International

A war Russia set to win

The Europeans have been nicely played by the Americans

by M. K. Bhadrakumar,* India

(31 October 2022) Two massive terrorist strikes misfired spectacularly and a terrible beauty is born in the Ukraine war. These two carefully planned attacks in quick succession – on Nord Stream gas pipelines and Crimean Bridge – were intended as a knockout blow to Russia. According to President Vladimir Putin, people ‘who want to finally sever ties between Russia and the EU, weaken Europe’ are behind the Nord Stream blasts. He named the US, Ukraine and Poland as ‘beneficiaries’.

Sabotaging Germany, blaming Russia

Another view of the Nord Stream pipeline attack

by Thomas Palley,* USA

(Imagine Moscow was nuked yesterday, and this morning The “New York Times” ran a frontpage headline “Moscow nuked: Russia proves its hostility to Europe again”. Sou18 October 2022) nds pretty crazy? Yet, in a manner of speaking, that is what happened last week.

Hypocrisy and “Tactical” Nukes

by William J. Astore*

(Datum) With Russia issuing warnings about using all weapons at its disposal to protect its position in Ukraine, it's a good time to talk about the distinction between “tactical” and “strategic” nuclear weapons.

Mearsheimer’s analysis to the Ukraine war

“One can only hope that a catastrophic escalation will be avoided”

(3 October 2022) (rs) On 17 August, “Foreign Affairs” published an article by the renowned American political scientist John J. Mearsheimer, “Playing with Fire in Ukraine. The Underappreciated Risks of a Catastrophic Escalation”.1 In the USA, Mearsheimer is one of the weighty voices that have great influence on the public debate. This is not the only reason why we are summarising this essay here. In his analysis, Mearsheimer also does not spare the reader from the possible consequences of this war.

The long road to war in Ukraine

by Wolfgang Effenberger,* Germany

(28 September 2022) Wolfgang Ischinger, former US ambassador and chairman of the foundation board of the Munich Security Conference, published on 10 August 2022 in “Foreign Affairs”, the internal newsletter of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the article entitled “Germany’s Ukrainian Problem – Europe’s Largest Country Needs Time to Adjust to a Dangerous New World.”1

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

22nd meeting of the SCO in Samarkand, the “Jewel” of the Great Silk Road

Dispute between the presidents of China and Russia? – Just wishful thinking of Western mainstream media

by Georg Koch

(28 September 2022) On 15/16 September, the 22nd conference of the “Shanghai Cooperation Organisation” (SCO) took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It was held under the motto "Dialogue and Cooperation in an Interconnected World".