A New and Needless Cold War
Has everyone at State and in the Pentagon lost their minds?
We are facing the possible beginning of World War III, as Russia invades Georgia, Georgia asks for US military help, and the US calls for a cease fire.
Thank God that Georgia is not a member of NATO.
NATO is an entangling alliance of the sort that George Washington warned us against, and guarantees our involvement in the territorial disputes of Europe. We have no national interest in the independence of Georgia or any portion of it, and we should have no permanent alliances in Europe to begin with. We have as many good reasons to become friends with the new Russian Republic ( Empire if you like) as we do with most of the continental nations; and none of them need an American alliance. If the balance of power in Europe is out of balance, it is due to the new European nation being built there; and that certainly doesn’t need US blood and treasure to defend it.
Russia remains a major nuclear power, and that should not be forgotten. They no longer are part of a criminal conspiracy to take over the world. Their rivalry with China is great and deep, and they have a number of common interests with the United States. Going to war with Russia would be egregiously stupid.
We are clearly playing with fire. We have overseas adventures, entangling alliances, and total involvement in the territorial disputes of Europe. We sided with the Albanians against Russia’s Serbian allies. We are shouting at Russia about the war in Georgia.
Yet the United States has more common interests with the Soviet Union than we have with most of NATO. We have expanded NATO to ring Russia with bases and allies — to what purpose? This is no policy for a Republic; it’s not even a policy for a competent empire. If we are going to play balance of power games, the new Russian empire is definitely a major part of that game. Working at restarting the Cold War is not in our interest in any way, and there is no outcome to this that is favorable to us.
Nonetheless we are in a new cold war.
All that seems obvious to me. I would hope it is obvious to those who control the Legions.
Dr. Jerry Pournelle is an American Science Fiction writer, essayist and journalist. Visit his website: http://jerrypournelle.com
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Posted in: OP/ED, Russia, Vox Populi, War | 475 views
Comments • comment feed
I don’t think the situation is quite so clear-cut, but I most definitely agree we need to butt out. Playing with fire is putting it mildly.
August 11th, 2008
We could ask Senator Obama to go over and talk with them…
August 11th, 2008
I think Europe needs to step up and take more responsibility for the problems of the world sometimes, and leaving the hard fights to the Americans should be responded to, but …
I was involved in an online discussion years ago with some big-wigs in international relations (when they were testing out the internet) on the subject of NATO expansion and an EU military. I have to agree with the consensus among these chaps in the US and Europe. It’s not time to abaondon the military support of Europe.
Europe is not politically stable. It’s been on the verge of being high-jacked by would-be dictators from within since the introduction of the proposed constitution – which defines a centrally controlled super-state without limits to power or sufficient democratic and civil checks and balances. The people of Europe have rejected the proposal more than once but the political establishment is taking steps to enact it anyway.
Encouraging Europe to become a centralized military super-power is something best delayed.
The powers in Russia are still playing their own game; and encouraging the part of the population that didn’t want the Soviet Union to fall. Their reaction to encroachment by the west might easily be compared with German feelings about the Treaty of Versailles.
So what’s wrong with calling for a cease-fire in Georgia? I don’t know anyone there who deserves to be shot.
August 12th, 2008
Gentlemen You forget something.
We are the West.
We are the people who draw a line in the sand and say no further.
We are the might behind individual sovereignty and freedom.
At least, we were…
August 12th, 2008
I dont blame Russia at all. It’s a brilliant geopolitical move. Russia does not want NATO and the U.S. at their door step. Georgia was once theirs…who are we to say they cant take it back. There a natural resources involved that Russia wants(oil). Big Deal. It’s the Europen Unions problem not ours.
August 12th, 2008
(Double post, one for each Georgia related article)
European politicians are ticked off – Russia’s attack in Georgia is an unacceptable war.
And a Swedish security expert was on the news tonight, having advised the Swedish government that Russia should be removed from the Council of Europe – because they don’t follow the rules that are in the nature of its members. He also mentioned that the G8 is a similar organization. If Russia is allowed to stay, then these can no longer be considered serious organizations and will be ignored.
August 13th, 2008