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Posts Tagged Russia

Ukraine, Russia and the Easter of Insanity by Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

Posted by admin in RUSSIA, Ukraine on May 28th, 2022

 

Ukraine, Russia and the Easter of Insanity

by Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

 

Tyranny did not Pause even on the Easter

Decades earlier recall what the US-Britain and NATO did in Iraq even on Xmas Eve. Layla Anwar (“Come and see our overflowing morgues…..come and see the rubble of your surgical strikes”: An Arab Women Blues wrote in her website blog:

“Everyday, under the pretext of either al-Qaida, insurgents, militants or whatever imaginary name you coined, you have not ceased, not even for one day, slaughtering our innocents……for 4 years, you have not ceased for one single day, not during holiday periods, not during religious celebrations, not even during the day your so called God was born….if you have a God that is.”

We, the People witnessing a planned scheme of things to exterminate humanity with superior weapons hitting targeted civilian towns and daily bloodbath as a new normal. Have we not learned any lessons from the European nationalistic wars of First World War and the 2nd World War? We, the Humanity continue to argue if wars have become part of new normal – unknown and unthinkable to human civilizations and rational thinking. We, the People are entrapped and entrenched by dirty politics of the few. It needs a formidable challenge to rethink about the continuity of the current tragedy in Ukraine.

We, the People, We, the Humanity claim to be a “moral being”, yet our actions defy the logic of our claims as moral beings. Easter had moral, spiritual and humanitarian significance to be at peace and united to worship God, the Creator of All (known and unknown), and Lord of the worlds. The Orthodox Christians and other Christian denominations populating Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Asia and Africa would visualize as an inner world of soul and body to celebrate the Easter, but bombing, shelling and missiles continued to victimize the innocent civilians and anarchy of violence and barbarism followed by human beings against other humans across Ukraine. The consequential killings and destruction in Kyiv, Khariv and Mariupol appear far worse than the imagination of despotism.

Loss of Morality and War against All

Canons of rationality should unfold rationality of leadership in Russia, Ukraine, America, NATO and all over the globe for immediate concerns about lost sense of moral humanity. What Russian ‘Military Operation’ is doing in Ukraine, American, British and other Europeans have practiced the Hobbesian formula: “war of all against all.” The conflict in Ukraine calls for an immediate ceasefire and rethinking and how the great cause of humanity for peace and harmony could end up in catastrophic challenges for a sustainable future. Did President Putin not know that war kill people and destroy the habitats? Surely, he knew first-hand how George Bush, Tony Blair and Obama had inflicted insanity of war on the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria – and millions and millions were brutally massacred, displaced and children made orphans for generations to come. Why should intelligent and responsible leaders ignore the lessons of history? If Bush, Blair and Obama were wrong and misfit for responsible leadership, Putin does not have to be immoral, tyrannical and ruthless to wage war against his own people – former entity of the USSR – Ukraine- people have enjoin common ethnicity, culture, religion and lot more as peace loving people of this planet.

The wars are declared by the few and not the majority masses. The small ruling elite who plans and wages war is often afraid of citizenry reaction and refusal to accept the rationality of a war. Throughout history, European nationalism institutionalized the doctrine of war as a necessary means to promote national interest and racial superiority over “the other”. Most proponents of wars have used “fear” as one of the major instruments of propaganda and manipulation to perpetuate allegiance from the ordinary folks to the elite warmongers in a crisis situation.

President Putin in Search of a Navigational Change

Effective leaders must know their strengths and weaknesses and assess the competence of their immediate advisors and people around them to determine whether they make rational decisions/actions or negating the logic of humanity by crossing over the limits of insanity. Russian culture has immense relationship to ethnicity, language and culture of Ukraine. Why would an intelligent leader bent on destroying his own people and culture for some transitory military gains?

In an age of enlightenment of the 21st century, could we imagine the growth of human civilizations out of moral mire, military conquest, hypersonic bombing and imperial domination? What went wrong with human thinking that has brought us to this onslaught of continued insanity, shelling and killings even on Easter? We imagine that Orthodox Christians hold Easter as vital and spiritually important as other Christians across the world. But there was no critical challenge emerging to the leadership in Moscow from the Russian religious establishment to halt the bombing or pause for the civilians to be evacuated across the charcoaled buildings in Khariv and Mariupol.

If the Orthodox Church (Russia) claimed moral values, then surely there seems to be a contrast between politics and human morality. Undoubtedly, killings and bombing of civilian habitats cannot be related to ideas and ideals of Easter festivity and splendor. Violence against fellow human beings are the outgrowth of madness, cruelty and sheer indifference to human basic values and perhaps Russia would not like to be part of malignity and tyranny. It would be logical to understand that President Putin would realize – what went wrong with his assumptions of immediate victory over helpless Ukraine and to stop the dreadful and unavoidable calamity of war and should rush to make a navigational change for the good of the people of Russia and Ukraine and the larger global humanity. The war on Ukraine has unleashed unthinkable socio-economic, political and humanitarian calamities on the rest of mankind. One would imagine that President Putin would listen to voices of REASON for a navigational change and would not bankrupt Russia as did Bush and Obama: This author noted the same in: “How the United States and Britain Lost the Bogus Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Global Research: 10/22/2010.

