Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission.
Checking my daily email from Reuters Thursday morning revealed these two stories:
- US President Joe Biden is expected to sign a new security agreement with Ukraine to pledge America’s long-term support, while British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce up to $310 million in bilateral assistance to the country.
- Israeli tanks advanced deeper into the western area of Rafah, amid one of the worst nights of bombardment from air, ground, and sea, forcing many families to flee their homes and tents under darkness, residents said. Follow the latest on the Gaza war.
“Diplomacy falters” is one of the sub-headings, which is assuredly the case, assuming diplomacy was even tried.
The BLUF, or bottom-line upfront, to use an Army acronym, is more death, dying, and destruction in Ukraine and Gaza.
Reuters still refers to Israeli ethnic cleaning in Gaza as the “Gaza war,” but only one side has tanks, combat aircraft, 2000-pound bombs, heavy artillery, bulldozers, and even nuclear weapons. It’s not exactly a fair fight, is it? The Israeli government says it’s out to destroy Hamas, but what it’s really after is the destruction of Gaza and the forced relocation of Palestinians there, after which Gaza will be annexed and assimilated into Israel.
Turning to the Ukraine War, the longer it lasts, the greater the suffering, and the higher the risk of further escalation. Yet the focus is always on deterring Russia and defeating Putin, as if it’s 1938 yet again, with Putin as Hitler and Ukraine as Czechoslovakia. Any diplomatic settlement with Russia will be the equivalent of appeasement, another Munich Agreement, so the war must go on, I guess until one side or the other collapses from the strain. Perhaps 1918 and the chaotic end of World War I is a better year to think about than 1938.
Meanwhile, Reuters tells me there are “challenges” in Africa and that China must be corralled and contained. Poor Africa. European nations (and the United States) are always offering answers to Africa’s “challenges,” but those answers address the interests of the West, not of African peoples. The U.S. has a whole military command, AFRICOM, to address those “challenges,” mainly in the form of U.S. weapons sales and “security assistance.”
Finally, resurrecting the racist “yellow peril” trope with regards to China is only driving that country into closer contact with Russia, which has the added benefit of justifying immense Pentagon spending due to the dual threat of Russia-China. (Democrats tend to stress Russia as the big threat; Republicans prefer China.). Thus we hear of a new Cold War, which of course necessitates colossal military spending, because do you want China and Russia to rule the world?
There will be wars and rumors of wars: And so it goes with U.S. foreign relations, in perpetuity, seemingly.
William J. Astore is a retired lieutenant colonel (USAF). He taught history for fifteen years at military and civilian schools. He writes at Bracing Views.
It seems that the US is addicted to wars.
Our wonderful system makes it so most of us mayn’t discuss politics anywhere, lest we be recorded. Neighbors record; everyone records to make it so no one may work.
The result is we get midbrows at the top, and few are politically educated unless they get their education at sites like this.
And we’re told this dreadful system is the best; so, the US forces it upon others. Plus, there’s corruption and a desire for unipolar global domination.
The irony here seems a bit ‘in your face’, given what many Jews themselves suffered, historically speaking, being driven from their own homes and facing horrific acts of inhumanity, a the hands of others, yet they are repeating such acts themselves?….
"being driven from their own homes and facing horrific acts of inhumanity, a the hands of others, yet they are repeating such acts themselves?…"
Fortunately many Jews understand this. Not all Jews are Zionists, and, certainly in this country, a majority of Zionists are not even Jews.
The state has a way of corrupting virtually every social movement and organization, and religions are no exception. The religious right in this country, was never so much an instance of religion corrupting politics, rather, it was an extreme instance of politics corrupting religion.
P.S. — I've never met you Donna, but I think you're beautiful.
It’s not only the state that corrupts.
"Yet the focus is always on deterring Russia and defeating Putin, as if it’s 1938 yet again, with Putin as Hitler and Ukraine as Czechoslovakia. Any diplomatic settlement with Russia will be the equivalent of appeasement, another Munich Agreement, so the war must go on,"
Appeasement is a battle cry for American warmongers. One should never agree to a peaceful settlement, but fight on to the end, even if losing. This is based on a historical myth that appeared many years after World War II.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbRFoWgxrao
Cold War I ended long ago and now this is Cold War II. The West continues to use Russia as a scapegoat. Biden let the war in Ukraine start and the Media blames it on Putin. Biden is also letting Israel continue its genocide in Gaza extend into Lebanon.
Biden is a living corpse that is creating corpses in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon.
Spot on article. Hits the nail on the head. Now what to do about it. Americans employed by MIC companies will complain to their reps in Congress. Investors will lose stock value. The Pentagon will have to become leaner and meaner. Bases around the world will have to shut down. In the era of drone warfare we must rethink the mega projects the Pentagon is still trying to sell US. Concentrate more on the industries needed to produce those drones and robots for future conflicts. OR! Find a way to peacefully coexist with other nations with economic cooperation and negotiations.
Um, must be a slow news day.
"until one side or the other collapses from the strain." We already know which side that will be.
As Dorian Gray said in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen": "I've lived long enough to see the future become history, Professor. Empires crumble. There are no exceptions."
Jun 14, 2024 Putin Offers Ceasefire If Ukraine Drops NATO Bid, Pulls Troops From 4 Regions; NATO-US Slam Demands
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the freezing of Russian assets abroad is "theft " and warned that the move would "not go unpunished". Putin set out what he said were Russia‘s preconditions for starting peace talks with Ukraine. He said Russia would be ready for such talks “tomorrow” if Ukrainian troops withdraw from the four annexed regions of Ukraine. Putin said Russia could agree to Kyiv "maintaining Ukrainian sovereignty" over the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. US Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin rejected Putin's demands that Ukraine withdraw its troops from territory claimed by Moscow. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said conditions set out by Putin for initiating Ukraine peace talks are "not a proposal made in good faith."
https://youtu.be/y1UCUZlsMb0?si=V5ztsO8vrr4T-aJP
It is noteworthy how Dems hate Russia, and the GOP hates some nonwhite foreign polities.