Gaza and Ukraine: How the US Risks Losing the Global South

The Global South – or perhaps more acutely, the Global Majority – is a loose club of countries who share growing confidence in their economic strength and in their ability to resist US hegemony in favour of working with multiple poles in pursuit of their own national interest instead of America’s interests. The US has … Continue reading “Gaza and Ukraine: How the US Risks Losing the Global South”

It’s Unanimous: Ukrainian Neutrality Could Have Brought Peace

A leading Ukrainian politician said in a November 24 interview that as early as April 2022, Russia was “prepared to end the war if we agreed to…neutrality.” On June 13, 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia and Ukraine had “reached an agreement in Istanbul” and that the agreement had been initialled by both … Continue reading “It’s Unanimous: Ukrainian Neutrality Could Have Brought Peace”

Has Volodymyr Zelensky Passed His Expiration Date?

Volodymyr Zelensky may have been the perfect president to lead Ukraine through the war with Russia. But he may not be the perfect president to lead them out. Zelensky has made it difficult for himself to get out of the picture he felt he needed to paint to get Ukraine through the war. To maintain … Continue reading “Has Volodymyr Zelensky Passed His Expiration Date?”

NATO Chief Puts Hypocrisy on Full Display

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg put NATO’s hypocrisy on display while talking to reporters ahead of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on November 28. Asked by a reporter about American and European struggles to continue providing Ukraine with weapons and ammunition, Stoltenberg replied, “It’s our obligation to ensure that we provide Ukraine … Continue reading “NATO Chief Puts Hypocrisy on Full Display”

Four Myths About Putin

In the Russo-Ukrainian war, US propaganda has exploited a time tested syllogistic sophistry. First you identify the nation at war with the individual who leads the nation. It is not Russia’s war on Ukraine, it is Putin’s war on Ukraine. Then you identify the individual with Hitler. At various times, Hilary Clinton, John McCain, Lindasy … Continue reading “Four Myths About Putin”

Washington’s Message Is Like a Record with the Needle Stuck

US President Joe Biden’s November 18, 2023 op ed for The Washington Post opens with his rendition of Madeleine Albright’s no longer popular hit, “we are America; we are the indispensable nation.” “The United States,” Biden writes, “is the essential nation.” Biden’s tune is tone deaf to the rising voice of the nonaligned world and … Continue reading “Washington’s Message Is Like a Record with the Needle Stuck”

There Could Have Been Peace: How the US Ensured a Long War in Ukraine

On February 27, just the third day of their war, Russia and Ukraine announced direct negotiations in Belarus. Having already said that he was prepared to abandon Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went into the negotiations “without preconditions.” That round of talks, having identified priority topics, led to a second round, again … Continue reading “There Could Have Been Peace: How the US Ensured a Long War in Ukraine”

What’s Next for Ukraine: The Outlines of a Peaceful Settlement

As Ukraine’s counteroffensive begins to unravel, it is not clear that the hundreds of thousands of deaths already suffered have purchased any of its goals. Ukraine is not in NATO, and it has not received any firm assurance that it will ever be. All that has happened is that the fifteen year old promise that … Continue reading “What’s Next for Ukraine: The Outlines of a Peaceful Settlement”

The Zelensky Paradox

Volodymyr Zelensky was willing to end the war. On multiple occasions in the early days of the war, long before the escalation and long before the horrifying loss of life, limb and land, the Ukrainian president was willing to preserve his people’s land and protect his people lives in exchange for abandoning the dream of … Continue reading “The Zelensky Paradox”

Israel Alone in Supporting the US Embargo of Cuba

On November 2, against the weight of the entire world, the US, once again, voted against a UN General Assembly resolution calling for the end of its six decade embargo of Cuba. The resolution was called the “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.” … Continue reading “Israel Alone in Supporting the US Embargo of Cuba”