The rift between the neo
con war hawks and genuine defenders of national sovereignty became ever clearer
this week in the wake of Russia’s decision to put their body in front of the
firing squad aiming at Venezuela two weeks ago. Contrary to the incompetent
analysis that Russia’s motive to send military planes and personnel to
Venezuela is purely based on an “anti-American power play” or “motivated by its
twenty billion dollars of investment in Venezuela”, the truth goes much deeper.
With
Putin’s intervention into Syria in 2015, Russia clearly expressed an
understanding that the era of regime change wars had to end if a world worth
living in would be created. In this light, Russia’s strategic partnership with
China and the Belt and Road Initiative cannot be understood
from the perspective of a Hobbesian geopolitician who can only see the world
through a distorted lens of materialism. This alliance is rather the foundation
for a new international “operating system” founded on long term development,
and mutual collaboration of all players. It’s another paradigm completely.
American
Hawks Scream for War
Donald
Trump, now largely liberated by the crippling weight of the now-defunct Mueller
investigation, has resisted war hawks both within America as well as
internationally for over two years who are now calling for the overthrow of
Maduro- even at risk of waging World War III.
Exemplifying
this absurd view was CNN’s imperial mouthpiece Fareed Zakaria – who launched
into a scathing attack on March 31st saying “The real puzzle remains: Why
has Trump been unwilling to confront Putin in any way on any issue? And will
Venezuela be the moment when Trump finally ends his appeasement?” (Apparently
the new qualification for proving oneself to not be a puppet of Russia is to be
willing to launch World War III.)
This
psychotic line from the “nominal” American left has converged on neocon voices
on the right reflected by American Security Advisor John Bolton’s threat to
Russia’s military presence in Venezuela as he remarked last week that “we will consider such
provocative actions as a direct threat to international peace and security in
the region.” Bolton was joined by Mike Pence who stated on
April 3 that America would support Venezuela until “it is free from the Maduro
regime.”
NATO
Jumps In
In spite of the fact that Russia’s intervention into Venezuela
has both stopped a violent regime change and saved countless lives, on April
4th NATO President Jens Stoltenberg was brought into the US Congress to give a
desperate speech calling for a renewed commitment to resist the threat of
Russia and renew the collapsing NATO-US alliance. After alluding to Russia’s
annexation of Crimea as akin to Hitler’s takeover of Poland, Stoltenberg
stated:
“We
see a pattern of Russian behavior- Including a massive military build-up from
the Arctic to the Mediterranean and from the Black Sea to the Baltic- the use
of a military-grade nerve agent in the United Kingdom- Support for Assad’s
murderous regime in Syria- Consistent cyber-attacks on NATO Allies and
partners, targeting everything from Parliaments to power grids- Sophisticated
disinformation campaigns- And attempts to interfere in democracy itself.”
It is no secret that after having met Trump the day before,
Stoltenberg was expressing a widespread fear that NATO’s very existence is
actually under threat.
Trump’s
Call for Peace with Russia and China
Already
having spoken on record that he sees NATO’s existence as obsolete,
Trump intervened on NATO’s anti-Russian (and anti-Chinese) policy the day prior
by stating: “I
hope that it’s not going to be a security threat. I hope we have a good
relationship with Russia, and with, by the way, China and everybody else. The
fact that we have NATO, and NATO is a lot stronger since I’ve been President…
But I think that we will get along with Russia. I do believe that.” On
April 4th Trump stated his
belief that “an epic trade deal with China” was
imminent.
Trump’s reference to China was especially important for two
reasons:
1)
This month will see the second Belt and Road Conference in
Beijing with a large representation from the USA which will hopefully make
strides towards ending the trade war. Trump has already spoken in favor of
China’s economic development capacities on several occasions since his 12
day State-Plus visit to China in 2017.
2)
Representing the war faction, Secretary of State Pompeo and National Security
Advisor John Bolton have both recently threatened China in the last few days
with Pompeo dubbing the Belt and Road Initiative a strategic threat on
March 29 and Bolton inflaming China-Taiwan tension on March 31 saying: “Chinese military provocation
won’t win any hearts or minds in Taiwan. But they will strengthen the resolve
of people everywhere who value democracy. The Taiwan Relations Act and our
commitment are clear.”
The point to be emphasized is that the
tension arising over Venezuela, Syria, Ukraine, Taiwan and elsewhere are merely
predicates in a much larger great game. This “game” is being defined by two
opposing paradigms of global relations- but only one of those paradigms is
compatible with the survival of the human race. Thus far Trump has played an intelligent game paying lip
service to fanatic hawks on all sides while keeping America out of new wars,
but no one should forget that wild animals are their most dangerous when afraid
and injured. The international oligarchy controlling the Deep State is both
very wounded and very afraid that their days are numbered, so while hope in a new paradigm of
cooperation should be kept high- complacency could yet prove
fatal.
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