Probably the best level-headed overview of the Ukraine mess
Tom KirkmanIndependent Project Manager
Probably the best overview of the Ukraine / NATO / Russia mess that I have read.
You may or may not agree with the viewpoints which are presented, but I greatly respect the level-headed approach demonstrated here.
Recommended reading, no matter what your viewpoint is about this Ukraine mess.
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“Introduction: 1 year of violence on top of 30 years of conflict: Too much wrong thinking.
The world’s focus is on *the war*. On February 24, it is one year since Russia launched its so-called special military operation.
Much more important is to focus on the *underlying conflicts* – because there exists no war or other violence without root causes.
The focus on war, by definition, won’t lead to a solution or wider, sustainable peace – like feeling the pain in a patient without diagnosing where it comes from can never lead to healing.
Unless you ask: What is *the problem*, the *conflict, that stands*between the conflicting parties – NATO and Russia – it will end with escalation until one of the sides feel that the nuclear button is the only way out.
International politics is still so immature that the simple distinction between the *violence* and the *conflict* seem too intellectually demanding for the decision-makers, the media and most researchers.
However, understanding it would help save humanity’s future.
But the Military-Industrial-Media-Academic Complex, MIMAC, of course, thrives on the focus on war, weapons and ever more – blind – militarist thinking.
The *conflict* is about 30 years old, and the *war* is one year.
Whatever the reader may think about Putin, Russia, the invasion, Ukraine etc., the infantile blaming, demonisation and the projection of all guilt on one side in such a complex, multi-party and history-based conflict should stop.
It’s emotionalist and stands in the way of rational and prudent policy-making.
Moreover, it is dangerous in its consequences. Therefore, it’s time for the West – US/NATO and the EU – to do some soul-searching and stop living in denial about its complicity in the conflict and this terrible war.
● The overarching fallacy is to think and believe that because Russia did something wrong, everything NATO/EU did and do is right.
Contrary to good academic practice and my other writings,
● this article merely states points and conclusions,
while my arguments can be found in the 200-300 pages of analyses I have written since 2014. …”