It is undeniable that the US is “bankrupt” because of the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. David M. Walker Comptroller General of the US and Head of the Government Accountability Office (December 2007). reported that “In everyday language, the US Government cannot pass an audit.

Time and Reason call for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace-Making between Russia and Ukraine

We, the People, We, the Humanity must rise against the evil to exploit, tyrannize and demoralize the people across the globe. Those echoing voices of “Crimes against Humanity” in Khariv and Bucha and Mariupol must know that it is a slippery trail of myth and one cannot imagine expecting ICC ( The Hague) to prosecute any superpowers. There were many formal complaints against America, Britain and NATO but none were translated into actions against these powerful monsters for crimes committed against the civilian population in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Syria.

To stop the war in Ukraine, the US, the EU, NATO should have a direct face to face communication with President Putin. It could be facilitated under the G20 auspices. It is logical when people of diversity and opposing ideals come to talk directly, tensions and evil mongering is reduced to reason and mutual interest. This has not happened except military options for weapon supplies and enlargement of the scope of regional conflict. Time and history will not forgive nor forget any of the leaders if they failed to agree to an immediate ceasefire and peace deal.

Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international affairs-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest: One Humanity and the Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution. Lambert Academic Publications, Germany, 12/2019.

Russia, Russia Putin Warning, Tragedy of Ukraine, Ukraine

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Russia-Ukraine Military Standoff Global Implications Part-1 by Brig.Gen(Retd) Asif Haroon Raja

Posted by admin in Anchor & Commentators, Asif Haroon Raja (Retd):Pakistan Army, Brig (Retd).Asif Haroon Raja's Column, OPINION LEADER on April 2nd, 2022

Russia-Ukraine Military Standoff

Global Implications

Part-1

Asif Haroon Raja

“Remember when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given, a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.” – St. Francis of Assisi

Cold War

After the end of the 2nd WW, the world was divided into two camps, one led by the USSR and the other by the USA. The nuclear capability of the two superpowers deterred the two rivals from clashing with each other, but they got involved in a prolonged Cold War, which raged till 1991. 

Western Pledge to Gorbachev

Once the Soviet Empire built by Lenin-Stalin began to totter after the defeat and ouster of Soviet forces from Afghanistan in Feb 1989, followed by fall of Berlin wall, the 14 Soviet Republics and the Soviet satellite states started declaring independence.

A conference was held at Bonn in 1989 attended by the officials of USA, UK, France and Germany to discuss the German unification modalities. The participants gave a categorical assurance which was conveyed to Gorbachev through the US ambassador in Moscow Jack Matlock that NATO would remain confined to united Germany and would not push into the territory east of Germany, i.e. Elbe. It was stated that East European countries wouldn’t be offered NATO’s membership.

This pledge was dishonored after the fragmentation of the USSR in 1991 and getting reduced to the Russian Federation. Russia was not even accepted as part of a unified Europe. George H.W. Bush had declared that the First Gulf War against Iraq would usher in a ‘New World Order’ led by the USA. In 1992 came the Wolfowitz Doctrine, envisaging prevention of re-emergence of a new rival. With the demise of communism, Islamic fundamentalism was declared as the new threat to the US international order and capitalism.  

NATO’s Eastward Expansion

The US-NATO launched five waves to expand eastwards. In the first wave, Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic were taken in the fold of NATO in 1999.

In the second wave in 2003-2004, the three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia were made members of NATO thereby threatening the eastern border of Russia. Pro-Moscow socialist regime in Georgia was replaced with a pro-West regime through color revolution in 2003. Russia reacted in 2008 by making two provinces of Georgia independent.

The 3rd wave was in 2009. In the 4th wave in early 2014, a regime change was made in Ukraine through another color revolution. In reaction, Russian forces captured Crimea in March that year. The 5th eastward wave was in 2019.

In 2021, Washington and Brussels announced their intentions to make Georgia and Ukraine members of NATO. Membership of NATO jumped from 12 to 16 and then to 30.

The last indirect intrusion was in Kazakhstan in Jan 2022 where widespread anti-government protests had almost toppled the pro-Moscow regime, but was rescued by the Russian troops.   

Most of the former Soviet Republics barring few happily helped the US and NATO in encircling Russia. Poland and Romania agreed to deploy the American Ballistic missiles defence system.

President Zelensky allowed the US to establish 25-30 bio-chemical weapons labs in Kiev, Kharkov and Odessa. Reportedly, Israel was also in this business. There are reports of corona virus research labs as well.   

Importance of Ukraine

Ukraine is important to both Russia and the EU since it is the largest country in Europe and rich in mineral resources. It is Europe’s breadbasket and a major exporter of grains.

