How come the Cold War just keeps going without a reason?
August 21st 2008 10:34
How come the Cold War just keeps going without a reason?
Blame is probably one the most overused tactics in international relations. Start from a position of blame so as to put the other country on the defensive trying to explain a list of accusations. It is not that the other nation cannot explain those accusations but the fact that so much energy and media air time is consumed with such wasteful exercises that makes it so easy to use. Nowhere is this more true than in the relations between Russia and the USA. Where smaller nations with less military clout are left wondering what they are actually getting at.
It is easy to fall back in the partisan bunker mentality where the foreign devil cannot possibly do anything right. Allegiances and loyalties have long histories that go back to the old Warsaw Pact and the NATO Alliance where both side stood ready to go to war at a minutes’ notice. Jokes about Ronny Regan with his finger on the button and Andropov iron fist belong to another era. The Soviet Union collapse in part because it was no longer economically viable and in part because the average Soviet had ceased to believe that was any workers paradise about to be delivered. The Soviet Union collapsed; the Berlin Wall was toppled; Communism died and Russia became democratized. We should all be happy but are we? Yet even though old enemies are stripped of their ideological excuses they seem to be jostling toward a cold war regardless.
Two major issues in recent news gives an insight into the tensions that are once again building between the old super powers. One is the crisis in South Ossetia and the other is the US Missile Defense Shield that is soon to be located in Europe.
The current South Ossetia crisis started with Georgian Forces firing missiles into South Ossetia and flattening neighbourhoods. This resulted in a mass exodus of refugees and claims that over 2000 people had been killed. This was followed by the influx of the Russian army into Georgia. Why the President of Georgia took such a provocative action is a matter of speculation, yet why he thought that he could get away with it may have been related to him assuming that he would have USA and NATO rushing to his defense. Yet so far that has come from either of those forces is rhetoric and promises. In the meantime as if to show that they will not be dictated to by the Bush Administration the Russian forces seem to be waiting around. No amount of condescending speeches by C Rice will budge them. The new dynamic of Europe is the fact that Russia is getting back on its military feet due ironically to increased wealth created by high oil prices.
The Missile Defence Shield is of greater concern to Russia with PM Putin and even retired President Gorbachov both claiming the move is provocative. The Bush Administration claim that such a shield is required to defend against missile threats from North Korea and Iran. Neither claim seems to hold up to any scrutiny. North Korea is on the opposite end of the earth to Europe and Iran does not even have any missile that could reach Europe as yet. Why build a missile defence shield well outside the rage of the missiles it is meant to defend against? Wouldn’t make more sense to place such defences closer to source like in Turkey, Iraq, UAE, Saudi, Arabia, Pakistan and even Afghanistan all are much closer to Iran. So either designers of this missile defence are complete idiots or they are not really trying to black Iran. Instead Russian is viewing this as little more than an excuse to surround their nation with rocket sites.
In the past week we have seen what is perhaps the future of relations between Russia and the USA. Rather than being the New World Order it has all the hallmarks of the old world order where national rivalry and sabre rattling happen over the heads of smaller nations. As each side try to establish their place in the modern world it would appear that the Cold War mentality may once again dominate.
The billion Year War has just begun
Blame is probably one the most overused tactics in international relations. Start from a position of blame so as to put the other country on the defensive trying to explain a list of accusations. It is not that the other nation cannot explain those accusations but the fact that so much energy and media air time is consumed with such wasteful exercises that makes it so easy to use. Nowhere is this more true than in the relations between Russia and the USA. Where smaller nations with less military clout are left wondering what they are actually getting at.
It is easy to fall back in the partisan bunker mentality where the foreign devil cannot possibly do anything right. Allegiances and loyalties have long histories that go back to the old Warsaw Pact and the NATO Alliance where both side stood ready to go to war at a minutes’ notice. Jokes about Ronny Regan with his finger on the button and Andropov iron fist belong to another era. The Soviet Union collapse in part because it was no longer economically viable and in part because the average Soviet had ceased to believe that was any workers paradise about to be delivered. The Soviet Union collapsed; the Berlin Wall was toppled; Communism died and Russia became democratized. We should all be happy but are we? Yet even though old enemies are stripped of their ideological excuses they seem to be jostling toward a cold war regardless.
Two major issues in recent news gives an insight into the tensions that are once again building between the old super powers. One is the crisis in South Ossetia and the other is the US Missile Defense Shield that is soon to be located in Europe.
