Editorial comment

United States president Joe Biden has just addressed a NATO meeting in Brussels, and he made it perfectly clear that the United States wants to launch a new cold war. Although this meeting was called in the wake of events in Ukraine, there will no commitment of ground forces. Instead of this, there will be a far more protracted effort to build a block around NATO to guarantee American geopolitical supremacy. This sis the real content of his message.

It is also about further involvement of the United States in European affairs. NATO is to be pushed further to the east.

What is most notable is that so far there is no talk of working towards the end of the conflict through dialogue, while at the same time abstaining form a real military commitment. Of course, such a commitment beyond providing weapons to the favoured side is fraught with grave danger. Russia’s is a formidable military force to take on and there is the risk of escalation towards a new world war. But matching this reality without an effort to secure the peace, indicates the preference of a drawn-out conflict.

It fits in with a strategy towards a new cold war. In addition to expanding United Sates military presence in Europe, there is a move to counter European dependence on Russian gas and oil, and Washington is already aiming for alternative American brokered supplies. This would provide new economic power, and therefore, political power in Europe.

The announcement that more NATO troops and military hardware will be stationed in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia is calculated to raise and maintain the tension, not end the war.

The new cold war is not only aimed at Russia. Its main target is China, the world’s fastest growing economic powerhouse. Indeed, this is part of the purpose for the expansion of NATO.

The main weapon being deployed is not guns and bombs but economic warfare. There are already signs that the world is being affected by the fallout. Gas and Oil prices are rising steeply. Inflation is also going up. And this is only the start of what could prove to be an undermining of the global economy.

Russia is hurting in the short-term, but sanctions and other forms of economic warfare can only push Russia into a strategy to route its economy around the difficulties. This would involve expanding trading withy friendly nations and cutting off form hostile ones. There are plenty of opportunity for this. The main one is expanding economic cooperation with China. Another is doing the same with India. Together they have a third of the world’s population and the biggest markets. Significant potential exists in doing the same with South Asia, South Africa, much of the Middle East and Gulf region Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and other parts of Latin America. We’re talking about most of the world’s population.

Removal of Russia from the SWIFT international payments system will create incentive to move out of trading with the American dollar. Aware of this potential Biden has already told the Reserve to move towards creating a new digital American Dollar. A range of other nations adversely affected by American policy are already moving in this direction.

Should this happen without an orderly transition period, it would mean the collapse of the American dollar and an economic spiral downwards.

This is the risk of economic warfare and the reason why in itself it increases the risk of an expanded shooting war leading to World War Three. For now, the NATO nations are foolishly going along with it.

As the reality becomes increasingly visible and the cost felt more strongly, the tide of public support may well go against those government complicit in fanning cold war.

Australia’s government is fulfilling its usual role a lead cheerleader for Washington, going along with its war plan, and eagerly further integrating the Australian Defence Forces into the command of the American military. This is the reason for joining the AUKUS alliance and committing to spending up to $200 on nuclear submarines Australia does not need.

Photo by Sam Mooy/Getty: Australia’s Scott Morrison has bought into war drive

Australia must break from this toxic association.

The most important need in world politics today is to secure a genuine peace in Ukraine. This will save lives and protect rights there. It would also take from the impetus towards a new cold war. Only dialogue can make this possible. Australia’s responsibility is to press our government towards pushing for peace talks.

Talks can only succeed if the real causes of the conflict are addressed and there is less chest beating. The people in the east of Ukraine want to live without war. Those in the east and south want their right protected. Russia seeks an end to the expansion and threats of NATO.

If peoples around the world join in a movement to do push for peace in their countries, the world can be steered away from the dangerous present course.