The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board’s latest take on Russia and North Korea: "Putin’s global public enemy No. 1, but don’t forget the danger Kim Jong Un brings" begs an intriguing question. If Putin is global public enemy No. 1, why is virtually the entire world outside of NATO, either neutral or siding with Russia in the Russo Ukraine war?
Since that war began 14 months ago, Russia has consolidated vastly expanded economic and political relationships with China and India, representing over a third of our planet’s 8 billion souls. Most of Africa, Latin America and much of Asia shares that view as well. Outside of the other 30 NATO countries, support for US sanctions and weapons, designed to defeat Russia’s invasion, is nil. Could it be that vast list of countries views the US as global public enemy No. 1? After invading and destroying Iraq and Afghanistan, exacerbating civil wars in Yemen, Somalia, Niger, Syria and Libya, and fomenting regime change worldwide, the US certainly deserves consideration for that title.
The Trib’s case to move Kim Jong UN of North Korea into a first place tie with Vladimir Putin for Evil Guy No. 1 also strains credulity. The US has been seeking regime change in North Korea for decades instead of a peace treaty to end the 73-year-old Korean War. When the US refused every possible means of reconciliation, Kim and his predecessors took the only avenue available to head off US interference: nuclear weapons. One look at the grisly fate of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Kaddafi made that inevitable. America’s policy that North Korea give up its entire nuclear program before any crippling sanctions relief is delusional. It’s Kim’s behavior that’s rational, not any from Bush Jr., Obama, Trump, or Biden on resolving the North Korea nuclear issue.
The Trib Editorial Board appears locked into supporting America’s unipolar dominance of the world in every political and military dispute. That makes it easy to view any foreign leader who pushes back against provocative and reckless US behavior as evil. Such an editorial stance offers no sensible diplomatic solutions whatsoever. It shuts down discussion of US polices creating, expanding global conflicts. It does not serve the most critical issue facing peoplekind…the cause of peace.
Walt Zlotow became involved in antiwar activities upon entering University of Chicago in 1963. He is current president of the West Suburban Peace Coalition based in the Chicago western suburbs. He blogs daily on antiwar and other issues at www.heartlandprogressive.blogspot.com.
March 4, 2023 NATO Expansion: What Gorbachev Heard. “Not One Inch Eastward”. What Was Agreed Between the Soviets and the West in 1990?
Declassified documents show security assurances against NATO expansion to Soviet leaders from Baker, Bush, Genscher, Kohl, Gates, Mitterrand, Thatcher, Hurd, Major, and Woerner.
https://transnational.live/2022/01/11/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-2/
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/thumbnails/image/4_1.jpg?itok=14GJSwL_
You can count on the USA to break its promises. The USA has been establishing bases around the world since WWII ended & keeps its bases there forever. The US has more troops in foreign lands than in its own land.
The propaganda journalist machine is in full swing in the U.S. Rube influencing is an art that has been in play since the beginning of time. American journalism has taken it to the next level. Actively supporting the march to war in every case. For that is the nature of statecraft nowadays. Convince the rubes that there is a bad guy out there trying to get them. Then start a war to rid him of his resources and real estate. Ultimately ushering in American and multinational corporations to gobble those resources all up.
It is nit sbout adding value. It is about supremacism. The “otherness” is defined as evil, inferior. What is new.. We inherited British social DNA, by having to dominate and make others feel inferior. Forever Slavic population, old agricultural world, was target for centuries. Hunted for slaves for centuries, their ethnicity being the word for “slave” in German, French and English. And as if not enough Russians died in WWII, a rejuvenated Nazi joy ride in Ukraune is cheerfully urged in to hate Russians, deprive them of voice, property and life..
We think it is OK. It is not important. Some untermenchen being pushed around. Untermenchen striking back? Unheard of! Criminals, how dare they?
Why do you want to talk to inferiors in the terms of equality?
Today, US ambasador in China gav a lesson to Chinese, while simultaneously demanding communications!
I used to read that rag in college (it was free along with the WSJ and USA Today) and after Mike Royko died it kind of died itself, turning into a corporate monstrosity like a Gannett publication.
Very crude propaganda, but Americans are so brainwashed to hate Russia and Putin by now that it will probably be effective.
Hate is a harsh word but distrust sure fits. Just because I don’t like something here makes its foe/opposition all sweetness and all things good.
You have a nice day; first music festival of the summer for me. Rap and Blues.