by Norman Halls, contributor
Should we be concerned in the way Russia is saddling up to countries near them. Russia expects to export a record amount of natural gas this year, despite U.S. efforts — including through sanctions threats — to convince European states to cut their reliance on Russian gas. Russia is spending a savage amount of money and effort on TurkStream. It seems that Russia is monopolizing Europe.
Russia’s kleptocracy, corrupt leaders, has laundered hundreds of billions of dollars out of the country over the years. “Meanwhile, Putin’s latest attempt to increase the pension age means most Russian men will die before they are eligible for a state pension. Most Russians, especially the elderly, are already living in a state of perpetual poverty. This reflects two stark realities: First, there is not enough money left in the Russian state coffers to pay pensions. Russian men have a low life expectancy—arguably because the theft of its kleptocratic government means there is not enough money for health care, education, and the other things people need.” Wrote T. Stone But, second Russia is broke, and the Russians are angry at Putin.
President Trump said: “that Poland might invade Belarus?” President also said in a news interview that “the people of Montenegro are an unusually aggressive people, and we should fear that they might start World War III, the Montenegrins.” In the President’s cabinet meeting he said; “that he believed it was a good thing that the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan back in 1979.” It is so strange and potentially very worrying is because the only people in the whole world look to us. Who was saying it, the Russians are being disruptive. Why is the United States President make such comments that are not true? A gullible Trump listens to Putin and is convinced that he is an honorable person.
Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014 was the latest step in Moscow’s long process of rejection of the post–Cold War Euro-Atlantic security order, reflecting a deeply held view that is unlikely to change anytime soon. “Western strategy will need to adjust to Russia’s conception of its interests and priorities in and around Europe.’ Reports Carnegie Nato has dispatched four battalion-sized battle groups, one deployed in Poland and one in each of the three Baltic republics: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The whole effort is prompted by the shock emanating from Russia’s seizure and subsequent annexation of the Crimea, and its continuing support for rebel groups in eastern Ukraine.
We did not invent democracy. Democracy means the rule of the people (in Greek). That is where each individual person has a vote about what to do. Whatever the most people vote for wins. There is no king or tyrant, and anybody can propose a new law. There were parliamentary systems in England and other parts of Europe over a hundred years before we created a government. In a recent survey of young Americans, 63% could not find Iraq on a map (despite being at war with them), and 54% did not know Sudan was a country in Africa. Yet, somehow, we’re positive that everyone else looks up to us.
What do we know about the rest of the world? US experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has shown that intimidation and infusions of money cannot overcome state weakness. “To a certain degree, building a stable political order requires inclusiveness, cooperation among elites, and a state administration that can both control the military and provide public services.” T. Friedman NY Times This has proved more difficult than expected to provide. For all of our talk about being global leaders and how everyone follows us, we don’t seem to know much about our supposed “followers.” They often have completely different takes on history than we do.
The near future it appears global trends are shifting, challenging governance and changing the nature of power, will drive major significances over the next five years. They will raise tensions across all regions and types of governments, both within and between countries. These near-term conditions will contribute to the expanding threat from terrorism and leave the future of international order in the balance. “Within countries, tensions are rising because citizens are raising basic questions about what they can expect from their governments in a constantly changing world. Publics are pushing governments to provide peace and prosperity more broadly and reliably at home when what happens abroad is increasingly shaping those conditions.” From the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