It provides direct access to Russia’s Gazprom gas field and oil pipelines to Europe. 40% of the gas, and one-quarter of crude oil, are supplied by Russia through Ukraine to Europe. Germany, Italy and the Netherlands are the largest importers of Russian gas.

Loss of Ukraine will directly threaten the security of Russia.

Hence Ukraine which provides strategic depth to Russia, is the vital ground for Russia’s geo-economic and security interests.

Imposition of sanctions on gas from Russia will oblige the EU to import it mainly from the US at triple the price.

Brzezinski stated that ‘Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be an empire, but with Ukraine, suborned and then subjugated, Russia becomes an empire’.

 

Moscow’s Reminders to Washington

The US-NATO were repeatedly advised by Moscow to abandon their Cold War approach, and to respect the sovereignty of other countries and interests, but drunk with power the haughty US-NATO paid no heed to Russia’s security concerns.

Vladimir Putin instead of taking proactive measures to block NATO’s encroachment, he adopted a conciliatory policy with the West. He even collaborated with the US in its war on terror, and didn’t object to the growing US influence in Central Asia.

He and Trump were pally with each other, so much so that Trump was accused by the Democrats of seeking help from Russia to win the 2016 elections.   

Putin Loses his Cool

Once Putin assessed that the aggressors were not prepared to halt their expansion and to remove the strike weapons deployed close to Russia’s borders, and to close the bio-weapon labs, and were about to make Ukraine a member of NATO, he lost his cool, and gradually deployed up to 1, 30,000 Russian forces on the borders of Ukraine from Nov 2021 onwards, and then invaded Ukraine on Feb 24, 2022.

If the US could legalize its policy of pre-emption and step into Afghanistan and the Middle East located 7000 miles away to safeguard its homeland, why can’t Russia do it when its immediate backyard is threatened?

 Ongoing Operations in Ukraine

Large bridgehead has been made in the Donbas region in the east where Luhansk and Donetsk, who had declared their independence were recognized by Moscow on 22 Feb.

From the direction of Crimea in the Kherson region, Russian troops have made deep penetrations and have closed up to Odessa. The southern port city of Mariupol is about to fall. Northwestern suburb of Bucha is entirely held by Russian forces including parts of Irpin, and Kharkiv in the northeast.

Invaders are gradually encircling the capital city Kiev to choke it and force the defenders to surrender. Chernobyl nuclear plant has been seized, and several US funded and run bio-chemical labs destroyed.    

Chechen forces allied with Russian forces are fighting the Ukrainians. 15000 Syrian fighters have volunteered to join Russian forces in Ukraine and Putin has given them a nod.

So far, other than Kherson, no major city has been captured due to stiff resistance by the Ukrainians. 

Over 4 million Ukrainians and others have fled and have become refugees in neighboring states with bulk in Poland. The Refugee issue will blow up further and would create social problems for the host countries.

Both sides have suffered casualties. But, these are no match to the killings and destruction caused by western forces during the war on terror.  

Russia has put its nuclear assets on high alert. Belarus has shed off its non-nuclear status, enabling Russia to deploy its nuclear weapons there. 

Putin views all the former USSR Republics as artificial states propped up by the west, and has sternly warned them to stay out of the conflict. 

Russia is determined to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine. He is in no mood to pull out his forces until and unless his security concerns are addressed.

He allowed human corridors for the exit of civilians, but actually he wanted to deprive the Ukraine army of the human shield.

He is drawing strength from the support of China, which is also a victim of the US belligerence.

Battle in Ukraine is the battle for the new world order. Like Lenin and Stalin, Putin is seeking to overthrow the US imposed world order which in his view is selfish and unjust. 

Much against the expectations of Putin of a short and swift outcome, the war is dragging on and is likely to get prolonged.

Zelensky’s Pleas Fallen on Deaf Ears

Zelensky, a Jewish TV comedian, is beseeching the US and NATO to come to his rescue, and establish a no-fly-zone to prevent Russian jets from bombing the cities.

UK, Germany, France and other NATO countries have dispatched heavy consignments of missiles, anti-tank and air defence weapons to Ukraine to bolster its spirits. At Brussels, it was decided to double NATO forces on Russia’s border.

The US has deployed two additional Patriot batteries in Poland, sanctioned $ 15 billion aid, and committed a $ I.5 billion military aid package. Biden is now thinking of sending long range anti-aircraft guns for Ukraine.  

Biden declared that the US will defend every inch of NATO territory with full might of a united and galvanized NATO, but will not fight war against Russia since he cannot risk a 3rd WW.

Western media is severely condemning Putin and is painting him a butcher, deranged, an evil monster and a war criminal.

Parleys are taking place between Ukraine and Russia at Istanbul, but so far no breakthrough has been achieved.  

Ukraine’s Legitimacy

It has been revealed that the borders of Ukraine were never demarcated and registered in the UN as a sovereign state. Hence, officially it is part of the former USSR of which Russia is the officially recognized successor state.

Moscow can now claim Ukraine to be its integral part, and whatever is happening there as its internal matter.

