Mike Whitney — How Putin Blocked the U.S. Pivot to Asia

On February 10, 2007, Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at the 43rd Munich Security Conference that created a rift between Washington and Moscow that has only deepened over time. The Russian President’s blistering hour-long critique of US foreign policy provided a rational, point-by-point indictment of US interventions around the world and their devastating effect on global security. Putin probably didn’t realize the impact his candid observations would have on the assembly in Munich or the reaction of powerbrokers in the US who saw the presentation as a turning point in US-Russian relations. But, the fact is, Washington’s hostility towards Russia can be traced back to this particular incident, a speech in which Putin publicly committed himself to a multipolar global system, thus, repudiating the NWO pretensions of US elites. Here’s what he said: 

“I am convinced that we have reached that decisive moment when we must seriously think about the architecture of global security. And we must proceed by searching for a reasonable balance between the interests of all participants in the international dialogue.” 

With that one formulation, Putin rejected the United States assumed role as the world’s only superpower and steward of global security, a privileged position which Washington feels it earned by prevailing in the Cold War and which entitles the US to unilaterally intervene whenever it sees fit. Putin’s announcement ended years of bickering and deliberation among think tank analysts as to whether Russia could be integrated into the US-led system or not. Now they knew that Putin would never dance to Washington’s tune....

In my view, Whitney gets this essentially correct. It also shows why this is so dangerous and how dangerous it is. Putin would not be able to do this if Russia were not a nuclear state capable of obliterating the Northern Hemisphere, which is the basis of deterrence through mutually assured destruction (MAD). The right wing in the US think that Putin is bluffing and would not actually hit the red button, or that the US can neutralize an attack and prevail in a nuclear war. All I say is that whoever is in charge that John McCain isn't the president of the United States now. President Obama at least seems to be resisting a headlong rush to nuclear oblivion.

Counterpunch
How Putin Blocked the U.S. Pivot to Asia

Mike Whitney