Critical voices in the middle of warmongering
During last two-three months, headlines of Western mainstream media (MSM) have been full of predictions on “imminent Russian invasion / invasion tomorrow at 1pm” etc. Leading politicians have been on war foot as though competing with each other, who makes the fiercest prediction. Top score might be made by Boris Johnson on Feb 20, who according to BBC stated that “Russia is planning the biggest war in Europe since WWII”. Rational, realist and business-like analysis has been put aside and substituted with furious war hysteria.
Fortunately, there are still prominent Western researchers and experts of IR discipline, whose aim is to carefully elaborate events and processes and make cool analyses of background causes and reasons in the scientific and realist framework.
I have collected here below some Western writers and their recent articles/videos of interesting, top-quality analyses, which show large-scale comprehension and intellectual capability. The list is no full-range cover but hopefully gives more examples of fresh, new and different viewpoints.
Critical, intellectual voices from the United States
Professor John J. Mearsheimer
is the world-famous Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, where he has taught since 1982. He has written a lot about the topic and has taken part in numerous scientific conversations and panels, from which a couple of examples here:
https://greatpowerrelations.com/visiting-stars/professor-john-j-mearsheimer/article-3-february-12-2022/ . The video shows conversation between prof. Mearsheimer and Dr. Stephen Wertheim.
“Why is Ukraine the West’s Fault?” Featuring John Mearsheimer; over 6 million watches, since September 2015
The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities, 2018
Professor Stephen M. Walt and Professor Barry Posen, Twitter message
Stephen M. Walt is a Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University.
Barry R. Posen is Professor of Political Science at MIT and Director Emeritus of the MIT Security Studies Program.
An article: “Ukraine: Unleashing the Rhetorical Dogs of War” by Barry Posen, February 15, 2022
An article: “Biden’s 2022 Foreign-Policy To-Do List”, A preview of the challenges the U.S. president should prepare for in the year ahead. By Stephen M. Walt, December 28, 2021.
Professor Stephen Van Evera
Stephen Van Evera is a professor of political science, MIT
His article: “To prevent war and secure Ukraine, make Ukraine neutral”, FEBRUARY 2022
Dr. Jack Rasmus
Dr. Jack Rasmus, Ph.D. Political Economy, teaches economics at St. Mary’s College in California.
An article: “10 Reasons Why the US May Want Russia to Invade Ukraine”, by Jack Rasmus, February 7, 2022
Professor Rajan Menon
Rajan Menon holds the Emeritus Chair in Political Science at the City College of New York/City University of New York and is a Senior Research Scholar at the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University and a Global Ethics Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs.
His recent article: “How Did We Get Here? The Strategic Blunder of the 1990s that Set the Stage for Today’s Ukrainian Crisis”, Global Research, February 10, 2022
Ret. ambassador Jack F. Matlock Jr
Jack F. Matlock Jr served as U.S. ambassador to the U.S.S.R. (1987-1991). A member of the board of directors of the American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord (ACURA), he writes from Singer Island, Florida. His article: “Ukraine Crisis Should Have Been Avoided”, February 16, 2022.
Professor Lyle J. Goldstein
Lyle J. Goldstein, Ph.D., is research professor at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was the founder of the China Maritime Studies Institute there and is also an affiliate of the college’s Russia Maritime Studies Institute.
An article: “The Shadow of a New Cold War Hangs over Europe, The Ukraine question is at the crux of European security”, by Lyle J. Goldstein, March 30, 2021
Professor Michael Brenner
Michael Brenner is a professor of international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. His recent sarcastic article: “FILM REVIEW: ‘War on the Dnieper”, February 19, 2022
Liana Fix & Michael Kimmage
Liana Fix is a Resident Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, in Washington, D.C.
Michael Kimmage is Professor of History at the Catholic University of America and a Visiting Fellow at the German Marshall Fund. From 2014 to 2016, he served on the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio.
Their recent article: “What if Russia Wins? A Kremlin-Controlled Ukraine Would Transform Europe”, February 18, 2022
An article: “Time for NATO to Close Its Door. The Alliance Is Too Big—and Too Provocative—for Its Own Good”, By Michael Kimmage, January 17, 2022
Scott Ritter
Scott Ritter is a former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer, serving also on the staff of U.S. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf during the Gulf War and later as a chief weapons inspector with the UN in Iraq from 1991-98. He has written numerous publications on international affairs.
Recent articles: “Checkmate in Ukraine”, January 30, 2022
“The Evidence for Invasion the US Could Produce”, February 20, 2022
Colin Cleary
Colin Cleary is a retired Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State.
His latest article: “Russia-Ukraine: A Last Chance for Peace”, Ukraine could offer to suspend its NATO candidacy for some time, but only in return for Russia’s withdrawal from Donbas. By Colin Cleary, February 14, 2022
Robert Bridge
Robert Bridge is American writer, journalist, opinionator, studies in the University of Pittsburgh, Author of the publication “Midnight in the American Empire.” His recent article:” Why Is the U.S. Peddling Dangerous Lies About a ‘Russian Invasion’ of Ukraine? February 17, 2022
Andrew Korybko
Andrew Korybko is an American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.
His recent article: “Zelensky’s Munich Speech Implies That Ukraine’s Becoming Increasingly Desperate”, Global Research, February 21, 2022
Mises Institute
The Mises Institute is the world’s leading supporter of the ideas of liberty and the Austrian School of economics, located in Auburn Alabama, the United States of America.
José Nino is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. He writes also for Mises Institute.