 Third World Wooed

The USA and Russia are trying to win over as many countries of the third world to their side to swing the diplomatic balance on their side.

China and Russia stand on a higher moral ground to win the support of the countries of Asia, Middle East and Africa.

China has been helping the debt ridden countries by providing easy loans for social programs, and developing infrastructure.

Russia helped Iran in its missile/ nuclear programs and in easing sanctions, and had a key role in saving the Assad regime in Syria.

On the other hand, prejudice, malice and discrimination against the non-whites have been the guiding principles of the western world.

Today the West has no justification to dub Russia as a war monger since Russia didn’t for once step into the backyard of USA, nor meddled into the internal affairs of other countries, or indulged in proxy wars, or imposed sanctions on any country.

To be continued

The writer is a retired Brig Gen, war veteran who took part in the epic battle of Hilli in former East Pakistan in 1971, he is defence, security & political analyst, international columnist, author of five books, Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan & Director Measac Research Centre, takes part in TV programs, and delivers talks. [email protected]   

 

Russia, Russia Putin Warning, Zelensky

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Ukraine, Russia and the West to Rethink of Dialogue for Peace, Not War Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

Posted by admin in INTERNATIONAL, Russia & Ukraine on March 6th, 2022

Ukraine, Russia and the West to Rethink of Dialogue for Peace, Not War

Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

 

 

Rational Leaders Think of People, not Egoism

 

In an age of Reason, the cause of humanity calls for peace, freedom and respect for human dignity. In a hybrid geo-political culture – part human and part vulture, we are witnessing a forgotten wisdom of human courage and foresight to stand for the protection of human rights, state sovereignty and national freedom as we continue to see a catastrophic evolving war in Ukraine. The man-made emerging war against the innocent people has no place in an inexplicable antiquity and immense scale of irrational purpose for individualistic glory – all appear to be  covered in mystery and unfolding irrational policy behavior in global affairs. To ensure and safeguard the vital geo-political interests of global mankind, this unwarranted war must stop on all sides. Leaders on both sides need to acquire an enlightened understanding that in crisis management, effective leaders do not rush to hasty reactionary judgments and naïve conclusions of belligerency and warmongering.

A reflective snap shot  of a critical moment in time pulse and movement of history reveals absence of reasoned dialogue for the prevention of the on –going conflict causing massive human casualties, displacement of millions of Ukrainian civilian refugees across  Europe, destruction of essential civic infrastructures and furious competitive edge for success in an ugly war between Ukraine and Russia. The latest being an attack on the European biggest nuclear establishment in Ukraine. Its consequences could lead to catastrophic disruption and wipe out an entire population and progress of human civilization simply to satisfy the few sadistic political minds. To glance ahead of the emerging horrifying events coming out of Ukraine, We, The People of global humanity must call for immediate halt to all war machines and lingering suspicion of one-sided peace and triumph. The sudden and inexplicable plunge into insanity of war will not produce any military or psychological gains for violent assumptions plagues with hatred, bias and false claims and counter claims of military superiority, defeats and occupation.

 

 

 

Reference: Image Courtesy NY Post

 

 

 

 

There are wild and inhuman sciences of Ukrainian people’s suffering and forced displacement to neighboring Poland, Hungary, Moldova and other locations. WE, the People of the globe enjoin immense bonds of understanding for equal rights, friendship and freedom and respect for national integrity of all people and states within the world systems of political affairs. Regardless of geography and history, we are One Humanity and pain inflicted on any parts of the human body gives pain and anguish to the whole body. We, the People cannot be detached from what is happening between Russia, Ukraine NATO and Europe. We must emphasize and enhance our moral and spiritual bonds to remain contacted in solidarity of the suffering masses and refocus on peace and ending the conflict through reason and dialogue. There is no reason to opt for ruthless purging of a democratically elected leader or political governance in Ukraine or Russia or elsewhere in Europe.  We, the People of global consciousness must reject politically indoctrinated cynicism becoming an endemic to change the political governance in Ukraine by violent actions of military actions and unwanted war.  If Ukraine and Russian political elite could face each at a table and pursue the urgent need for a reasoned dialogue to cure the sickness of military triumph, it will be a welcomed evolutionary development to foresee the end of the current conflict.

America, Russia and NATO Failed to Learn from History

 

Human progress and future-making are jeopardized when lessons of history are deliberately misinterpreted and ignored by the so called intelligent people. If war is the only avenue to seek peace, we are on the wrong side of history and thinking of our future. There are fearsome and ferocious flows of blame game as often used in conflict-making and conflict -keeping situations.  NATO and America are implying extensive financial and other sanctions against Russia to halt the on-going war in Ukraine.  The action and reaction gamble will result in unthinkable economic, social and political consequences for Russia and America and the EU and others on this planet. Most rational analysts would agree that sanctions would not deter Russia from its stated aims and priorities of the current conflict. Russia appears to be as competent and viable militarily and politically as is America or the EU and NATO in their pursuit of political strategies and goals. The conflict envisages mutual suspicion and distrust in official policies and behavior across the board.  To a perceptive eye, this is the real reasoning for the emerging war in Ukraine. It reflects a treacherous mindset to imagine that any one country is powerful enough to dominate another sovereign entity.

