The West is scandalized by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin is rightly demonized in the media, as he is a monstrous tyrant.
One can wonder, however, if the United States has not helped stir up the beast to serve its own interests.
Without claiming to be an expert in international relations, I had the privilege of observing the behavior of the United States and the Russians in the bodies of Education International (EI). I could have known better the behavior of the Chinese, but the American delegates objected to their affiliation. EI complied with the demand of its main funder.
A CSQ proposal to democratize the UN was narrowly defeated at EI with strong opposition from the United States.
The will of the countries weighs very little in the geostrategic interests of the great powers.
The Ukrainian conflict could have been settled through diplomacy, but that would not have allowed the United States to profile itself as a supplier of gas and oil for Europe.
No lesson
The invasion of Ukraine is intolerable to us as citizens living in a democracy and believing that peoples can determine their destiny.
The United States and its allies are outraged by Vladimir Putin’s warlike intrusion. However, the US history of interference in the internal affairs of a country is not very good.
The role of the CIA in the overthrow of Allende in Chile, the invasion of Iraq, the Cuban embargo and the tolerance towards Israel occupying Arab territories can be compared to the actions of the Russians.
Chinese imperialism is just as significant with its attempts to take control of Africa, its desire to recover Taiwan and the renunciation of its commitments in the handover of Hong Kong.
The air of outrage in the face of democratic shortcomings or unjust wars turns out to be variable. Great powers easily turn a blind eye when abuses are committed by friends.
Erdogan and Bolsanaro pass under the radar screen while the actions of Ortega and Maduro are decried. One thing is certain, they are all autocrats who eliminate their opposition like Putin does in Russia.
We should not attribute to the United States more virtue than they have!
Diplomacy
Making Ukraine a neutral country, as was the case with Austria after World War II, was a realistic solution.
The application of the Minsk agreements, transforming the country into a federation with veto powers for Donetsk and Lugansk, would have been another peaceful solution.
However, pacifism would not have closed the door to supplying Europe with energy from Russia. The conflict allows it.
Europe will depend on US energy while the Russians try to set up a slavish Ukrainian government like that of Belarus.
Thus, the military-industrial complex and the oil companies will fill their pockets, but we will be a little more robbed by filling up with gasoline or fuel oil.