As a British expat in Estonia it's hard not to notice the noise being made about Russia. The 'Russian situation' crops up in almost every news headline 's the word invasion seems to be on everyone's lips, especially if your letters section is anything to go by.
Admittedly, Russia is a potential threat, and given the history and relative might of the Baltic states it's easy to understand why people might be concerned. But all this sensationalism is only worsening the current situation and sowing the seeds for future strife.
By continually treating Russia with such hostility Estonia is only pushing their neighbor towards xenophobia, making them far more likely to engage in aggression. I understand that the Baltic people carry scars from the Soviet era, but that is no excuse to irrationally handle a delicate situation. I'm not being insensitive to Estonia's concerns either; I say this because if Russian tanks roll in I'm in as much trouble as anyone else.
I'd also like to point out, since everyone seems so enraged by the Georgia conflict, that the Baltics states have been rather hypocritical. When the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, with much less justification than Russia had in entering Georgia, the Baltics had no qualms about sending troops in support. It's funny how 'principles' are so flexible.
Stephen Plummer,
Tartu