Is NATO being managed by people who lived in the distant past and perhaps post WW2 historic culture is still alive and flourishing? Is there any glimpse of hope for change and new reasoned relationships between America, Russia and West Europeans? The future of violence and nationalistic resentment looks embedded into the distorted strategic necessities of the current affairs, be it the argument of Russia or American-led NATO and or the EU on its own. NATO is run by the wrong people, glued to wrong thinking and doing the wrong things without any rational sense of time, people’s interest and history. The waking consciousness and wisdom would demand that Russia, America and NATO and the EU  – all active actors in this perplexed game should critically analyze their strength and weaknesses, their aims for freedom and respect for state’s sovereignty, should know who they are and where they are and that global humanity is watching them if they will act wisely for peace or demonstrate abhorrent and ruthless behavior in ensuring a  peaceful resolution of the current naive  aims of disastrous  consequences for all the living mankind.

Global news media represents the pains and sufferings of Ukrainian masses forcibly evicted from their homes and towns moving to take asylum across Eastern Europe.  There could be few millions on the move without knowing any safe place or destination or hope for safety.  It is self-evident unambiguous experience of human aggressive connotation by the few against the many and all – as it happened during the 2nd World War.  Should America, Russia and the EU not learn lesson from the formative and living history?  The unreal embodiment of good intentions and piety showed by all in this war, reminds us all that we are not inhabitants of a rational and 21st century knowledge-based civilized world. Perhaps, we are living in a dangerous world of our own making – not differentiating between evil and virtue in human thoughts and behavior. It is fast becoming clear that NATO and the EU failed to grasp the reality of the current conflict and appears unable to help Ukraine for its rights to a be free member of global political systems of states.

 Russia and its leaders must realize the humane urgency to agree for an immediate ceasefire and try to resolve the issues through peaceful dialogue and certainly not by conquest of Ukraine. Any violations of mutual relationship will have volcanic consequences to dehumanize the civic Russian principles and values. When noble ideals are misinterpreted,  it could drain out all the good qualities of people and leaders. Political reasoning is a shared enterprise within the global systems of governance to which America, Russia and NATO failed to observe.  The sanctity of peace and values of human life will encompass open-mindedness and readiness to listen and learn from each other concerns and experience for peace, harmony and viable neighborly relationships.  What if President Putin, President Biden and the EU leaders would meet in person and hold dialogue for peace-making and conflict resolution?  The violent assumptions of NATO outreach to Eastern Europe and outrageous hypothesis of military confrontations will lead nowhere – certainly not to peace-making or conflict resolution. Who could gain in these mindless and extravagant ideas of power and military warfare?  Certainly None.  Rationality dictates objective reasons for the good of people, societies and nations. The sudden plunge to cataclysmic destruction of human societies and civilizations by the few is a misleading notion and aims, no matter how powerful they claim to be.

The equality of human beings and states sovereignty synthesizes an equal consideration and treatment of all involved in this warfare. The global awakening of human soul and consciousness demands an immediate ceasefire and return to face to face negation between Russia, Ukraine, NATO and the EU. If they reject, surely, a debacle could swept unthinkable catastrophic consequences and ends for all on this planet.

 Isn’t true that intelligent leaders and people always readily accept reasoned advice?

 

 

Human Catastrophe, Present Putin, President Zelenski, Russia, Ukraine

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America, NATO and Russia: Why War and Not Peace? by Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

Posted by admin in Fifth Generation Warfare, Global Attacks on Islam, Islam: The Universal Message of Peace, The Great Game on February 6th, 2022

America, NATO and Russia:  Why War and Not Peace?

 

Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher wrote in Critique of Practical Reason, imperative of a moral human conduct requires to “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means”.

 

Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

 

The on-going war syndrome between America, NATO and Russia typifies what can go wrong when human thinking evolution is restricted to imaginary temptations and compulsions of animosities. Often myth of war is manifested in self-interest and its evolution becomes unquestionable on the rational screen of reason and moral values. We see immature leadership surrounding conditions of egoism and primacy of will to clarify the reality of warfare. As of this moment, there is no emerging war on the ground,  alleged “aggression” or dynamic syntax of compelling move to unleash war either by Russia against Ukraine or Russia vs. America and NATO. Rationally speaking, the myth of contemporary ground warfare is incomprehensible to an outsider. The mass media propaganda appears to set the psychological conditions of “Russian war” and “aggressions” without realizing its real-world affects, it spreads frightening waves of fear and hatred across the globe.

