Russia: Other Points of View

Russia Hosts the BRICS Countries this week

DEAR FRIENDS,  IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY….

Russia would have gladly cooperated and become a member of the Western community.

Offered no responses to their continual questing to be accepted, below is the final result.

Although no one mentions it, we now have a bi-polar world again––both armed to the teeth militarily.This was and is still needless.

Will we ever learn????

Sharon

Published on Russia Insider News (http://russia-insider.com) 

Russia Warmly Accepted in Non-West Community

Marko Marjanovich

This article originally appeared at China Daily by Dmitri Trenin 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will host two important international summits, one of the BRICS group on July 8-9 and the other of Shanghai Cooperation Organizations members on July 9-10.

For public relations, this will allow him to send a message to the world that despite the rupture with Europe and a new “standoff” with the United States, Russia is anything but isolated.

With leaders of China, India, Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, Iran and several other countries in attendance, together representing roughly half of the world’s population, Putin will be able to project an image of Russia joining the global “new wave” of non-Western countries raising their profile and expanding their role in the world. 

NEWS: The American Committee for East-West Accord …. is Back!

Friends,  

The American Committee on East-West Accord of the 1970s and 80s (with leaders like George Kennan) played a vital role in softening the relationship between the U.S. and the USSR in the lead-up to the end of Cold War I. 

In September 2014, during a Moscow Conference where many of us gathered, it was decided to reinvigorate the original Accord.  A handful of organizers, headed by Stephen Cohen, whose articles you are very familiar with, have since worked around the clock to bring on top names in the U.S.-Russia field, among them Ambassador Jack Matlock, whose articles you read regularly and former Senator Bill Bradley, whose piece I forwarded to you last week.

If any group has the power to create change in the field today, it is the East-West Accord.  Please check their site and forward their information to your constituents.  As individuals they have all been involved, either out in front or behind the scenes, to reduce the tensions and come out with workable solutions in this increasingly dangerous relationship. 

Website:  eastwestaccord.com

Sharon

 

From THE NATION

Could This New Group Stop the Rush to Cold War?

The Committee for East-West Accord is back—here’s why.

James Carden

Last week’s launching of the American Committee for East-West Accord was an important step in the nascent movement against what many are now calling a new Cold War between the United States and Russia and their increasingly dangerous confrontation over Ukraine.

The committee’s launch is of particular moment since the fragile Minsk II Accords, perhaps the best hope for a negotiated settlement of the crisis, have come under renewed assault. Indeed, many observers think that the Ukrainian crisis is on the verge of entering a new and more protracted phase with the potential to further inflame East-West relations.

The American Committee for East-West Accord is a nonpartisan, tax-exempt educational organization of American citizens who are deeply concerned about the possibility of a new and prolonged cold war between the United States/Europe and Russia, including a renewed nuclear arms race.

The Dangers of a Declining Global Power

Friends, at last credible voices are speaking out about the primary cause behind Washington's incessant drive to take Russia down––or out.

Sadly,  our great America is in decline -- slowly but surely.  Russia (and China) definitely are on the incline.  Just having come from four different regions in Russia, it is clear that the latter  is a country whose momentum is upward and they are moving at a fast clip.  China, is even more so, I'm told.  So why is it that Russia is Washington's  #1 target? 

Perhaps it is that for some 130 years American administrations have been trying to out-compete Russia, including the 50 years of US-USSR confrontation during which we were in a duel to death with 50,000 nuclear missiles (on launch pads and ready to fire) between us.  We didn't have that personal history with China.  But with Russia and her ill-gotten Republics, it was a very personal vendetta.  And now in the 2000s to see Russia coming up in the world and ourselves in decline –– this must be a deafening blow to those elder white males whose power still runs America today. It becomes clear why the demonization of Russia and Putin have been so intense, so intractable––perhaps thinking that taking them out or down would solve our decline problems?

