was an asymmetric duel between French knights and English archers. One could go on.

[benno]

"I would say that russian 'propaganda' is spot on."

No, it's not "spot on." It's part of Russia's information war against Estonia, and you've fallen for it. ;)

The monument to which Marcello refers had been erected by the mayor of a small town and was subsequently removed by order of the Estonian Republic, just as it moved the offensive "Liberator" of Tallinn Bronze Soldier to a military cemetary (if the Bronze Soldier had only been a monument to Soviet war dead it would still be there on Tonismagi). Currently, the Estonian Republic is considering banning public display of all Nazi and Soviet symbols.

It's been fascinating and frightening to watch just how effective Russia's info war has been. By almost every measure, Estonia is one of the freest countries in the world, while Russia has clearly been sliding steadily into neo-fascism, yet it's Estonia that's thought to be "fascist"! Fasten your seat belts, folks, it's going to be a wild 21st century.

Check out this editorial from The Economist for more on Estonia and Russia:

http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/europeview/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9142057

[Marcello]

"It's part of Russia's information war against Estonia, and you've fallen for it. ;)"

You accuse me to have fallen for russian propaganda and you swallow the The Economist editorials? Please.

"was subsequently removed by order of the Estonian Republic"

Only because they realized how much bad PR it was. But that monument was an accurate reflection of what they thought. Just in case, you might consider enquiring about what happened to the local jewish population after the nazi "liberation" in 1941.

"while Russia has clearly been sliding steadily into neo-fascism"

Russia has not been sliding towards fascism as much as it has been sliding away from the "freedom & democracy" (Washington definition of) which nearly killed it during the 90's and has been applied to Iraq with the results which are for everyone to see.

But what can you expect from the western media which is nostalgic for Yeltsin, the same guy which sent tanks to shell the parliament (democracy for you) and enriched his gang while the country plunged in the abyss?

[Marcello]

Frankly I am getting annoyed at this anti russian hysteria which is becoming prevalent.

Last month Yuschenko, the darling of the "Orange Revolution" dissolved the parliament, essentially illegally. Did anybody notice? No of course.
Or do we want to talk how an oligarch like Khodorkovsky was built into some martyr of democracy?
Care to guess why Putin is popular to the extent he is?

[adam]

Marcello,

"Care to guess why Putin is popular to the extent he is?"

Oooh. I'll take that one! Because he's a cute fluffy subservient poodle who does whatever the US orders? Nah, sorry, that's our dearly beloved Blair - unpopular at home, loved in the US...

From the Russian perspective US actions during the Bush administration have been extremely threatening. The latest being the proposed missile defence shield which just happens to be around Russia, not - say - North Korea or Iran...

[benno]

"Only because they realized how much bad PR it was."

Who's "they"? The Estonian Republic did not erect the monument, and therefore it cannot be held responsible for it. And the Estonian Republic did the right thing in removing it, and should be given credit for this. Apparently, Estonians love their Nazi symbols so much they want to ban them.

"Russia has not been sliding towards fascism as much as it has been sliding away from the 'freedom & democracy'"

So Russia's just sliding into garden-variety authoritarianism fueled by hypernationalism and nostalgia for the lost Soviet Empire? How comforting! One of the outcomes of a collapsing democracy (or quasi-democracy) is fascism--and contemporary Russia meets many of the other characteristics of an emerging fascist state. It has its "stab-in-the-back" myth, for example, and its cunning external enemies.

"Frankly I am getting annoyed at this anti russian hysteria which is becoming prevalent."

Frankly, I'm getting annoyed at knee-jerk anti-Americanism. The U.S. has certainly made terrible mistakes, but I don't see how that's relevant when Russia bullies its neighbors. What kind of person roots for Goliath?

Sorry, everyone, for pulling this thread off-topic, but somebody had to speak up for David.

[Marcello]

"One of the outcomes of a collapsing democracy"

Maybe in the editorials of the Economist and such papers Russia had a democracy.
What they actually had in the 90's was corruption masquerading as political parties
while pensioners had to look in the garbage for food and such niceties.
The formality of elections will go on anyway.

"What kind of person roots for Goliath?"

Food for thought: compare the resources of Al Qaeda and of the US Government. Then tell me who fits better the profile David and who instead Goliath.

[Marcello]

"Apparently, Estonians love their Nazi symbols so much they want to ban them."