Is the media propaganda a weapon of conquest of human minds, soul and future-making? The imaginary foresight of any futuristic war captions the secret of unknown and unthinkable. All wars have consequences. The global humanity is not over with the aftermath of even the 2nd WW as books, live stories and movies are constantly haunting the human intellect – what were the motives of the 2nd WW and why did Europeans killed each other in millions and destroyed the human habitats. Those who had planned and carried out the war atrocities have long disappeared to be held accountable for their crimes against humanity.

Scott Ritter (is a former Marine Corps intelligence officer who served in the former Soviet Union implementing arms control treaties, in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm, and in Iraq overseeing the disarmament of WMD): “What War with Russia Look Like”                        (Global Research: 01/11/2022): explains the irony of current affairs:

If the U.S. tries to build up NATO forces on Russia’s western frontiers in the aftermath of any Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia will then present Europe with a fait accompli in the form of what would now be known as the “Ukrainian model.” In short, Russia will guarantee that the Ukrainian treatment will be applied to the Baltics, Poland, and even Finland, should it be foolish enough to pursue NATO membership.

Is there an Irony of Political Wickedness and Paradox of Egoism?

 

If you know the nature of warmongering, you will certainly know yourself from the annals of formative history. Are we, the People of the 21st century knowledge-based age detached from the Nature of Things – who we are and where we are?. How would one rationalize the role and actions of NATO in a global theater of strategic interests? The history of NATO and its plans and ideological motives are equally distorted and disfigured on the global screen of reason, honesty and accountability. NATO lost its importance by siding with the US for its invasion and participation of war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. The current tensions draw divergent and conflicting perceptions and order of wisdom to analyze its short and long terms impacts.

NATO and Russia: towards a new Cold War. – The Mackenzie Institute

All political configurations carry much evil and much good in any rational optimistic outlook. Russia embarked on massive military buildup on the Ukrainian border to endanger its security. Its impact is alarming to most NATO allies assuming an imminent attack on Ukraine. Not so, deny most Russian officials, it is an exercise on Russian territory. America –led NATO believes it as a challenge to its vulnerability and strategic presence in the region. How to analyze the intentions in a knowledge-based strategic foresight? True knowledge is always benevolent not concealing or retaliating. America and NATO reacting to a tense situation requiring logical clarification of hidden intentions. If time and history are a reference point, those obsessed with invincible armies cannot solve the emerging political crises.

Is Russia exercising its own right to hold usual military drills? There is no alleged “aggression” or any hostile acts performed so far against the Ukraine sovereignty.  America and West Europeans are keen to strike a balancing act by stationing their troops to the adjacent East European countries to remind the Russian of any consequences if they strike at Ukraine. If we are open to adaptability and an enlightened fortitude and respect for state’s sovereignty, could Russia be helping Ukraine to strengthen its strategic capacity and telling the US-led NATO to be aware that Russia has strong defensive capacity in all emerging unusual situations.  Russia, NATO and America cannot possibly be participants to a self-destructive formula. Rationality finds it hard what Russian can or will gain if Ukraine is attacked. Is it a puzzle game launched by the policy makers on both sides of the iron curtain?

Often crises have multiple spillover agendas. President Putin and President Zellensky of Ukraine could be meeting at Beijing Winter Olympic this week. Both know well their future survival lives in peace and harmony, not in conflict-making or conflict-keeping. German Chancellor and French President Macron are active to bring the both sides to some diplomatic resolution. President Endogen (Turkey) has offered Russia and Ukraine to hold peace talks in Ankara. Could America-NATO be surprised if Putin and Zellensky come to a meeting of mind and sign a diplomatic peace agreement?  Both nations share an enriched geography and history together. Could we witness the coming of a new age of relationship between Russia, Ukraine and America-led NATO when even most exemplary political vigilance could be liable to unusual surprises?

 

Leader of Reason to Think before They Act

The voices of reason are loud and clear as global humanity cannot suffer the penalties of tyranny and war-mongering.  It is wasting our time and consuming our precious thoughts and energies for man-made insidious cruelty. We, the People live in a splendid Universe in which planet Earth floats ordained by the commands of God. We are moral beings unlike animals that possess the eyes, ear and other senses but cannot draw logical conclusion from their senses. We, the People draw rational results what we see and what we hear, therefore, we are different, and we cannot act or live animals. There is a moral sense of spirituality and humanity to co-exist in harmony with the rest of all creations on this Earth. Modern wars represent sadistic and cruel minds to undermine human rights, dignity and life. They destroy all that is built over the ages that we call human civilizations. All of the Abrahamic Faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) reveal the truth of “Trust” – human beings took to be responsible and be at peace with the Nature of Things.  Any favorite perversion would contradict this Trust and embark on killing and destruction of human habitats as history has witnessed during the Two WW, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and ongoing in Yemen. This TRUST and its reminder are explicitly mentioned in (The Qur’an, Chapter 33: 72):

 

 “We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth; And the mountains but they refused; To undertake it, being afraid thereof: But man undertook it; He was indeed unjust and foolish.”   

