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Putin Explains Why Russia Doesn’t Pose A Threat To Europe

Tucker Carlson began his interview of President Vladimir Putin with the words, “On February 24, 2022, you addressed your country in your nationwide address when the conflict in Ukraine started….”  Clearly the war in Ukraine was the motivation and central topic for the interview.  But precisely what Mr. Putin had to say about the Ukraine war and its bearing on the future has been lost amidst frantic cries that Carlson is a “traitor” or “useful idiot” for so much as speaking with the Russian President. The interview comes at a time when near apocalyptic warnings are being issued by the foreign policy establishment. 

Asian NATO Under A New Guise

Over the past couple of years there has been a flurry of activity linking NATO, and some of its constituent countries with the states of American East Asia, principally Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has been a frequent visitor, and in December 2023, the US embassy in Seoul arranged for senior representatives from eight NATO countries to visit South Korea to “engage in discussions on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region and other pertinent issues”. Meanwhile back in Washington Representative Mike Lawler has introduced a bill in Congress aimed at “establishing [a] task force for NATO-like Indo-Pacific Alliance”.

The Center Of Gravity Is Tilting To The South

When the countries of the Global North, led by the United States, demanded that the countries of the Global South adopt the North Atlantic Treaty Organization position on the war in Ukraine (namely to isolate Russia), they refused, accusing the West of double standards. Numerous leaders have since pointed to the Global North’s weakening credibility, signaling a new mood in the Global South. These changes are shaped, on the one hand, by the Global North’s loss of economic power alongside its increasing militarization and, on the other, by the Global South’s growing political demand for sovereignty and economic development.

The United Kingdom’s New Security Pact With Ukraine

A new agreement signed by U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky on 12 January provides U.K. “security commitments” to Ukraine in the event of “new aggression” by Moscow. It states: “In the event of future Russian armed attack against Ukraine, at the request of either of the Participants, the Participants will consult within 24 hours to determine measures needed to counter or deter the aggression.” It then says the U.K. “undertakes” to “provide Ukraine with swift and sustained security assistance, modern military equipment across all domains as necessary.” Strikingly, the text also encourages Ukraine to “provide effective military assistance” to Britain in the event of an attack on the U.K. — similar to NATO’s mutual defence pledge — although it does not make this a formal commitment for Kyiv.

Red Sea Politics: Ethiopia, Somalia, And The US/EU/NATO

The world’s eyes are now on the geostrategic Red Sea waterways where Yemen’s Ansar Allah fighters have stopped Israeli and Israel-bound ships from passing. Other regional tensions have come into play since Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Somaliland, a secessionist state within Somalia that has claimed its independence since 1991. Given the geostrategic importance of the Red Sea, the US/EU/NATO are no doubt involved behind the scenes. I spoke to Somali Kenyan scholar Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad about Red Sea politics and the MOU.

Stop The War On Yemen!

Workers World condemns the U.S. and British imperialist governments for their unjustifiable attacks on Yemen Jan. 11. This latest aggression is a direct expansion of the genocidal war they have been collaborating with in Gaza. It coincides with the charges of that genocide against Israel in the International Court of Justice, brought by South Africa. This attack on Yemen exposes the lies from the Biden administration about taking every step to avoid expanding the war in the region. Once again after the invasions of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, Washington and its NATO allies, first and foremost its top junior partner in London, have attacked another country in the West Asia region.

Ukraine: 2023 Was A Year Of Disappointment

For Ukraine, the year 2023 was far from comforting, notwithstanding the efforts by the country’s government and heavily-censored media to uplift the spirits of the population with promises of economic improvement and military victories in the new year. The news at the end of the year makes clear, even to optimists, that everything promised by the West and by the Ukrainian authorities during the past two years has been mere words. The sole purpose of all the year-end, optimistic statements and promises is to induce Ukrainians to continue to suffer conditions of war and economic upheaval… for the interests of the NATO countries.

Western Imperialist Nations As The Greatest Enemy Of Humanity

In November, 2023, a delegation from the US Peace Council traveled to China for meetings at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament. Ajamu Baraka, who participated in that delegation, speaks with Clearing the FOG about what he witnessed and the contrasts between US/Western and Chinese approaches to development, diplomacy and global security. He also discusses the broader conflicts in the world, particularly in Western Asia, the fall of US hegemony, the black radical tradition's definition of peace and the Peoples-Centered Human Rights Framework. Baraka advises us to understand the gravity of the many crises we face and to take action to build a peaceful and dignified society.