There is something called political expediency. If some mayor had tried the same thing in Germany today it would not have lasted a nanosecond before the guy was buried under a Mount Everest of political crap. The whole episode tells a thing or two about the general mindset in Estonia. But I will grant you, they did not really love the nazis (neither in 1941 nor now) as much they were pissed at the russians. The enemy of my enemy and all that was more like it. Except that unlike the Finns they were rather eager when it came down to getting rid of the jews.

[Duncan Kinder]

The thing about Russia is that its current energy clout arising from oil and gas is capital intensive, and capital intensive systems tend to be authoritarian for reasons that Orwell, for example, has well stated.

The problem facing Estonia is that it may lack effective stand-off capability. That is, by sabotaging Russia Estonia appear likely also to be sabotaging itself.

If Estonia were largely rural or were energy-self sufficient, then it could more effectively threaten to disrupt Russia. I'm no Estonia expert, but I doubt if it has this sort of stand-off capability.

One of the things about this entire so-called Global War on Terror that continues to amaze me is that encouraging local self-reliance - solar cells and things like that - is the obvious defense.

There is the objection that such self-reliant systems cost too much - but had we taken the trillion dollars we have spent in Iraq and used it on R&D to reduce the cost of solar cells and similar devices we would be so much better off right now.

[Marcello]

"That is, by sabotaging Russia Estonia appear likely also to be sabotaging itself."

I think that Robb's idea is that if they are pushed to the wall they can make Russia suffer hard enough to not to be worth it for the russians. Still there are several practical problems with the whole concept.
Aside from shooting yourself in the foot, and I doubt that there are easy workarounds for that (solar panels at those latitudes? Dunno) the practical execution may be problematic. What are they going to do, paying somebody to blow up pipelines in Russia? I would hesitate before going down that route, if I was them.

[Marcello]

"So Russia's just sliding into garden-variety authoritarianism fueled by hypernationalism and nostalgia for the lost Soviet Empire?"

What is happening is that Russia is shifting from anarchy to its default position, which is to say autocracy. It is not Switzerland but sure as hell it is an improvement. The russians understand this and this is where Putin's legitimacy comes from. Maybe they will get develop democracy or maybe not.Time will tell. In any case the basics will have to be taken care of first.
It also means that Russia cannot be bossed around as it was in the 90's.
This is upsetting a lot of people, hence all the hypocrital weeping for the lost russian democracy, which is really a nostalgia for the weak Russia of the 90's which was more compatible with the unipolar world fantasies so fashionable in many US circles. Again, russians understand this, which means even more legitimacy for the current Czar.
With NATO being expanded towards their borders and a panoply of others hostile geopolitical moves it is quite obvious they are feeling a little paranoid and justifiably so. Perhaps if some consideration had been given to their security necessities...
So do not be surprised if you begin to see some reactions. And nobody there plays fair.
But at the end of the day Russia is not going to invade Estonia and Putin is not going to be Stalin II.

Hypernationalism isn't their exclusive and neither the stab in the back mythology. The Right fuming about the stab in the back in Vietnam is probably the main force behind what is left of popular support for the war in Iraq.

And one last thing, in the real world the underdog is not necessarily the good guy. Asa matter of fact usually there are no good guys in first places, just many shades of grey.

[adam]

"Frankly, I'm getting annoyed at knee-jerk anti-Americanism. The U.S. has certainly made terrible mistakes, but I don't see how that's relevant when Russia bullies its neighbors. What kind of person roots for Goliath?"

The Philistines? Presumably they'd have been quite on Goliath's side. I'd also point out that, as I recall, the bible story David's marriage plans were founded on the provision of hundreds of Philistine foreskins, so I'm assuming that they might have had a few reasons to think ill of the Israelites, presumably on the hippie-liberal basis that racially based serial killing is a bad thing.

In reality I'm with Marcello, historically Russia has never been thrilled with governments that aren't autocratic. That tradition goes all the way back to Peter the Great who was, lets face it, a genuinely hard bastard.

Hell - Americas favourite drunkard Yeltsin (who once polled 5% in his own country) fired his entire cabinet at least four times and invaded Cechenya to strut his funky stuff. In the 1996 elections it took massive PR campaigns from the oligarchs to get him 35% of the vote. In return the US loaned Russia $40bn, most of which went to the oligarchs (ever wondered how Russians could afford billion dollar purchases of oil installations?).