WHEN NO MEANS YES: HOW MOSCOW LEARNED TO LOVE NATO EXPANSION AND ITS BORDERS

By Gordon M. Hahn

Ever since the idea of expanding NATO without Russia was first broached in the early 1990s, many policymakers and analysts have argued that Russia does not view NATO expansion as a threat but rather uses it as a pretext to interfere in the domestic politics or attempt to restore its lost empire. This is a false and dangerous myth that is intended to remove the share of responsibility the West bears for the growing conflict with Russia. This myth risks yet more conflict to the detriment of the West, Russia, and its neighbors.

Those who purvey the myth that Moscow really is not opposed to, or concerned about a NATO expansion that excludes Russia do so in the face of the facts. Indeed, every late Soviet and post-Soviet Russian president and foreign minister has rejected NATO expansion precisely because it is detrimental to Russian national security. Russia’s military doctrine puts at the top of the list of “external military dangers…the growing violent potential of NATO and the delegation to it of global functions which are facilitative of violations of international law and the nearing of the military infrastructure of the member-countries of NATO to the borders of the Russian Federation, in particular by way of the bloc’s further expansion.” Trial balloons and direct proposals floated by every post-Soviet Russian president about Russia joining NATO were received coldly or completely ignored. Putin publicly supported the possibility during his first months in office and received no response.

The US Needs To Recognize Russia’s Monroe Doctrine

REPRINTS

By Ted Galen Carpenter

Cato Institute

U.S. leaders once understood and accepted that strong powers would insist on a security zone and broad sphere of influence in their immediate geographic region. Indeed, as just a middling power, the United States boldly asserted such a policy with the proclamation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. The key passage warned conservative European monarchies: “We should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.”

Yet, U.S. policymakers now denounce as illegitimate similar bids to establish even modest security zones by other major powers. That point is especially evident in Washington’s conduct toward Russia. 

The United States and its NATO allies officially repudiate even the concept of spheres of influence, contending that it has no place in the modern international system. Condoleezza Rice, President George W. Bush’s secretary of state, made that point explicitly in response to Moscow’s 2008 military intervention in Georgia. She scorned the notion of Russian primacy along the perimeter of the Russian Federation as the manifestation of “some archaic sphere of influence.” Secretary of State John Kerry expresses similar views. In November 2013, he even declared that “the era of the Monroe Doctrine is over.” Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin’s unsubtle support for secessionist forces in eastern Ukraine, Kerry asserted that “you don’t in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion” by invading a neighbor.

Ukraine, Corrupted Journalism and the Atlanticist Faith: Wolferen from the Netherlands

Friends,

I am including a series of voices and analysts from beyond our U.S. mainstream media––they may be hard to consider since we hear only one point of view from our media––which in itself is a dangerous situation.  Below is a piece from a seasoned Dutch thinker. He is a significant historian, a respected journalist and analyst, and a deeply concerned European who has a grasp not only about today's situation in Ukraine but about Europe and America's history over the span of decades.  

It was in 1983 when I began to study the dynamics of the Cold War and the fire power of both superpowers, that I realized how easy it would be for the world to go up in flames within an hour or two …. that's when I became absolutely possessed to work toward that eventuality never happening. What we know as CCI came into existence at that time.

Today I feel the same urgency. I don't want to be an alarmist but I do want to sound the alarm––this situation between elements in Washington and Russia is no ordinary spat between nations. It has the potential to blow wide open unless something is done soon to turn it around.

280 Russian Humanitarian Aid Trucks Headed for Ukraine

Friends,  

Put this URL in your browser and view the huge white Russian trucks loaded with humanitarian aid going into Ukraine!

http://rt.com/news/179820-lavrov-convoy-ukraine-agree/  

This is an amazing bit of cooperation obviously intended to create understanding and good will.

How wonderful that these kinds of out-of-the box solutions can be communicated around the world while they are happening!

Might this burst through some of the dangerous sterotyping and posturing on both sides of the issues?

Please pass this to all of your email contact lists.

All the best to you, Sharon

A PERSPECTIVE ON MALAYSIAN PLANE DOWNING

Friends, 

Professor Marty Hellman has been involved with the US-USSR/Russia situation since the 1980s. He is a chief proponent for addressing the remaining nuclear issues in our midst. If you have time check his blog, Defusing the Nuclear Threat.

