[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5136]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     CONDEMNING RUSSIAN AGGRESSION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 2016

  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn 
recent actions taken by Russia that threaten to destabilize an already 
tenuous international order. Putin's interventionist policies that seek 
to reestablish the Russian Federation as a world power have incited 
chaos and conflict along NATO's southern flank. Post-Soviet states once 
free from the yoke of oppression have been thrust back into civil and 
economic instability by Russian policies designed to sow discord and 
distrust along NATO's vulnerable underbelly.
  Moscow's invasion of Georgia set in motion what has become an 
increasingly obvious pattern. Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 
2014 and ongoing military campaign in the eastern parts of Ukraine have 
made it clear that Russia is openly proclaiming the redrawing of 
Europe's borders. Equally troubling, NATO members in Central, Eastern, 
and Southern Europe continue to face antagonism from Russia, including 
a substantial military buildup in Armenia where Putin has deployed 
advanced fighter aircraft and attack helicopters just 25 miles from the 
Turkish border. This is the same NATO border that Russian military 
aircraft have regularly violated, culminating in the downing of a 
Russian bomber by Turkish defense forces. I need not remind this House 
that Turkey is an indispensable ally in the fight against ISIL, and the 
effort to restore stability in the Middle East. Unnecessary Russian 
provocations such as this increase the risk of miscalculation and 
escalation between nuclear powers, and are intended to drive a wedge 
between NATO allies.
  Just last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made a 
symbolic trip to Washington, D.C. where he met with the President and 
members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees 
to discuss the threats posed by an increasingly assertive Russia. I 
myself moderated a NATO Parliamentary Assembly Panel, where our 
partners from around the world raised concerns about a resurgent 
Russia, and whether the United States will continue to play its 
indispensable role in ensuring a stable world order.
  Mr. Speaker, on the bleached bones of great civilizations and nations 
are written the pathetic words: ``Too little, too late.'' Ladies and 
gentlemen, I call on Members of Congress to heed these words, and to 
stand undaunted in the face of Russian aggression before it is too 
late. Putin's escalating aggression in his efforts to project power is 
a direct threat to our NATO allies and U.S. interests abroad. We must 
stand with our NATO allies now, more than ever, to ensure that security 
in the region is maintained. We must pursue peace and diplomacy for the 
sake of future generations. That peace will only come through unified 
strength.

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