The current South Ossetia crisis started with Georgian Forces firing missiles into South Ossetia and flattening neighbourhoods. This resulted in a mass exodus of refugees and claims that over 2000 people had been killed. This was followed by the influx of the Russian army into Georgia. Why the President of Georgia took such a provocative action is a matter of speculation, yet why he thought that he could get away with it may have been related to him assuming that he would have USA and NATO rushing to his defense. Yet so far that has come from either of those forces is rhetoric and promises. In the meantime as if to show that they will not be dictated to by the Bush Administration the Russian forces seem to be waiting around. No amount of condescending speeches by C Rice will budge them. The new dynamic of Europe is the fact that Russia is getting back on its military feet due ironically to increased wealth created by high oil prices.
The Missile Defence Shield is of greater concern to Russia with PM Putin and even retired President Gorbachov both claiming the move is provocative. The Bush Administration claim that such a shield is required to defend against missile threats from North Korea and Iran. Neither claim seems to hold up to any scrutiny. North Korea is on the opposite end of the earth to Europe and Iran does not even have any missile that could reach Europe as yet. Why build a missile defence shield well outside the rage of the missiles it is meant to defend against? Wouldn’t make more sense to place such defences closer to source like in Turkey, Iraq, UAE, Saudi, Arabia, Pakistan and even Afghanistan all are much closer to Iran. So either designers of this missile defence are complete idiots or they are not really trying to black Iran. Instead Russian is viewing this as little more than an excuse to surround their nation with rocket sites.
In the past week we have seen what is perhaps the future of relations between Russia and the USA. Rather than being the New World Order it has all the hallmarks of the old world order where national rivalry and sabre rattling happen over the heads of smaller nations. As each side try to establish their place in the modern world it would appear that the Cold War mentality may once again dominate.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
I said it before--Georgia's timing (if in fact they were actually counting on U.S. support of an attack on Russia--couldn't have been worse. They're not stupid; I still believe that attack was launched for a more devious reason than has been revealed. Ditto the "Missile Defense Shield".
I'm just about done with governments and media that assume We, the People of the world are a bunch of semi-retarded rubes.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
I am just watching and waiting to see what happens next. I think over the next few years there will be some jostling for a second Super Power to appear.
DA
Thanks for your comments.
Georgia - Bad timing, bad tactic and bad excuses.
I think we need a new commandment - Thou shalt not be so stupid as to assume alliance means suicidal friendship.
Governments may think of us a semi-retarded rubes because it suits their lies. "The fool will never know what we have do to them. Bahahahaha!"
Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Downwrite
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
Don't know how much i agree with my own comment, but oyur new world order mention brought out my conspiricy side.
BEHOLD THE AMERO!!!
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
I think that there a lot of people who love to indulge their paranoid side with their conspiracy side.
I tend to think that just because they are ruling the world it does not mean that they are any smarter than the rest of us.
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Ugh, I'm too disgusted and disillusioned
today....this week...lately.**Referring to my own country, of course. Can't speak for any others.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Curly Fried must be a cultural thing.
Wedges seem to be the go here.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
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Fat Cult
Techbreak
fun fact: when I was a little kid, I didn't know anything about Russia, other than they were the bad guys. How's that for propaganda? Then I saw "Dr. Zhivago" and was like 'ohhhhhhh... sweet.'
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
Dr Zhivago is a great film and a very well crafted story.
It was banned in Russia for years.
I think there are still some Neocons who love the idea of the Noble lie and great enemies.
The Russian do not seem to care too much about them.
Interesting days to watch in the future.
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Interesting days indeed.
I wouldn't want to be in Obama's shoes as president; he's got a whole slew of other players on the attack, compounded with an extremely unpopular war, big business pressure to maintain our position in oil-strategic locations, a crumbling economy, a pissed-off general population, and entire herds of extremist whack-jobs jockeying to take out "that muslim n**ger".
Good thing he's young and intelligent. Hope he can take the strain.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I think that perhaps every government is either repairing the damage the previous government did or creating problems for the next one.
Also you may not want to count your Obamas before they hatch. Election are a filleting process.
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Personally, I'm voting for Nader. I know it won't make any difference, but it's a matter of principle. Not only is Nader not a career politician (a good thing) but his track record as a consumer advocate for the past 4 decades is ample proof that Nader cares about the people first.
Too bad he's so damned old. Too bad a lot of people who don't do their homework think he ran in the last election as a "spoiler" for the Democrats.
We definitely blew our chance to have a president who is not only intelligent, experienced, had viable and realistic plans for healthcare and budget issues, and put the peoples' needs before his own gain.
Such a pity.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Thanks for your comments.
A few months ago I would have said "It looks like Obama."
However as we get closer we may see a few things change.
Who knows? It may be President Obama after all.
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Hard to say. I'll have to look deeper.
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Which symbolic candidate are you going to vote for?
I am having such a time trying to choose.
Not that I get to vote but I can't help but feel that I should make a choice and become part of your democratic process. Even if I have no say in it.