I've known Marty for years and have great respect for his knowledge in the field and his wisdom as he ponders these and other pressing issues.

Here he puts the tragic situation of the Malaysian plane downing in perspective.

Sharon 

Martin Hellman, PhD 

Professor Emeritus Martin Hellman serves on Stanford University's Electrical Engineering faculty and its Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and writes a popular blog, Defusing The Nuclear Threat.

This article appeared in the Huffington Post on July 25, 2014.

The downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 by a missile over rebel held territory in the eastern Ukraine is a tragedy that senselessly ended 298 lives. But to avoid more such catastrophes, we need to let grief, not anger, guide our response. Anger clouds sound judgment; it allows the current tragedy to become a seed for new ones. We need to grieve not only for the 298 lives lost, but also for our past mistakes which helped lay the foundation for their deaths.

Unfortunately, the mainstream media is feeding our anger and the mistaken perception that the blame for MH17 lies solely at Vladimir Putin's feet, with Friday's New York Times editorial claiming, "There is one man who can stop [the Ukrainian conflict] - Vladimir Putin."

Putin is far from blameless, but we have no control over his actions and complete control over our own. So, to be effective we need to search in the dark recesses of our own nation's soul, rather than cast stones at others.

CLARIFICATION

Friends and Colleagues,

My last post needs to be amended in relation to "who is fighting in East Ukraine."  As far as I have been able to tell from watching multiple videos from the bombarded East Ukraine cities––local people were taking on the fight of protecting their towns, homes and ways of life.  The fighting forces look pretty local and ragged to me.  However, two sources I trust emailed me yesterday saying that these East Ukrainian locals are supplemented by Russian national irregulars, Cossacks and Chechens who may have volunteered originally, but are now likely paid from sources inside Russia––and that both sides of the conflict are being aided on ground by mercenaries.

I will continue to provide you with the most honest assessments that I, with my background, can come up with.  That doesn't mean that I won't make errors in perception or that I have all of the facts. However, I will get back to you if new information to the contrary becomes available to me.

Re the Malaysian tragedy: new pieces of information are emerging hour by hour.  It's difficult to wade through some 200 articles a week, dozens of international news sources, then try to assess the hype and misinformation being offered by both sides––since we at CCI have no on-ground verifiable information.  

The Ukraine Crisis and the Resumption of Great-Power Rivalry

Dear friends,

I've held off posting reports hoping there might be some slightly positive turns in the US/Ukraine/Russia/EU theatre, but so far the situation seems to be deepening. Unfortunately serious reporting in mainstream media has practically come to a standstill. Iraq has certainly become a convenient smokescreen––with a near blackout on the slaughter in East Ukraine.  Our Russian Rotarians are involved in refugee support as the floods of East  Ukrainians (last number I saw was 110,000) flood into Rostov, Voronezh and Belgorod regions. 

Trenin is a widely acknowledged expert on US/Russia relations. His "big picture" analyses are important to understand the larger dynamic in which these global players: the U.S.,Russia and Europe, operate. The article below is the recent history as seen from afar––and possible prognosis from afar. He barely touches on the active role of the U.S. in these Ukraine events or the slaughter going on in Eastern Ukraine, but does give a long-term perspective on what may the result be.

 

Carnegie Moscow Center

July 9, 2014

The Ukraine Crisis and the Resumption of Great-Power Rivalry [excerpt]

By Dmitri Trenin

Director Moscow Center

[Complete text here http://carnegie.ru/2014/07/09/ukraine-crisis-and-resumption-of-great-power-rivalry/hfgs] 

Summary 

The Ukraine crisis has brought an end to the post-Cold War status quo in Europe. Russia has stepped forward to protect its vital interests-which the West saw as aggression by a revisionist power. The ensuing conflict will last long and have an impact far beyond Europe. 

The Ukraine crisis that erupted in early 2014 has brought an end to the post-Cold War status quo in Europe. Russia, feeling betrayed by its Western partners because of their support for regime change in Kiev, has stepped forward to protect its vital interests-which the West saw as aggression by a revisionist power. The ensuing conflict will last long and have an impact far beyond Europe.