An article: Is NATO a Dead Man Walking? by José Niño, February 19, 2022
Ryan McMaken is a senior editor at the Mises Institute, his article “The War Party Wants a New Cold War, and the Money That Comes with It”. February 12, 2022.
Critical, intellectual voices from Europe and the rest of the world
Nick Griffin, a British politician
Nick Griffin, political analyst and former Member of the European Parliament
An article “Ukraine Implementing Minsk Accords & Ending Conflict ‘Very Last’ Thing US, UK Want”
Ret. ambassador M.K. Bhadrakumar
M.K. Bhadrakumar is an Indian Retired Ambassador; Columnist for Hindu and Deccan Herald Indian newspapers, Rediff.com, Asia Times and Strategic Culture Foundation
An article: “Moscow’s coercive diplomacy is working”, February 18, 2022 by MK. Bhadrakumar
Professor Glenn Diesen
Glenn Diesen, a Professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway and an editor at the Russia in Global Affairs journal. An article:” NATO expansionism has suffered a major setback”, February 16, 2022.
An article: “Does NATO really pose a threat to Russia? The growing standoff between East and West is a hangover from the Cold War.” February 19, 2022.
Willy Wimmer, a German defense official
a German defense official and former vice president of the OSCE said in the article:” NATO did promise Moscow it wouldn’t expand”, Wimmer personally witnessed the West vowing that NATO would not expand to the east, February 19, 2022
Professor Josh Shifrinson and Klaus Wiegrefe
Josh Shifrinson is Associate Professor of IR, Boston University. Klaus Wiegrefe is the journalist of Der Spiegel.
»Wir können Polen und den anderen keine Nato-Mitgliedschaft anbieten«, Neuer Aktenfund von 1991 stützt russischen Vorwurf . Russland behauptet seit Jahrzehnten, die Nato-Osterweiterung verstoße gegen westliche Zusagen nach dem Mauerfall. Nun ist ein bemerkenswertes Dokument aufgetaucht. Von Klaus Wiegrefe 18.02.2022, 13.00 Uhr • aus DER SPIEGEL 8/2022
John Pilger
John Richard Pilger is an Australian journalist, writer, scholar, documentary filmmaker and is also currently Visiting Professor at Cornell University in New York. His recent article: “War in Europe and the Rise of Raw Propaganda”, February 18, 2022.
Vijay Prashad
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist, an executive-director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research as well as a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies and Renmin University of China. He was a professor of international studies at Trinity College in Connecticut, United States from 1996 to 2017.
He has published numerous books and other publications. His recent article: “The Western Allied Nations Bully the World While Warning of Threats From China and Russia”, February 18, 2022
Benjamin Norton
Benjamin Norton is a journalist, writer and filmmaker, based in Latin America. His journalism focuses primarily on US foreign policy and geopolitics. He is the founder and editor of the independent news website Multipolarista. his lates article:” West fueling Ukraine crisis to justify ‘painful’ sanctions on Russia”, February 20, 2022.
Martin Jay
Martin Jay is an award-winning British journalist based in Morocco where he is a correspondent for The Daily Mail (UK) who previously reported on the Arab Spring there for CNN, as well as Euronews. His recent article: “Give War a Chance? Fake News Is Already Making It Happen in Ukraine”, February 19, 2022
Finian Cunningham
Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. Former editor and writer for major news media organizations. He is a Master’s graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism.
His recent article: “The U.S. Needs Cold War but the Real Enemy Is Within”, February 17, 2022
PS. Feb 21 – 22 events
Russia recognized two breakaway territories of Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics in eastern Ukraine as independent in dramatic series of events of Ukraine crisis, triggered by Moscow on Monday, Feb 21, 2022. Putin announced his decision at the end of a televised speech to the Russian nation filled with historical grievances and bitter complaints about the Ukrainian government, NATO and Western nations including the United States. President Vladimir Putin ordered his military forces into breakaway territories for peacekeeping functions on Monday night.
The Western leaders have warned this is a pretext for a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both the European Union and the United States announced they would impose sanctions over the decision to recognize the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. The 2014 Minsk agreements have ceased to function.
However, those punitive measures appeared limited in scope (focus on those “republics”), leaving room for the West to impose much more severe sanctions, if Russia launches a large military assault on Ukraine.
On last Friday, US President Joe Biden announced that he had intelligence that had led him to believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin had decided to attack, and that it would take place in the next several days. The Kremlin has consistently denied it is planning to launch an offensive, branding intelligence reports released by Washington as “hysteria.” Over the past several weeks, Russian officials have been seeking assurances from the West for ensuring stability on the European continent. Putin has said that the West had “rejected” all Russian proposals.
On Tuesday, Feb 22, the breakaway republics in Donetsk and Lugansk have ratified a friendship and assistance treaty with Moscow, formally opening the door to receiving military and financial support, after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing their independence. In statements released simultaneously on Tuesday, the parliament of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk’s People’s Council declared that the decision to ratify the ‘Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Russian Federation’ had been passed unanimously by both assemblies.
Conclusion:
Based on current facts and historical context available, there can be no doubts that all this was prepared long before the yesterday’s events. This is “the plan”, which Putin once openly referred to. This recognition of “Donbas republics” should not be seen in isolation. It is just one phase in a process, which began at least some years ago and there is much more to come.
This means that Russia expected exactly the reaction she eventually got (condemnable statements, sanctions etc.) and that gave her a solid basis to take the current action. As said several times, the Russian leadership are like chess players, they carefully plan at least ten next moves & reserve moves in advance. Many surprising breaks and inflections will be disclosed, both in short and medium term, not to mention in long term.