 

The Earth is a living entity and is meant for us – the human beings. We, the People wonder who else except God created life, the Earth and the living Universe floating in space well balanced and functional since time immemorial. Who else other than God determined the Earth spinning of 1670 km per hour? Who else than God ordained it to orbit the sun at 107,000 km per hour?  And who else than God made it to spin at 28,437 km per hour at the equator? (https://www.newscientist.com/question/fastearthspin/#ixzz7C8p37S9X).    Be aware that earth average distance to the Sun is about 93 million miles (105 million km); the distance of Moon from Earth is currently 384,821 km equivalent to 0.002572 Astronomical Units and if the distance between the Earth-Sun or the Earth-moon were ever to change, there will be no sign of life or habitats left on Earth.

We, the People, wish to rejoice truth, not evil. We, the people of the world enjoin focused minds and imagination to articulate a new world of One Humanity, brotherhood and peaceful co-existence amongst all, free of hatred, fear, wars, encroachment and animosity. We, the people of the globe possess understanding – how to change the egoistic and embittered insanity of the few hate-mongers and warlords into equilibrium of balanced relationship between Man, Life and God- given living Universe in which we reside all.

Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in international affairs-global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest: One Humanity and the Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution. Lambert Academic Publications, Germany, 12/2019.

America, NATO, Russia, the People, We

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America, Russia and NATO look for new frontiers of influence by MAHBOOB A. KHAWAJA

Posted by admin in & NATO, America, Russia on January 27th, 2022

America, Russia and NATO look for new frontiers of influence

 MAHBOOB A. KHAWAJA

Why the Lessons of History are Ignored

America, Russia and NATO’s Geneva diplomatic talks ended in failure without any formal course of action to avoid military confrontation on Ukraine’s border. Other vital issues include how to treat each other in a futuristic imaginary encounter of common interests. The global community is watching the prelude to a staged drama of unwarranted warfare with profligacy, malevolence and unknown miseries of unthinkable multitudes. All the superpowers — the stage actors of the 21st century have fictitious monsters equipped with innovative sophistry and captivating eloquence to talk about peace, security, human rights, global order and justice. They are master of deception playing on the passion of entrenched and exhausted mankind as if they could stop the emerging pains, horrors and devastations of warmongering to ensure a return to normalization of human affairs. To an inner human analytical eye encompassing proactive sense of global peace and harmony, it does not appear rational to articulate fears and misleading intentions to safeguard human peace and dignity while all the actions speak of a different language of obsessed assertions based on their own despotic national interests.

America, Russia and NATO look for new frontiers of influence

They claim peace but talk about threats of wars — how to rationalize the irony of human wickedness and inherent deception. Was the same stage drama not enacted during the First and 2nd World Wars killings millions and millions of people across this Planet Earth?

Human progress and future-making are jeopardized when lessons of history are deliberately misinterpreted and ignored by the paranoid, vengeful and suspicious leaders. If war is the only avenue to seek peace, we are on the wrong side of history and thinking of our future. It took several centuries to Europeans to understand the false shadows of apprehension of peace and harmony and to come to terms with nation-building, some resemblance of democracy, human equality of rights and unity for future-making via the EU. A reasoned perspective would illustrate that Russia after breakdown of the former USSR is not the same inheriting entity of Communist authoritarian ideology, leadership, institutions, political thought, policies and practices within the working systems of global order. There are visible progressive movements for political change, open communications, elections, institutional developments and global interactions and seeking reunion with the global order, UNO, world institutions, friendly relationships with adversaries and balanced socio-economic ties with others. To enlarge the scope of reason and understanding, Russia needs formidable change as it appears to be forging on different national strategic interests; its position on Ukraine is not the same as eluded by most NATO members. Ukraine and Russia have common geography and history just like Britain, France and Germany have. Would it not be a matter of extreme political-strategic sensitivity if other perceived enemies would dare to come close to military confrontations in Western Europe? It is logical that true friends of humanity will not act blindly to cause wild uproars and evil-mongering against the people anywhere on this planet.

Is NATO relevant to the 21st Century Emerging Conflicts

The focal issue seems to be the prospective membership of Ukraine to the community of NATO in Western Europe. America and Russia and other EU members enjoin conflicting views on this issue. Ukraine claims its freedom to join any international organizations for its betterment, peace and security. Russia and America should not be concerned except that they want to draw certain strategic gains out of this chaotic perceived tragedy of futuristic warfare. After the dreadful consequences of the Two World Wars, NATO was formed by the Europeans to maintain peace and security and avoid futuristic unwarranted national wars within the European hemisphere. Its formation and scope is limited to nationalistic conventional warfare in the European theatre.

One wonders, what wars did NATO fight to protect its ideals and strategic priorities after the 1945 WW? What NATO had to do with Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya? Were these accidental engagements or simply an extension of planned mischievous catastrophic instances of tyranny against the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and elsewhere who never posed any threat to NATO, America or to any Western European nations?

