The Economic System of Islam — Page 111
111 Russian reticence till now in economic competition and in scramble for foreign territories has not been due to any ethical sense of right or wrong, but simply from its inability to assert its power. These policies will undergo a radical transformation as soon as it becomes strong enough to impose its will. In fact, the change can already be observed. So long as Russia was preoccupied with domestic politics, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were free and independent. Russia boasted that it did not get involved in the internal affairs of other countries and that in pursuit of liberation, it had granted independence to all countries that so desired—namely Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Finland, Poland, and Georgia. It had also handed over Turkey a portion of Armenia that was originally a part of Turkey. But as soon as domestic unrest abated, Georgia was incorporated into the Soviet Union. On gaining further strength, it started to dispute Finland’s border. This process continued until the Soviet Union came to occupy Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Portions of Rumania too were nibbled off, and Finland was overpowered and some parts of it were incorporated into the Soviet Union, leaving the rest of the country independent. Poland is being quietly appropriated now. Russia has proclaimed publicly that a government that does not support its policies would not be tolerated at its borders. Only governments that are prepared to remain loyal and subservient to Moscow can remain in power in these countries. Under the cloak of security, there has been Russian interference in the affairs of Poland, Czechoslovakia and Rumania. Schemes have been set afoot to grab the oil fields in Persia. Turkey is being called upon to hand back portions of Armenia ceded to it earlier and Moscow has openly sought control of the Dardanelles.