International Affairs
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Ebola, ISIS & Putin
The nation is justifiably alarmed at the appearance of ebola in the U.S., especially in the nation's most crowded cities. At the same time, ISIS, a band of vicious, land-grabbing religious fanatics, is sowing havoc in the Middle East and carrying murder to North America. These are two serious problems afflicting the United States, but certainly not a cause for panic - except that the current presidential administration seems loathe to seriously address either issue.
The natural tendency is to blame the head of the executive branch, the President of the United States, Barack Obama. More importantly, however, it is vital to move beyond focusing on one person and see that our deplorable state is due to Leftist ideology, which is shared by the whole of the elite of the Democratic Party (and, in a milder form, a significant number of elite Republicans).
Leftist ideology advocates universal government control at home and internationally strives to weaken the United States as a global power. Leftist ideologues are preventing the United States from stopping the arrival into the U.S. of potential ebola carriers. The same leftist faction is tying the hands of our military in dealing with the ISIS fanatics, a group so bloodthirsty that other Islamic fanatics reject them.
Decisive, rapid action would protect us from ebola contagion and defeat a twisted group of fanatics. Instead, our nation is preoccupied with Ebola and ISIS, diverting us from far more serious challenges.
Lost amid the realistic fear about Ebola and the terrorism of Isis is the far more catastrophic threat of an aggressive Communist Russia and its allies. Ebola could be blocked from the United States, ISIS could be destroyed by a concerted, overwhelming military intervention. Putin's Russia, however, is another matter.
Russian conventional and nuclear forces are growing stronger and more capable. They are aggressively prowling nearly every corner of the world. Russian submarines are again operating off America's east coast. Military aircraft bearing the all-too familiar Red Star are testing American and Canadian coastal air defenses. Japan has had to repeatedly scramble its fighters to intercept Russian bombers approaching its territory, and Russia has strengthened its military presence near Japan's northern islands.
The Russian navy is also a growing menace in the Pacific, where it cooperates with Communist China's increasingly powerful fleet.
Moscow is pressing its advantage in Ukraine, which faces a Kremlin-supported partition. The pro-Russian areas still demand independence, and the Russian government is pressuring the Ukrainians to recognize the autonomy, if not outright independence, of those areas.
Putin is turning the top of the world into an armed camp by building a string of military bases around the perimeter of Russia's Arctic border. Moscow claims that the military buildup is defensive, but there is no credible evidence of any nation, including the United States, engaging in any similar commitment of forces.
Santa Claus beware
As Putin's Russia increases its open military challenge to the United States and its allies, Putin has declared that he does not consider the U.S. to be a "threat" to Russia. He made this statement in an address to a recent session of the Valdai Club.
The Valdai Club is a group of foreign and Russian experts and journalists who periodically meet in Russia. The stated aim of the group is the advancement of Russian-Western cooperation, but it is usually with a pro-Russian bias.
According to Russian press sources, Putin told Valdai Club attendees that America "is not a threat" to Russia, but he believes that "the policy of the ruling circles" is directed against "our [Russian] interests." The actions of the "ruling circles" will "undermine trust" between Russia and the U.S., which will lead to unspecified "damage" to the U.S.
The "ruling circles" are unidentified, and the Russian interests certainly include the partition of Ukraine, intimidation of Europe, expansion in the Pacific, and repeated provocations directed at American and allied defenses.
Putin's sheer nonsense is directed at those already having pro-Russian sentiments in the West, including in the United States. Putin's statement provides his lackeys in the West with a bit of propaganda material usable during the next instance of overt Russian aggression and/or in undermining the construction of any credible defense against the growing Russian military machine.
Putin's America-is-not-a-threat sentiment also indicates that, at present, the United States is not seen as a hindrance to Moscow's intimidation and expansionism. While Russia's aggressiveness is clearly seen, the question remains as to motivation. More than latter day imperialism is involved. The reality is that the fate of the world is at stake, including the independence of the United States. The brutal truth is that the Soviet Union collapsed, but the Communist dream lives on.
The natural tendency is to blame the head of the executive branch, the President of the United States, Barack Obama. More importantly, however, it is vital to move beyond focusing on one person and see that our deplorable state is due to Leftist ideology, which is shared by the whole of the elite of the Democratic Party (and, in a milder form, a significant number of elite Republicans).
Americans demand protection from the ebola threat
Decisive, rapid action would protect us from ebola contagion and defeat a twisted group of fanatics. Instead, our nation is preoccupied with Ebola and ISIS, diverting us from far more serious challenges.
Lost amid the realistic fear about Ebola and the terrorism of Isis is the far more catastrophic threat of an aggressive Communist Russia and its allies. Ebola could be blocked from the United States, ISIS could be destroyed by a concerted, overwhelming military intervention. Putin's Russia, however, is another matter.
Russian conventional and nuclear forces are growing stronger and more capable. They are aggressively prowling nearly every corner of the world. Russian submarines are again operating off America's east coast. Military aircraft bearing the all-too familiar Red Star are testing American and Canadian coastal air defenses. Japan has had to repeatedly scramble its fighters to intercept Russian bombers approaching its territory, and Russia has strengthened its military presence near Japan's northern islands.
Recently, the US & Canada intercepted six Russian aircraft near Alaska's west coast
Moscow is pressing its advantage in Ukraine, which faces a Kremlin-supported partition. The pro-Russian areas still demand independence, and the Russian government is pressuring the Ukrainians to recognize the autonomy, if not outright independence, of those areas.
Putin is turning the top of the world into an armed camp by building a string of military bases around the perimeter of Russia's Arctic border. Moscow claims that the military buildup is defensive, but there is no credible evidence of any nation, including the United States, engaging in any similar commitment of forces.
Santa Claus beware
As Putin's Russia increases its open military challenge to the United States and its allies, Putin has declared that he does not consider the U.S. to be a "threat" to Russia. He made this statement in an address to a recent session of the Valdai Club.
The Valdai Club is a group of foreign and Russian experts and journalists who periodically meet in Russia. The stated aim of the group is the advancement of Russian-Western cooperation, but it is usually with a pro-Russian bias.
Putin assures the Valdai Club the United States is no longer a threat
The "ruling circles" are unidentified, and the Russian interests certainly include the partition of Ukraine, intimidation of Europe, expansion in the Pacific, and repeated provocations directed at American and allied defenses.
Putin's sheer nonsense is directed at those already having pro-Russian sentiments in the West, including in the United States. Putin's statement provides his lackeys in the West with a bit of propaganda material usable during the next instance of overt Russian aggression and/or in undermining the construction of any credible defense against the growing Russian military machine.
Putin's America-is-not-a-threat sentiment also indicates that, at present, the United States is not seen as a hindrance to Moscow's intimidation and expansionism. While Russia's aggressiveness is clearly seen, the question remains as to motivation. More than latter day imperialism is involved. The reality is that the fate of the world is at stake, including the independence of the United States. The brutal truth is that the Soviet Union collapsed, but the Communist dream lives on.
Posted November 7, 2014
International News Analysis - Today
An uncompromising weekly analysis of the world situation
Contact T. Westerman at
www.inatoday.com
or P.O. BOX 5182, Rockford, ILL, 61125-0182
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