US-Russia standoff and falling popularity at home - EDITORIAL

A cursory glance at international news these days is enough to send shivers down the spine of even battle-hardened war veterans. Many a media institution would have us believe Russia and the US are looking down the barrel of each other’s guns/missiles/nuclear weapons and a battle royal between the two nuclear-armed giants (which could bring the world to a cataclysmic end) is imminent.   

The crux of the standoff, is the build-up of Russian troops within its (Russian) own territory which borders Ukraine and Russian concerns over Ukraine’s overtures to join NATO as a threat to its own security. Russia is demanding written security guarantees that Ukraine will not be permitted to join NATO.   

The Ukraine President while expressing concern over the Russian troop build-up has said he does not believe a Russian invasion is likely. The US however, claims the Russian troop build-up is a preparation for an invasion of Ukraine and that a Russian invasion is likely within days. Russia denies any intention of an invasion and claims it has the right to station its troops anywhere within its borders.  

Taking on itself the role of global policeman, the US, heckles bristling like an angry wolf, has warned Russia of serious consequences should a single Russian trooper cross into neighbouring Ukraine. Britain a minor partner to the US in the NATO alliance, has also warned Russia of dire consequences should Russian troops cross into Ukraine.  

While showing concern for Ukraine’s sovereignty (a country hundreds of miles away from US shores), the US appears to have forgotten it continues territorial control over the southern portion of Guantanamo Bay - a part of its tiny neighbour Cuba - despite Cuban’s demanding the US leave its shores   

The US not only continues to occupy a part of Cuba, it also maintains troops in that country in addition to maintaining a prison where torture is an accepted part of the prison culture. The US however refers to torture of prisoners as ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’!  
In like manner, Britain continues to occupy Falkland (Islas Malvinas) islands off Argentina, the Chagos islands off Mauritius and the island Atol of Gibraltar located at the southern tip of Spain.  

Despite their ongoing record of illegally holding onto territories of other nations, the US and Britain continue to spit fire at the idea of Russia threatening its much smaller neighbour -Ukraine. Whatever the claims of the US and Britain, what is basically at stake are the genuine security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine, as well as the growing tension between the neighbours.  

Russia fears it is being claustrophobically pushed into a corner by NATO’s expansion to the east, in contradiction to previous commitments of western powers. In like manner, Ukraine fears it is in danger of being invaded by its giant neighbour which is a genuine fear of the people of that country.  

Russia has forwarded proposals to ease tensions which could be a basis for future talks and a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Other NATO powers like France and Germany have indicated they are against the use of force.  
Yet, despite a single shot not being fired or a single trooper of either antagonist nation (Russia or Ukraine) not crossing into the others borders, war hysteria is being whipped up both in the US and in Britain.   

With major NATO countries opposing the beating of war drums, the Ukrainian leader denying an imminent Russian invasion and Russia itself presenting proposals for a settlement of the issue, it is not too difficult to see through the facade of US and Britain’s intransigent stand of the issue.  

A new Gallup poll shows that the public standing of President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party has dropped rapidly over the last year, raising the likelihood that it will face a serious shellacking at November’s mid term polls.   
In Britain ,‘party-gate’ scandals (where parties were held by the premier’s office while Britain was in lock-down) continue to follow premier Boris Johnson and have reached a scale of even a possible toppling of the besieged premier.  

Both leaders are in need of issues to present themselves as seasoned leaders able to confront tough opponents and defend weaker nations to turn the tide of popularity in their favour.   
The present stance of US and Britain appear be cynical efforts to turn the tide of popularity in their home states in their favour no matter the consequences.