Posted on 03/17/2015 3:35:58 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans
Last week Russia formally walked out of another arms control treaty, the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty. This treaty was widely regarded as one of the building blocks of post-Cold War European security but it now appears to be formally dead and buried. Indeed, Moscow announced it would not renegotiate this treaty though it might possibly discuss a new one. These steps actually embody the continuing disregard for international law that Moscow’s behavior, as opposed to its rhetoric, has regularly expressed. Despite a torrent of rhetoric about the need for states to observe international law, in fact Moscow unilaterally suspended its participation in the CFE treaty in 2007 thereby creating a category of behavior regarding treaties that does not exist and it has since then also been found to be violating the INF treaty of 1987. And its actions in Ukraine broke a whole series of international and bilateral treaties and agreements.
Not only does this behavior evince a return to Soviet times it also clearly undermines hopes for European and international security. And by doing so Moscow also undermines prospects for Russia’s long-term security as well. Certainly there is no plausible security rationale for this behavior. For a long time Moscow has been flooding the media with the cries that NATO is advancing to its borders, threatening it in all kinds of ways, and that the NATO spearhead force set up in reaction to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, itself a violation of a host of international and bilateral treaties and accords, somehow threatens Russia’s security and vital interests. The facts, however, totally disprove Moscow’s frenzied propaganda assault. In separate speeches in Washington in 2014 both the Norwegian and Estonian defense ministers conceded that in the Baltic theater Moscow has regional superiority. Not content with this superiority Moscow has conducted overflights and submarine incursions around Sweden, Finland, all of Europe from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, and towards the US. Since nobody knows whether or not it is carrying nuclear weapons in these planes these overflights raise immense potential dangers of unwanted and surprise military action leading to unpredictable scenarios. These flights also occur with transponders shut off in the vicinity of huge numbers of civilian flights creating the possibility of another air disaster like the Malaysian Airlines disaster of 2014 where Russian-backed rebels or Russian troops, using Russian weapons, shot down a civilian airliner over Ukraine with immense loss of life.
Under the circumstances the only plausible reason for continuing this drumbeat of phony charges is to create a justification for militarizing the Russian state and economy both materially and, equally importantly, psychologically or cognitively. As Hitler, Lenin and Stalin did, and as described by Orwell, what Henry Adams called the systematic organization of hatred keeps society in a state of induced paranoia, violence, and uncertainty.
I'd be with you if not for the phrases "you assume the perpetual war is good". I can only think you are referring to Iraq and Afghanistan. If not for us retreating, like how Rand Paul and the left wanted us too, there wouldn't be an ISIS. And it is our cowardice and our abandonment of allies, not just in abandoning Iraq but also in cowing to Russian pressure and not helping the Ukrainians, that guarantees "perpetual war."
Evil countries, when they sense a power vacuum, are happy to fill it. Russia isn't invading people because we are such war mongers. Russia, and soon China and Iran and North Korea, do their horrible acts because we won't stand in their way.
I’m much more hawkish than you can imagine. The only way to defeat Isis is to kill every last one. The only time I would go to war is to completely destroy the enemy not to build nations, not to have soldiers killed and maimed to “police” an uncivilized people. I would have simply left them in such a state basic survival would have kept them busy for generations to come or stayed home.
You are very misinformed. Bush’s plan, that Obama cancelled, was to place the radar in Czech Republic.
I guess that wasn’t bush that let Russia take part of Georgia? I’m not miss informed its hooters night..
Even drinking and using a cell phone 30 seconds on google to confirm missile defense radar was to be placed in the Ukraine.
Link please.
I don’t know how or if my phone can copy and paste so google>Ukraine + missile defense about third link is Reuters from 2009.
Hmm. Didn’t know there were such talks in 2009. They went nowhere though and the radar is in Turkey.
It may have been bs flowing from the admin to calm nerves after O scrapped GW’s plan. It mat possibly helped Puttyput justify his invasion of the Ukraine?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/10/15/us-usa-shield-russia-idUSLF69165720091015
I’m not sure if I can quote this one here so I won’t but the article is about Russia getting upset over the US placing or using radar stations in the Ukraine for missile defense.
“Perpetual war” I’m referring to the world. I’m referring to what seems like a constant push for conditions to start wars by all major players. I do not believe for a second that we, the US are evil or the major factor in this. I do believe we have missed many opportunities to stop what would escalate into bigger conflicts through action and inaction. I think if GW Bush and more importantly Europe had acted on Russia invading Georgia we wouldn’t have the Ukraine mess today. I believe GW should have understood the perils of a “free” Iraq. He should have understood that the next admin would likely be left and act as they did. It turns out there are still some really backward places that aren’t ready for “freedom,” that have to be “controlled” through force and/or threat of. I think many admins should have known and even still be aware that China will use our debt as a weapon or use it to buy weapons for conflict with us. War is expensive but the back breaking part is the “nation building” that follows. The world has never known a more humble, charitable hegemony than the US. That said Jimmy Carter and Barrack Obama may have potentially doomed that reputation with actions regarding Iran.
That is the same one I read yesterday by your recommendation. It is now me who might have been drinking, but the article of 2009 said not building a radar, but buying a feed from existing Ukrainian radar (among many other radars needed to make it work). Probably one of those early Obama things where he didn’t know yet the world is not ponies, rainbows and community organizing.
Anyway ... I posted a link to you showing that there is a radar now and in Turkey supposedly doing its radar thing. I don’t know enough about radars to present an argument, but I know respectable people say the original plan was [far] better.
... oh. An Russia has been getting upset about the USA existing quite loudly so perhaps it is time to look into it again and perhaps reclassify “Russia getting upset” to the same category of newsflash as “Feminists resent that only men have penises”.
As far as I can tell, we don't actually disagree. My apologies for the assumption earlier then. My only point of difference is that I would definitely support the missile shield in Poland, which you seemed to disagree with for some reason.
I would definitely support the missile shield in Poland, which you seemed to disagree with for some reason.
Not at all. If I were the king I would station nukes there (Poland.) Also in Japan and S Korea. That would prevent a possible conflict in the regions in my humble opinion. That said the only troops I would leave there would be enough to secure the locations. Rapid reaction forces, f22’s, Apaches and M1 tanks are not nearly the deterrent a nuke is. Specifically a nuke said countries can fire.
You’re a man after my own heart! Thanks for your posts
“the original plan was [far] better.”
Oh I don’t doubt that one bit. Turkey is a questionable ally “early Obama things where he didn’t know yet the world is not ponies, rainbows and community organizing.”
I’m pretty sure he still believes this.
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