Russian servicemen are seen onboard a military vehicle in Tverskaya Street in central Moscow © Tatyana Makeyeva / Reuters
Written by Matthew Ehret
This article was first published in today’s print and online edition of the Washington Times’ Cross Talk with Dr. Edward Lozansky.
In the wake of the December 31 phone call between Presidents Biden and Putin, two very different perceptions of reality were brought into conflict which we can only pray will be resolved in the coming days and weeks of meetings between both sides.
Where one side sees itself committed to supporting Ukraine’s independent right to join NATO in order to help empower the trans Atlantic rules based order, the other side sees an encroaching military encirclement of its vast territory under a military doctrine dubbed “full spectrum dominance”. This latter doctrine, born in the bowels of Brzezinski’s “Flexible Response” doctrine of 1980, assumes that it is possible to deliver a nuclear first strike on Russia (and China) with only minor “acceptable” rates of collateral damage suffered as a consequence.
Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul correctly identified President Putin’s fears of NATO’s ongoing encroachment in a December 21 tweet, but was McFaul correct to dismiss these concerns as the crazy ravings of a paranoid Russian dictator with no bearing in reality? Or is there something to Putin’s fears?
Considering the rapid growth of NATO from 16 to 29 nations in 24 years, and the obsessive drive which post-Maidan Kiev governments have made to enter into the military pact, Putin’s fears shouldn’t be dismissed too quickly.
When you also consider 1) the vast array of military games that have taken place on the Black Sea in recent years, 2) the expansion of the anti-ballistic missile shield which weapons experts have proven can be turned into offensive systems with relative ease, 3) America’s abrogation of several trust building treaties since 2002, 4) the vast increase of arms sales to Ukraine over the past year, and 5) the promotion of first-use nuclear bombs by leading western officials in the last few weeks of 2021, it is clear that Russia’s fears are not unfounded as McFaul or other hawks encircling Biden would have it seem.
Considering McFaul is a renowned “color revolution expert” who was caught trying to arrange a failed “white revolution” in Russia in 2011, it must be assumed that his perspective is more than a little polluted.
Even China has felt the burn of full spectrum dominance and western regime change operations in recent years, with a massive armada of military bases, troop buildup, war games and anti-ballistic missiles like THAAD deployed in South Korea where 20 thousand American troops are stationed and ready for battle. These troops are joined by 50 thousand soldiers in Japan, while talks of creating a Pacific NATO (aka: QUAD) has occupied the conversations of military officials in Washington, Japan, India and Australia since 2020.
Ukraine and Taiwan: Spark Plugs for WW3?
As much as Biden, McFaul, Carter or Nuland might scream and shout that “Crimea will always belong to Ukraine”, the fact is that a democratic plebiscite did occur in 2014 which resulted in a majority vote to return the peninsula to Russia. Whether you like it or not, that happened.
As much as war hawks might also scream that the island of Taiwan is an independent nation deserving of US military support, according to the United Nations, and Taiwan’s own constitution, the island is still legally a part of China. That’s just a basic fact of life that no amount of media spin can change.
Should we treat the words of leading NATOcrats like Jens Stoltenberg seriously when he threatens to move US nukes in Germany closer to Russia’s border? Should we dismiss the claims made by former Defense Secretary Ash Carter that the USA should support a color revolution in Russia? Should we ignore the words of Senator Roger Wicker when he called for a nuclear first strike on Russia on December 8?
Whether or not American citizens take such words seriously, the fact is that Vladimir Putin and his military advisors certainly do.
USA Should Agree to Putin’s Demands
Taking the above facts into consideration, Putin’s demands for written agreements on freezing the growth of NATO’s eastward expansion should strike any American patriot as eminently reasonable.
After all, who does NATO’s growth actually benefit? Does it benefit the Ukrainian people if US missiles are installed in Kiev, which would only see the nation suffer the risk of a Russian retaliatory attack? And who on earth will gain if the world is pushed to nuclear war?
So why not make the oral promises of 1990 between James Baker, Bush Sr. and Gorbachev (that NATO would not expand one inch eastward) legally binding now once and for all?
If Putin requests that war games halt on Russia’s border (which he will reciprocate in turn) and requests that no short or medium range missiles be placed on Ukrainian soil (which he will reciprocate in turn) while re-empowering the Russia-NATO council, then what harm does this do to the USA’s interests? Moscow is, after all, only 300 miles away from Ukraine’s border, so this sort of security guarantee is perfectly rational.
Just to put it into perspective, I doubt a single American would feel secure if either Russia or China carried out military war games in the Gulf of Mexico while placing Russian-controlled missiles in Ottawa. And how secure would Americans feel if Moscow’s intelligence agencies were openly supporting rabidly anti-American Mexicans who wished to become a part of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization of the Americas?
So rather than risk lighting the world on nuclear fire in a bid for global hegemony, why not simply agree to Putin’s red lines, while also toning down the sabre-rattling in the Pacific while we’re at it?