Overall, little things like a general decline in living standards, falling life expectencies, a massive crime rate and rampant unemployment didn't really endear the average Russian to capitalism and Western democracy. Putin looks rather good on that basis - the decline has been managed or stopped.

Not to put it too finely, the US has done everything possible to re-enact the Cold War, so there's very little point in the Americans complaining about the "anti-American" results now. As the Americans have acted like utter fools for nearly a decade a better description of "anti-American" would be "anti-idiot".

[Duncan Kinder]

Speaking of the Russian tradition, there is the nineteenth century tradtion of "bomb-throwing Russian anarchists" which Dostoevsky and Turgenev used to write about.

It would be interesting to see if such conduct reappears.

[Bunte]

It's truely unfortunate how well Russian propaganda has reached so many people. I'm from Estonia and followed the subject alot. If I read Marcello comments they are out from the "10 phrases you need to know then accuse Estonia in matters of Bronze Solider". Any pro-estonian newssource is American propaganda. Any good move made by estonia is just for PR (we are evil sharpteeth furry animals actually and even children wear Hitlers' moustaches), etc. Russians finally have found an object to channel their hatred towards. I really don't mind that.

But what really worries me is the fact that they start to accept autocracy and Putin-cult as the totally normal state of existance. Just give them few pennies left over from the modern oligarhs aka CEO's of state owned (or should I say FSB) companies and they accept demolishion of free press, free speach and total government control in economics. They even jump to passionatly defend this system and work out some pretty amazin phrases like "we have a freedom of speech, we just cannot critisize Kreml". It is almost like "We have almost pure democracy, only 2% of it is polonium"

[Duncan Kinder]

According to the Washington Post, it is Russia that is using the global guerrilla type tactics against Estonia and not vice versa:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/18/AR2007051802122.html
quote:

TALLINN, Estonia, May 18 -- This small Baltic country, one of the most wired societies in Europe, has been subject in recent weeks to massive and coordinated cyber attacks on Web sites of the government, banks, telecommunications companies, Internet service providers and news organizations, according to Estonian and foreign officials here.

Computer security specialists here call it an unprecedented assault on the public and private electronic infrastructure of a state. They say it is originating in Russia, which is angry over Estonia's recent relocation of a Soviet war memorial. Russian officials deny any government involvement.

:end_of_quote

[Marcello]

"But what really worries me is the fact that they start to accept autocracy and Putin-cult as the totally normal state of existance."

Autocracy has been the normal state of existance in Russia since... well, a very, very long time. One would wish things could be different but that is the reality. I would not completely write off the possibility a democratic Russia in the long term.

"and they accept demolishion of free press, free speach and total government control in economics."

For the very simple reason that the good things which are supposedly being demolished never existed in first place. The sort of capitalism prevalent in the Russia in the 90's does not exactly strike me as something worth defending. Neither the political system then prevalent for that matter.

"They even jump to passionatly defend this system"

That is an easy one. Living standards are getting better.

And now to the information side of the question

"Any pro-estonian newssource is American propaganda"

You mean The Economist editorials and similar rags? Yes. Angloamerican maybe, but propaganda still.

"If I read Marcello comments they are out from the "10 phrases you need to know then accuse Estonia in matters of Bronze Solider"

Ok let's put it this way. I did not learn about that SS monument from some cable that I got from Putin the other day. I was reading about that particular piece of crap since 2002. That the issue was not solved then tells me a few things. But that is a symbolic issue.
The reason for which I do not feel particularly sympathetic towards the Baltic republics is a series of issues. These range from the treatment of jewish minorities during WW2 to more recently the role played in US-EU relationships and others things. Absent these issue I would not fault them more than Finland for having allied with Nazi Germany. They were put in a very difficult position with only tough choices available. I would not mind that.

As things stand now however I do not see why the well being, and in many cases the lives, of 140 millions of russians should be sacrificed, because that is what prolonging the conditions prevalent in the 90's would entail, to please the feelings of a bunch of eastern europeans and US pundits/politicians. And if this offends someone I could not care less.

[Bunte]

"Autocracy has been the normal state of existance in Russia since..."

"We shoud free the slaves? What are you babbling about, mr Lincon, slaves have been around for ... long time"

"The sort of capitalism prevalent in the Russia in the 90's does not exactly strike me as something worth defending."

Cowboy capitalism was not so uncommon in Estonia as well. As a small country it took us just less time to get over it. I'm fairly positive that not all put on mr KGPutin account is just his brilliant management. Russia started in ruins, don't forget that. As to free press: at least it had several sides. That is much better than a fascist propaganda machine Russia has today.