Greeks Protest Docking Of US Warship

On Thursday, December 28, anti-imperialists in Greece protested the docking of the US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford at the Souda Port in Chania. The mobilization, called by the  Peace Committee and labor unions in Chania, saw participation from activists of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Greek Committee for International Détente and Peace (EEDYE), the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE), and All Workers Militant Front (PAME), among others. Activists held a banner that read  “There is no place here for murderers! US and NATO soldiers are not welcome!” The aircraft carrier docked at the port on December 26 and is scheduled to leave on December 30.

Nordic Countries Surrender Their Historic Neutrality

Most of the Scandinavian countries especially Sweden and Finland had pursued a policy of neutrality towards the US and the erstwhile Soviet Union, and later Russia, since the onset of the Cold War. Despite significant pressure from centrist and center-right sections to join NATO, Finland and Sweden had been committed to formal neutrality for a long time. However the ongoing war in Ukraine has led to a rise in militarism and Russophobia in the region, and sections within the social democratic parties called for NATO membership and an enhanced defense cooperation with the US. NATO has already increased its military footprint in the Baltic region in the garb of aiding Ukraine in the war against Russia.

The Deadly Influence Of The Military Industrial Complex At COP28

We hear about the growing influence of fossil fuel, nuclear and Big Agriculture corporations over the United Nations' Conference of Parties (COP) meetings, but hardly anything about the presence of weapons makers and NATO leaders. Clearing the FOG speaks with Canadian environmental lawyer and peace activist Tamara Lorincz, who reports about the meetings and outcomes of the recently-concluded COP28. She is part of an organizing effort to highlight the carbon footprint of Western militaries and the significant contributions of NATO countries to the climate crisis. Lorincz points out the great discrepancies between what Western countries spend each year on their militaries (hundreds of billions of dollars) and what they are willing to contribute to the climate change fund (tens of millions of dollars) for reparations and relief in impacted nations.

Officials Admit West Sabotaged Ukraine Peace Deal With Russia

The United States has played a key role in fueling the wars in both Israel-Palestine and Ukraine. The US government has sought to prevent peace in Gaza, vetoing resolutions in the UN Security Council that call for a ceasefire, while sending weapons to Israel to help it bomb densely populated civilian areas, contributing to the killing of more than 15,000 Palestinians, approximately 70% of whom are women and children. Since 2022, Washington has done exactly the same in Ukraine, torpedoing peace proposals that Russia had supported. This has been confirmed by numerous sources, including the former leader of Germany and a top Ukrainian official, as well as Israel’s ex prime minister.

Trilateral Missile Defense System A Step Towards Asian NATO

The United States, Japan, and South Korea will fully operationalize a missile warning system “by the end of December.” While justified as a means to counter North Korea’s missile launches, more worrisome, it escalates tensions in the region with China through the “NATOification” of all three countries, agreed upon in the “Spirit of Camp David” agreement. The agreement was hailed as a “new era of trilateral partnership” during the August 18 press conference following a meeting between the heads of state of all three countries. Western media echoed the sentiment, calling it “historic” and “unprecedented.” China, listed in the agreement as a regional concern, accused the United States of creating a “mini NATO in Asia.”

The Myth That Putin Was Bent On Conquering Ukraine

There is a growing body of compelling evidence showing that Russia and Ukraine were involved in serious negotiations to end the war in Ukraine right after it started on 24 February 2022 (see below). These talks were facilitated by Turkish President Recep Erdogan and former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and featured detailed and candid discussions on the terms of a possible settlement. By all accounts, these negotiations, which took place in March-April 2022, were making real progress when Britain and the US told Ukrainian President Zelensky to abandon them, which he did.

How Could A BRICS+ Bank And Settlement Currency Work?

This first week of October has seen U.S. interest rates soar to the 5% level on long-term Treasury bonds. That has made long-term Treasuries one of most attractive investment vehicles in the world, or even the most attractive. One obvious result is that countries aiming to de-dollarize their central-bank reserves would make an untimely decision to move out of the dollar at this point. To avoid holding dollars in the form of US Treasury securities would mean holding foreign reserves denominated in a currency that is declining against the dollar. No other government is willing to make its currency so attractive to international investors (including central banks) by raising interest-rates so high.
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