  • American and European leaders pushed soldiers to fight unwanted draconian wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other parts of the Middle East.
  • Millions of innocent Afghans, Iraqi and Libyan civilians and Western troops were killed during the US-led NATO wars in these regions.
  • Could any American-European leaders explain why every day approximately 18-25 US war veterans commit suicides? (“Why Do Soldiers Commit Suicide and Global Warlords.” Uncommon Thought Journal, USA).

How would one rationalize the role and actions of NATO in a global theater of strategic interests? The history of NATO and its plans and ideological motives are equally distorted and disfigured on the global screen of reason, honesty and accountability. Russia overtook eastern parts of Ukraine — Crimea by forces aligned to Russian speaking masses and trying to integrate those territories into the Russian federation. This issue has been discussed between Russian President Putin, former German Chancellor Merkel and French President Macron on several occasions. Could America, Russia and Europeans not talk again for a peaceful resolution of this and other related problems?

Looking for Hope of Peace Beyond the Lens of Geopolitics

Scott Ritter (is a former Marine Corps intelligence officer who served in the former Soviet Union implementing arms control treaties, in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm, and in Iraq overseeing the disarmament of WMD): What War with Russia Look Like (Global Research: 01/11/2022): explains the irony of current affairs:

If the U. S. tries to build up NATO forces on Russia’s western frontiers in the aftermath of any Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia will then present Europe with a fait accompli in the form of what would now be known as the “Ukrainian model.” In short, Russia will guarantee that the Ukrainian treatment will be applied to the Baltics, Poland, and even Finland, should it be foolish enough to pursue NATO membership. Russia won’t wait until the U. S. has had time to accumulate sufficient military power, either. Russia will simply destroy the offending party through the combination of an air campaign designed to degrade the economic function of the targeted nation, and a ground campaign designed to annihilate the ability to wage war. Russia does not need to occupy the territory of NATO for any lengthy period-just enough to destroy whatever military power has been accumulated by NATO near its borders.

Is NATO being managed by those people who lived in the distant past and perhaps post WW2 historic culture is still alive and flourishing? Is there any glimpse of hope for change and new reasoned relationships between America, Russia and West European people? The future of violence and nationalistic resentment looks embedded into the distorted strategic necessities of the current affairs, be it the argument of Russia or American-led NATO and or the EU on its own. NATO is run by the wrong people, glued to wrong thinking and doing the wrong things without any rational sense of time, people’s interest and history. Craig Murray (NATO-an idea Whose Time has Gone), a former British diplomat and Rector of the University of Dundee, UK, foresees the body as obsolete to emerging strategic thinking and needs of the Western alliance:

It is also the case that the situation in countries where NATO has been most active in killing people, including Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has deteriorated. It has deteriorated politically, economically, militarily and socially. The notion that NATO member states could bomb the world into good was only ever believed by crazed and fanatical people like Tony Blair and Jim Murphy of the Henry Jackson Society. It really should not have needed empirical investigation to prove it was wrong, but it has been tried, and has been proved wrong….NATO’s attempt to be global arbiter and enforcer has been disastrous at all levels. Its plan to redeem itself by bombing the Caliphate in Iraq and Syria is a further sign of madness. Except of course that it will guarantee some blowback against Western targets, and that will “justify” further bombings, and yet more profit for the arms manufacturers. On that level, it is very clever and cynical. NATO provides power to the elite and money to the wealthy.

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was US Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and is author The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West, How America Was Lost, and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order. “Provocations Have A History Of Escalating Into War: Can War Be Avoided and the Planet Saved?” Information Clearing House: (8/31/2018), strikes a proactive caution to all Western policy makers:

The Zionist neoconservatives who rule in Washington are capable of the same mistake that Napoleon and Hitler made. They believe in “the end of history,” that the Soviet collapse means history has chosen America as the model for the future. Their hubris actually exceeds that of Napoleon and Hitler. When confronted with such deluded and ideological force, does turning the other cheek work or does it encourage more provocation.

Every beginning has its end. America needs Navigational Change after January 6, 2021 Trump’s Revolutionary attack on democracy and the Constitution, and so does Russia and NATO in their search for peaceful transition to sustainable future-making. We, the People of global community live on one floating Planet Earth, and we must be conscious — who we are, how connected we are in human solidarity and where are we heading to in our imagination of the present and future. It is awful and a tragedy of human conscience to be speaking of military conflicts and territorial gains when mankind urgently needs an effective cure for the Covid-19 pandemic. George Floyd cries continues to be heard all over the globe: “I can’t’ breathe.” We are One People, One Humanity — ignorance, natural disasters, and man-made fatalities know not any borders, flags and nationalities but surge like wildfire as being witnessed in the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. Again political absolutism heightens animosity and hatred rather than human understanding and cooperation for a precious cause of saving human lives on Earth. To save life of one human being is to safeguard the whole of humanity. We are all born equal One Humanity: — the Divine Message of Al-Qur’an clarifies the truth:

“Proclaim in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created, Created man (human being) out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood, Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, He Who taught (the use of) the Pen, Taught man (human being) that which he knew not.”


Reference

Afghanistan, America, NATO, Pakistan, Russia

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