…by Jonas E. Alexis and Russia House (American University in Russia)
JEA: There is no need for the United States to get involved into a “cold war” with Russia at this moment. In fact, no cold war is necessary in the twenty-first century. What needs to take place is genuine and respectful dialogue. No good can come out of a nuclear war, and Russia is certainly committed to having a frank dialogue.[1] Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted to have said:
“This will be the dialogue where, of course, differences will have to be stated to a greater extent, points of differences. But at the same time, a dialogue is a possibility to find some rational kernels, the little parts where our relations are getting closer. And if the current U.S. administration is ready for such an approach, I have no doubts that our president will respond in kind.”
If Russia is ready, then the US needs to put any ideological motives aside and start sitting down with people they disagree with. Only then will we see genuine progress in the political climate, particularly when it comes to two nuclear powerhouses, Russia and the United States. Our friends in Russia are looking to the day when both countries can respectfully come together and flesh out their ideas for the benefit of all mankind.
Russia House: Actually, the WWIII between US, NATO, Russia, and China has already began on political, economic, and informational fronts. So far, it did not include direct military confrontation but the increasing numbers of US and NATO air, sea and ground presence in the vicinity of Russia and China borders raises the risk that such confrontation may occur.
Moreover, the number of those who share Senator Sam Nunn’s and many other distinguished experts’ opinion that we are “sleepwalking into nuclear catastrophe” is rapidly growing.
Although it is unlikely that any side would start the nuclear war due to assured and devastating retaliation, there is a disturbingly long list of nuclear near-misses (counting at least 10 so far), triggered by various incidents or human errors.
During the most critical situations of the past confronted by John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev or Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the pressure of US and Soviet military hawks was avoided by the better judgement and leadership of both nations. While worst-case scenarios were then avoided, there are no indications presently that Joe Biden is ready for the summit with Vladimir Putin to find the way out of the current mega-crisis.
In the absence of any serious dialogue on the government level, some may accept this bleak reality as just another ugly fact of life. Fortunately, there are many Americans and Russians who agree with Sting when he sings that “I do not subscribe to this point of view.”
What they suggest is to start the East-West dialogue using people to people diplomacy based on the ideas that Trump, Biden, Putin, and Xi – or for that matter leaders and peoples of all around 200 countries or territories on this planet – would agree. The subject is how we can save our beautiful world and (attention climate change non-believers) without losing but adding jobs.
Scientists calculated that the earth has an additional 2.2 billion acres of land suitable for reforestation. That provides enough room to plant an extra 1.2 trillion trees that would contribute to carbon sequestration.
More than half of the globe’s reforestation potential is found in six countries: Russia (373 million acres), the United States (255 million), Canada (194 million), Australia (143 million), Brazil (123 million) and China (99.3 million).
With all the differences between Presidents Trump and Biden, it looks like this idea is a rare case when both men have a similar vision.
Last October, following up on his pledge made during 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and later during the State of the Union Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the “One Trillion Trees Interagency Council” at the Department of Interior which will be responsible for coordinating the Federal government’s support of this initiative.
Why not add to this project the international dimension?
As for President Biden this is what he said: “In my view, we have already waited too long to deal with this climate crisis, and we can’t wait any longer. We see it with our own eyes, we feel it, we know it in our bones, and it’s time to act.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. climate envoy John Kerry in a recent call also discussed climate change and the implementation of the Paris climate agreement.
They agreed to cooperate further within the Arctic Council, including developing contacts, “given the significance of climate issues on the Arctic agenda.”
Many American and Russian activists propose to launch a tree planting effort by the international Flashmob on Sunday, April 25. This is the symbolic date for the United States and Russia were allies and when the militaries of both countries met in 1945 on the Elbe River in the German city of Torgau to finish off the brutal Nazi regime and end WWII.
One such tree was planted on that day back in 2015 next to the sculpture of the Elbe River reunion in downtown Moscow in the presence of many Russians and Americans, including U.S. Embassy officials. The plaque next to the tree says that it is dedicated to the Friendship of Peoples of the United States and Russia.
[1] “Russia envoy: US and Russia need to start strategic dialogue,” Associated Press, January 28, 2021.
Jonas E. Alexis has degrees in mathematics and philosophy. He studied education at the graduate level. His main interests include U.S. foreign policy, the history of the Israel/Palestine conflict, and the history of ideas. He is the author of the book, Kevin MacDonald’s Metaphysical Failure: A Philosophical, Historical, and Moral Critique of Evolutionary Psychology, Sociobiology, and Identity Politics. He teaches mathematics in South Korea.
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But as the “perma” frost methane thaws, the world will have even more land suitable for reforestation!…
Like Antarctica.
While my hometown of Phoenix will melt you like the Nazi from “Indiana Jones”.
Already, you can literally drink water, walk across the street and get cottonmouth.
So, also, LESS suitable land. Who knows what the net will be.
But what we really need to “save the planet (ourselves) is something like a #Helium3NOW Project.
USA could do it, leading and inspiring the world.
Only thing really stopping it is a Mammon worshipping GOP.
