MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN.

(Asian Times, Michael T. Klare, Henry J. Sage)

(USA TODAY, Puja Lalwani, Neville, Frazer Chronicle)

 

It’s been close to 22 years since the cold war ended between the principles, namely Russia and the United States, and looking back…..has the world really learned anything? In the illustrious words of John McCain, “no, the world is a dangerous place.”  

 

Historians talk about five era’s of the Cold War, 1947-1953, 1953-1962, 1962-1979, 1979-1985, and 1985-1991. People talk about President Ronald Regan, and his maneuvering and efforts to end the differences between the new world, and the old, and put an end to the cold war!

 

Reagan’s administration took a hard line against the Soviet Union, and under the Reagan Doctrine, the United States began providing military support to anti-communist armed movements in Afghanistan, Angola, Nicaragua and elsewhere. In addition to the staunch attitude towards Russia, the United States persuaded Saudi Arabian oil companies to increase oil production.

 

The rise in crude oil production by the Saudis’ lead to a precipitous drop in the price of crude which at the time was the main source of Soviet export. This incident among other thorny issues leads to the first of three summit meetings between Russian’s Mikhail Gorbachev and President Reagan.

 

The total collapse of European governments seemingly initiated and encouraged by Gorbachev himself lead to several Soviet republics seeking greater independence from Moscow’s rule. Agitation for independence in the Baltic States led Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia to declare independence, and with this internal upheaval, on December 31, 1991, the USSR officially dissolved, breaking into fifteen separate nations.

 

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND

What caused the cold war, and what can we do today to insure that we never travel down the same path again. A culmination of various events over time resulted in the cold war that lasted from August of 1945 until January 1991. The era was a tense period for the entire world, and many times, portions of the world held their collective breath.

 

There were ideological differences, economic practices, and a desire for increased power after World War 2, development of the Atomic Bomb, construction of the Berlin Wall, and the potential attack on Cuba by the United States.

 

Of course there was brinkmanship practiced by both parties, in fact President Reagan challenges the newly appointed Soviet General Secretary of the Communist Party, Gorbachev, on June 12, 1987 to, “if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union, Central and Southeast Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to the gate, open this gate, and tear down this wall,” (Berlin Wall).

 

Without exception the Soviet Union dissolved not from ideology, the Truman Doctrine, or the potential attack on Cuba, the Soviet Union was broken because of her economic practices, refusing free trade and capitalism, with the perception it would be  harmful coming from the west.

 

There is no doubt that this attitude by the Soviet Union regarding economic practices, and the United States and their practices, Communism and Capitalism only widened the rift between the two countries. The Truman Doctrine also played a role in the wide gulf between the immerging super powers.

The Doctrine stated that any non-communist country that resisted communist pressure would be a U.S. ally.  Further the U.S. would assist these countries in a U.S. effort to blunt the spread of the ideology of communism.

 

Also at play during the early cold war period were some long standing disagreements, namely fascism and Nazi Germany. During World War 2, tensions between the United States and the Soviets was on the upswing, and after the war ended, with the common threat (Hitler and Japan) removed, it became inevitable that the allies would have a falling out.

 

68 YEARS AND COUNTING

History is relatively easy to write about, it simply takes research…..usually a lot of research, but no matter the subject, if you dig long enough, a person can glean the truth. Following the nations of the world, it’s easy to figure out which way the wind will blow by the posturing, the rhetoric, and the spin that can be placed on a subject.

 

The United States, during the last 60 or so years of the 20^th century, into the first decade of the 21^st century seems to need a galvanizing cause, always war, or some tragic event. We now move from 1945-1991 to 2001 and present day United States.

 

Is the posturing becoming clearer, are we headed down a similar path, will people die in foreign countries at the hands of U.S. military might? International weapons sales have proven to be a thriving global business in economically hard times.

 

We are at the present time conducting military operations on one front, Afghanistan, and only God knows how many other hot spots we are monitoring. The Middle Eastern powers are rearming themselves, a process encouraged by leading manufacturers, (especially the United States and Russia) as the effort to keep domestic production lines humming!

 

Smack dab in the middle of this rush to sales receipts is Syria…..the new best friend of both the United States and Russia. Both countries have discovered a brand new customer for their weapons of mass destruction!   Times change, but the old ways of doing business, and propping up 2^nd or 3^rd rate customers continues.

 

There was the Truman Doctrine, the Korean war, Vietnam, and now possibly the Obama shuffle, a sub-headline in the USA TODAY talks about President Obama not doing enough to quell Syrian unrest, it’s an issue that political pundants, Republicans and the media is going to have a field day with.

 

All of these people in their infinite wisdom to report the news, and to make political points miss the overwhelming core issue…..is the United States readying itself for another run at a military skirmish that can do nothing but enhance the perception of world leader and protector.

 

We now read about no fly zones, replacing the head of a foreign government, Bashar Assad or destroying military capabilities, Syrian air force. Oh boy, we’ve found another cause to fight for, another country to invade, and another world hot spot that we can poke our collective noses in.

 

68 years and counting…..and nothing learned from the experiences that we’ve had…..how can that be, but wait, there is a silver-lining; the industrial military complex thanks you.

 

HAVE A NICE DAY!