Tag: Diplomacy

‘Nuclear Winter’ Discussed in Newly Released Reagan-Era Documents

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)1 Comment

Newly released government documents from the 1980s outline the devastation that would be wrought on the planet if nuclear superpowers go to war—which should serve as a reminder for policymakers to prioritize peace negotiations as the war in Ukraine rages on, according to Scott Horton, editorial director of Antiwar.com.

‘Nuclear Winter’ Discussed in Newly Released Reagan-Era Documents

Related:

Nuclear Winter: U.S. Government Thinking During the 1980s

Speaker at DSA panel: “War creates the possibility for a push of socialists ideas” + “Democratic Socialism” in the Service of U.S. Imperialism

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

At a recent panel event hosted by the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) chapter for the state of Maine, Vladyslav Starodubstev, a leader of the Ukrainian pseudo-left Sotsialnyi Rukh (Social Movement), put forward the chilling perspective that “the war creates the possibility for a push of socialist ideas in Ukraine.” The panelists and DSA moderators stated their agreement with the speaker and demanded the US government deploy more tanks, missiles, and howitzers to wage war against Russia, regardless of the risk of nuclear holocaust.

Speaker at DSA panel: “War creates the possibility for a push of socialists ideas”

Related:

“Democratic Socialism” in the Service of U.S. Imperialism:

In “The Real Heritage of Harrington’s DSA,” we show where the reformist “democratic socialism” of 2018 came from, and what it actually stands for. Today’s Democratic Socialists of America hails the “tradition” of Michael Harrington and Norman Thomas, long-time leaders of the Socialist Party (SP) that gave rise to what is now the DSA. In that article (see p. x), we explain that this tradition has often, and accurately, been described as “State Department socialism.” Those unfamiliar with the left may think the term is a polemical excess or empty epithet. Not at all. In fact, intimate ties to the Department of State are only the beginning of the intertwining of the official social democrats with the agencies of U.S. imperialism. Activists who want to devote themselves to genuine socialism need to know what’s what. So here’s the story

[4.24.2022] US sanctions against Russia are illegal and only make things worse

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

4.24.2022 – Perpetually new sanctions against Russia, actively imposed by the United States and its European allies, are formally unilateral measures that have neither a legal basis nor UN approval, writes the Global Times.

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Notably, Washington is imposing severe sanctions on those economic sectors where US firms are Russia’s main competitors – ignoring industries where US dependence on Russian supplies is evident, such as titanium, which Americans use to make their aircraft and need rocket engines. According to Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Mikhail Popov, the United States has also allowed its companies to import chemical fertilizers from Russia while imposing a ban on other states, writes the Global Times.

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In addition, the US itself has felt the negative impact of the sanctions more than expected, the article said. Gita Gopinath, first deputy executive director of the International Monetary Fund, has already warned that financial restrictions on Russia threaten to gradually weaken US dollar hegemony and lead to even greater fragmentation of the international monetary system. And according to Andrew Milligan, a former UK Treasury official, the sanctions could also cause US corporate profits to fall, the Global Times reports.

US sanctions against Russia are illegal and only make things worse

Related:

UN Security Council Sanctions (<—No UN sanctions on Russia)

Turkey’s new Syria operation: A message to NATO

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Turkey’s new Syria operation: A message to NATO

Under Erdoğan’s leadership, Turkish diplomacy has transformed from being a mere puppet of the Western agenda to one that prioritizes the security and interests of its citizens, be it in Africa, the East Mediterranean region or elsewhere. Also, with Erdoğan’s famous “the world is bigger than five” motto, Turkey proposes a comprehensive reform in global governance for a more just international system. It is time Turkey’s Western allies also learn this new language and approach of Turkish foreign policy.

Related:

Gulen Movement (FETÖ)

The SDF equals the YPG/PKK/Kurds: A timeline of the PKK’s war on Turkey

A U.S.-ASEAN summit—a face or a farce

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

A U.S.-ASEAN summit—a face or a farce

It is clear that the U.S. officials had entertained the design to make the case that Russia’s invasion demonstrated the fragility of the international system while China’s tacit support for the invasion equally made a contrast with the United States’ principled stance. Yet, ASEAN members in general kept their heads down and avoided the issue rather than getting in the middle of a dispute between major powers. Rather than clearly denouncing the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the U.S. has acted globally, the joint vision statement called on an immediate cessation of hostilities and creating an enabling environment for peaceful resolution, and genuine respect for sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity in line with the U.N. Charter and international law. As a result, it is inevitable that the geostrategic [war] hawks in Washington were disappointed their unsuccessful persuasion of ten Asian countries to take side with the United States and its allies and partners. Because of this, the U.S. aid [bribe] package to the ASEAN was seen as a joke because it agreed to offer $150,000,000 for peace in a sharp contrast to the multiple-billions dollars for supporting a long war to weaken its geopolitical rival Russia, as U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

ASEAN is a regional economic community founded in 1967, yet it has been seen as the most dynamic economic powerhouse in the 21st century. With its hugely rich natural resources and technological innovation capacities, ASEAN has committed to preserve the Southeast Asian region as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and free of all other weapons of mass destruction, as enshrined in the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ Treaty). Therefore, ASEAN vow to fully comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, taking into account the international community’s call for diplomacy as the instrument to maintain peace and security in the region.

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Despite all these arguments, there is no reasons for the world to underestimate the close and comprehensive cooperation between the United States and ASEAN. This summit agenda were primarily focused on apolitical areas cooperation, such as clean energy, health security, the digital economy and the deteriorating situation in Myanmar. President Biden was aware of the wisdom of not making his ASEAN guests to be as frustrated with the situation as himself since there was deep divisions among ASEAN member states on the issues and challenges they have to face. Accordingly, it is fair to say that the U.S.-ASEAN summit recently held in Washington was good enough in public relations but insufficient in tackling the real global issues from poverty, climate change and illegal change of regime by “color revolution”.

Related:

ASEAN remains China’s No.1 trade partner from Jan to Apr, accounting for 14.6% of total trade

Biden to pressure ASEAN against Myanmar, Russia, China