Not even so much the corporate profiteering component of that ideology – as oil companies themselves admit to planning on transitioning – but the component that says wait for the private sector to do it ALL. “Govt can’t do anything right and we’re here to prove it”.
Good article. Thank you!
But I want to say the following: until the US policy changes, until the Cold War ideologists and Russophobes change, we will not build normal relations. Russia is always committed to constructive dialogue and friendship, equal relations and partnership. There is a growing new generation of young Americans who visit my country, study the culture and life in my country. These Americans love our culture and traditions. They love Russia. I meet a lot of these people on Facebook pages. Perhaps their time will come and everything will be fine with us. But with the current insane political elite in the United States, we will not cook porridge. They only understand the language of profit and military power. We do not want to build relations with such people. They are pathological liars and extremely unreliable people. To believe the words of American politicians is not to respect yourself.
From Russia with love to normal, sane, good Americans!
It does not suit Likudism to have The USSR and The USA at peace.
Next We would see Palestinians as human beings.
Iran is ahead on this simple understanding of the need for the US/UK/Israel to depend on an aggressive military approach to the world for the survival of their war based economies. Peace is anti business.
Many US citizens are programmed to think that without guns and without being an aggressive bozo they will be disarmed by democrats and their freedumb will be taken away. Instead of living in peace they want the freedumb to help the gun industry.
Putin wants to talk sense to these characters.
I love your 2nd paragraph, and point taken on 1st, but US has a service based economy.
[While the basIS of the US/economy is its reserve currency status.]
Even if it were war based, the TrumpU salesman’s approach was ironically good for something in that it showed you only have to SELL to chumps that USA’s God – the military – is dilapidated.
And obviously, this would still work if he/we were actually antiwar, not a phony: Aggressive USE of war material not required. (F35’s & $800 toilet seats: the old-fashioned way Trump’s daddy made the family money.)
Also your point about programming is generally true, but doesnt really hold up either.
They fantasized Obama would say he’s coming for their guns. But TRUMP ACTUALLY said it!
After Parkland.
Nothing anyone comes up with to explain Trumper ideology/motivation holds up.
TommyA caught on to this.
They don’t REALLY care about… Anything.
That he doesn’t tell ’em to.
They’re nihilists.
“We shall #UnleashTheNihilists” may have been a forgery, but Trumpers are really trying to fulfill it.
As many here point out, WHY they don’t care is probably because they’re a death cult – Rapturous End Timers – who think they’re superior to… everyone, not just “People Of Color”.
This “service based economy” is what is also said about Israel’s and we all know that most military grade manufacturing from circuit boards to ICs capacitors and diodes are all domestically produced and assembled in Israel. Selling it is service, testing them on Palestinians and Yemenis is service. Protecting that entire industry a thousand way is also service.
We come to the US and 60 million plus people get their paychecks from the DOD. That’s 1/5 of the population that is out of the defense industry sector. And that’s service.
It’s all about business.
As far as bouncing my point about being programmed to think that gays and lesbians with the help of a Somali woman will disarms bubba, what you missed again is that it’s all about business. I wouldn’t be surprised if the kickbacks from the gun lobby to the Democrats for bumping up the price of their goods is not getting larger and larger by the year.
If Trump says it it’s warning but when Hussein says it it’s a bingo, you better run and buy everything.
Lol. It’s all that marketing that you’re missing. But in truth US spends 15 times more than Russia on defense.
Way to ruin your good point with Trumpian hyperbole, Newt.
DOD proudly boasts it’s the world’s largest employer, but it’s 2.8M, not 60+. Around the same as Walmart – just one retailer in a US economy based 70% on consumption.
57 million unemployed people want answers from you, Newt! Where’s their DOD checks!!? C’mon Newt!! So they can stop doing disability fraud and selling meth!
… (FUNNY: Since the actual number is 19 million – 11M unemployed + 8M “not participating” – they could all neatly triple dip!)
I didn’t miss your point about Trumper programming & the gun lobby. It’s obvious. But you missed my point about them.
It’s funny you say I’m “missing the marketing”, as you call it “defense” [industry].
The 60 million plus is all the servicemen and their families including vets. And the world largest employer is/was the People’s Liberation Army. Somehow it has slipped into number two in the western stats.
And all the civilians and their families, and all the vets’ families!…
Whatever. Newt, you were being hyperbolic.
Not only does your “war economy” add up to less than $1.5T of a $21T US economy, (7%) but…
You’re implicating all those people in:
“… the need for the US to depend on an aggressive military approach to the world for the survival of their war based economies”.
Stop digging!
Lol. You’re the one who’s jumping through hoops.
I guess Ike was smoking something when he warned 60 years ago to watch out for the business that could spread out of 900 bases around the world and increasing.
You have a problem with the 60 million, maybe you should pay attention. Just the veterans are over 6 million and that’s without counting their family members. Thousands of contracts are paid out each month to independents to feed millions of people who have families.
And every other flunky out of school is being dragged to join the “force.”
War based economy it is.
And 40 years ago I was selling to the defense industry in OC. Even then the numbers were huge. But you got to get with the business side of the program to know.
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