The fact that you call the lihula-use-to-be monument SS monument shows already that you are taken the propaganda hook. It was soldier with no SS attributes and greated to remember soldiers died fighting in nazi army. If you think all of them volunteered, you are gravely mistaken. And we still decided to tear this monument down as like the Bronze Soldier it created too much national hatred. As to treating the jews you should know that it was soviets who sent first 400 jews to die in Siberia during the 1940. So your anti-sympathy is doublestandard so common for Russia. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Estonia
Btw, our government has officially apologized for those few nazi collaborators, same doesn't apply for Russia and soviet crimes that are again heroized under Putin rule.

Ok, sry, that got a bit emotional. But I think we share really different visions of the Russias' future considering current trends. I cannot see bright future for a country run by ex-KGB organization. During the Soviet times KGB reported to communist party leaders who were quite careful in their actions. Now all brakes are off.

[Marcello]

"We shoud free the slaves? What are you babbling about, mr Lincon, slaves have been around for ... long time"

For a start if you know ebe just a little about the period you might note that Lincoln was not all that hung go about freeing the slaves before the war. The talk back then was merely about "containing" slavery spread.
Then you might also note that it took nearly one hundreds of years for southern blacks becoming anything more than serfs; so while I personally believe the Confederacy got what it deserved on a purely rational basis it is not that clear cut that the Civil War was such a great and wonderful thing from the point of view of southern blacks well being.

"shows already that you are taken the propaganda hook"

Glad to know that the BBC of five years ago was already a mouthpiece for Fascist Russia.

"It was soldier with no SS attributes and greated to remember soldiers died fighting in nazi army."

It certainly looked like an SS (unless those dastardly guys at the BBC retouched the pictures) and was supposed to represent an SS. If it walks like a duck...

"As to treating the jews you should know that it was soviets who sent first 400 jews to die in Siberia during the 1940."

The soviets back then were deporting all the sort of people, russians included. I would say that 400 people shipped to the Gulag are a slighty different order magnitude from, for example, the 140.000 or so which were liquidated in Lithuania with what was sometimes a rather enthusiastic support from the local population.

"I cannot see bright future for a country run by ex-KGB organization."

Always brighter than for a country run by a drunkard and assorted cronies.

"During the Soviet times KGB reported to communist party leaders who were quite careful in their actions."

Frankly Russia has not done anything or shown to be willing to do anything worse that the "democratic Russia" of the 90's, never mind the SSSR. The Chechenya mess was started under Eltsin for example.

[Bunte]

"For a start if you know ebe just a little about the period you might note that Lincoln was not all that hung go about freeing the slaves before the war."

While your historical knowledge impresses me I'm unimpressed by your ability to see simple analogy:)

"Glad to know that the BBC of five years ago was already a mouthpiece for Fascist Russia."
To be honest, they were getting more information influenced by Russia these days. Now they are more careful.

"It certainly looked like an SS (unless those dastardly guys at the BBC retouched the pictures) and was supposed to represent an SS. If it walks like a duck..."

You do understand there is a difference between german uniform and SS uniform? Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_of_Lihula

I won't find anything to answer to the "soviets deported everybody". Really. No reason to condemn them as they weren't so selective?

"Always brighter than for a country run by a drunkard and assorted cronies."

It is always the choice of between two bads in Russia, isn't it. Glad you are able to find optimism in that.

[Marcello]

"I'm unimpressed by your ability to see simple analogy"

Bunte, I spent a few words on US history to illustrate a couple of very simple points:
- idealism imposed from the outside does not trump history or well entrenched social system.
- said social systems have a considerable inertia.
Bottom line: Russia has always been an autocracy, don't expect that to change in the short term while the country has just come back from the brink.Good intents can result in bad results.
Clear now?

"You do understand there is a difference between german uniform and SS uniform?"

AFAIK not much difference between Heer and Waffen SS field uniforms, at least at that stage of the war. Insignia was basically it. Given that the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division SS and similar SS units were the main estonian fighting forces during the war everybody is simply making 2 + 2. The Wermacht wasn't keen on taking foreigners (it was forbidden, at least in theory) and the various SS units were the favourite loophole to get foreigners into the fight. This was standard practice.

"I won't find anything to answer to the "soviets deported everybody". Really. No reason to condemn them as they weren't so selective?"