Doing these simple things will involve returning to the tried-and-true methods of diplomatic engagement and acting like the UN Charter actually matters in international affairs. It will also involve treating other nations like partners with common interests, instead of assuming that everyone not under our hegemony are enemies vying for dominance in a world of diminishing returns.
It may be a lot to ask the NATOcrats running rampant in Washington, but I guarantee you that the majority of Americans from all sides of the political aisle will be overjoyed to avoid a nuclear holocaust.
Matthew Ehret is the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Patriot Review , and Senior Fellow at the American University in Moscow. He is author of the ‘Untold History of Canada’ book series and Clash of the Two Americas. In 2019 he co-founded the Montreal-based Rising Tide Foundation .
From a political point of view-to maintain status quo of hegemon and ensure actions remain unilateral. From a military point of view-these places are transformed into early warning devices. lol Conflict is diverted into enemy surroundings ensuring multiple fronts leaving the American continent free to face small detached threats. Additional nuclear fodder
Hypersonic nukes in Cuba negate NATO
Settlement requires compromise. Compromise is not one side agreeing to all the other sides demands. So it is a none starter to suggest the way forward is to accede to Putin’s demands.
There exists lines of actual control which can be maintained. This simply involves ceasing escalation and living with stalemate.
But the most Putin can get is Crimea as an oblast and a continuing Donbas stalemate.
There is a reason, in fact many reasons, all the former Warsaw Pact nations have embraced the west. They remember living in a police state for two generations.
No more Cheka!
Russia needs to embrace a new compass course. Set new bearings toward a peaceful and fruitful economic collaboration with the west and prosper.
I know this will draw many negative votes, but why should it? There is no unilateral military solution. That course leads to enormous losses everywhere. What is wrong with peace and prosperity?
The comment sections on SouthFront just seem to be nothing but spam bots these days. Really a shame.
“Oy Gevalt! The goyim are catching on! Employ Plan B: Accuse those who don’t go along with the narrative of being spam bots!” https://odysee.com/@AaronKasparov:2/Max_Igan_know_your_enemy_know_yourself:8
I don’t think that was what he was talking about. I think it’s more about those spam ads that brag about making large amounts of money in a short period of time.
OP told the truth, there are too many spam bots here (SharonJohnson etc). He didn’t accuse you, he never even mentioned you. No reason to go berserk.
replacing marxism and leninism with panslav nationalism and militarism also bears the risk of a spectacular failure…
Marxist-Leninism failed because Capitalism survived, once again you have fallen for a false Hegelian dialectic (e.g. Bourgeoise-Proletariat). Their theorists admitted they could not outcompete Capitalism in the long term; the solution to solving actual problems is the third way. https://odysee.com/@nsviking:5/Communism,-Fascism-and-National-Socialism-explained-in-15-mi:3
Capitalism failed also
We have j3wtocracy.
What will the US gain; simple answer is Russia the most coverted realestate globally.
With all those resources and their economy isn’t so great, lower living standards and on the path to becoming a mix between Mongolia and Kazahkstan.
Mongolia >>>>>> Detroit
The US stands to gain a nuclear war with Russia in which the US will be destroyed since they dont have the ICBM defence systems
NATO has no reason the be except to take down Russia…..simple isn’t it
They should check what happened to others who tried that.
An undersea fiberoptic cable located between mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean has been put out of action in a still-mysterious incident. The outage on the subsea communications cable — the furthest north of its kind anywhere in the world.. Mean are getting ready for the Big bang… any-comments will be apreciated.. THX
The US’ military primary job is not war. It is securing resources and commercial flow, especially sea lanes. Most importantly, however, it is there to ensure Dollar dominance. Russia is still tied to the dollar and so is practically the entire world economy. That is what really puts pressure on Russia. There will be no all-out war. The global “élite” doesn’t want that since it’s not controllable… and control is their game. Rather, they will try to harass Russia by other means (see Kazakhstan). Still, already the US has seen a financial coup d’état (search online for “going direct reset”). A group of private companies and some agencies run the show. They have other means to kill off millions, and more subtly (not really for ppl who want to see). Anyway, Putin is clearly the sanest of current world leaders, hope he’ll manage.
Russia evacuating embassy in Ukraine – media Report alleges Moscow has begun repatriating representatives and their families
C/P:
IMHO Biden and some other very high level and powerful Bolshevik Democrats like Clinton are being blackmailed by the Ukrainians. If Ukraine falls to Putin, the secrets of the sex trafficking, the money laundering and the corruption of US politicians will be revealed.
In addition, the resident Sniffer-in-Chief of the White House and Blair House Camel-Toe are desperate for a war to change the press narrative as their popularity continues to sink due to their incompetent and radical policies. They even appreciate the idea of a few million American dead with a limited nuclear exchange. This would support the de-population requirement of the Great Reset, which has failed since the vaccine scam has become obvious and the narrative has crumbled.
Raise the Fed rates and crash the economy as the Russian tanks roll in, the fake news will cover for you..
What could possibly go wrong?