I am not particularly big fan of them. But the baltics are not completely clean on several issues.

[Bunte]

"Bottom line: Russia has always been an autocracy, don't expect that to change in the short term while the country has just come back from the brink.Good intents can result in bad results."

That is where our opinions differ. While russia is doing better economically, politically it is going to somewhere what for me is nevernever land. Bad intents can result in even worse results.

"Given that the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division SS and similar SS units were the main estonian fighting forces"

Of course but it still doesn't make the uniform SS. In your head maybe.

But the whole thing started with your claim "Given that Estonia is probably the only place in the world where they have built monuments to celebrate the SS, I would say that russian "propaganda" is spot on.". Your claim is wrong, generalizing and demagogic by using one incident justifing all the clear lies and biased reports russian media has produced.

To prove that is wrong just one example to you:
http://www.lenta.ru/news/2007/05/09/monument/

To summarize, there was already a memorial "celebrating" (in a russian sense I guess, I don't see much celebration in memorial to the fallen) russian nazi collaborators and SS members.

[Bunte]

I also noted one detail, Marcello

"Frankly Russia has not done anything or shown to be willing to do anything worse that the "democratic Russia" of the 90's, never mind the SSSR. The Chechenya mess was started under Eltsin for example."

You seem to know history pretty well, are you also the one who believes FSB was just doing a training exercise when "sugar bags" were discovered in the third apartmenthouse basement?

[Marcello]

"Of course but it still doesn't make the uniform SS. In your head maybe."

Ok, what was it supposed to commemorate: Santa Claus? "To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945". Who were these guys? SS essentially.
The guy may not have a 100% SS uniform but the intent is rather clear to everybody who has the brain to put 2 and 2 together.

"Your claim is wrong, generalizing and demagogic"

Yes. I was somewhat pissed at the usual characterization of the big bad russians bullying poor little innocents. As I said in the following posts it was a matter of "enemy of my enemy", rather than some genuine love for fascism, then or now.
That is however coming from someone who has just written off russians as Kremlin bootlickers and from a country which in 1991 wrote off a significant chunk of the population on the ground they might not have been politically reliable.

[Bunte]

"Yes. I was somewhat pissed at the usual characterization of the big bad russians bullying poor little innocents"

I think you haven't followed much of russian media? Well, I have. Information war has been waged on their side for really really long. And if you don't consider the fact that Russia really doesn't like EU and his unofficial foreign policy has been to weaken EU for years, I would call you politically blind. Estonia is one of the smallest fishes in the bond although some here like to flatter themselves with an opposite idea.

"That is however coming from someone who has just written off russians as Kremlin bootlickers and from a country which in 1991 wrote off a significant chunk of the population on the ground they might not have been politically reliable."

First you make another generalization and then you make a note completely forgetting the context.

Before USSR breakup 1.7 million people lived in Estonian SSR. After the first years of 90-s the number was 1.4 million. You can guess were the difference went. Also, 1/3 of current ethnic russians choose RF citizenship. And trust me, if you think many russians participated in the Singing Revolution, you are wrong. Close to 100 000 people formed Interrinne, organization that made keeping Estonia in the USSR one of its main goals. There was no "might not have been" in the political reliability.

And I don't consider introducing language requirement as a naturalization constraint to be an act of writing somebody off. Those "alien" passport owners who's numbers are steadily shrinking, have had at least 17 years to learn estonian.

[Jaan]

I am utterly amazed. Estonia has suffered genocide under Soviet Russian occupation, and now these commies are upset that we do not thank Stalin for mass murdering our people and sending them to the gulags of Siberia. They say in Russia the only Estonian that is loved, is Arnold Meri who collaborated with the Soviets to deport Estonians to Siberia. There are perhaps good Russians, jounalists whos speak against corruption, but these are assasinated. While the evil men like Stalin are lifted up like heros. Russia claims to be a democracy, but it is still ruled by KGB Putin and his KGB cronies. Somehow, Russia must throw out of power these evil KGB cronies out once and for all and make a clean break from nostalgia of the evils of communism from the soviet era and embrace true democracy. Russia supposedly thrown off communism and embraced capitalism and democracy, yet now the Russian textbooks lift up the very Red Army that overthrew capitalism and ended democracy and freedom in Estonia (that existed for ALL people and ALL religions in Estonia) and imposed communism tyranny on Estonia.