Personal Perspective on Current Events - The 6th Series

UKRAINE CRISIS - THE THIRD WORLD WAR?

John Kerry states that the incursion by Russian troops into Crimea is an “incredible act of aggression”. That may describe the one sided view of the western world. However, the attempt by the American led western countries to create a hostile UKRAINE on the doorstep of Russia is an incredible blunder of Third World War possibility. Russia is defending her sovereign security and Black Sea route. It is not a choice intervention in Ukraine affairs. The grizzly Bear cannot back down when it comes to Russian sovereignty.

The CNN mouthpiece Fareed Zakaria teamed up with Madame Albright and Brezezinski to paint President Putin of Russia as Hitler and called on USA and NATO forces to confront Russian forces. They further called on China to keep off from backing Russia. Fortunately President Obama is not controlled by war mongering anti-Russian lobbyist in the Democratic Party and those in the Republican Party. This two-term American Black President has a deep sense of responsibility to world peace and to the welfare of the common citizens of America who elected him as the 1^st Black President of America against all odds. Therefore, in-spite of American media and former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor plus possibly many others calling upon America and NATO to declare war on Russia, President Obama would exercise prudence.

It was easy to get NATO involved in Afghanistan and Iraq but Russia is altogether a very different scenario. America may succeed in getting U.K, France and Italy to co-operate but Germany may never again venture into another war with Russia. Once beaten is twice shy but twice beaten is forever wary. And without the economic and military might of Germany, NATO is just another over extended and ineffective American force in Europe.

A war in Ukraine between Russia and NATO forces will rope in South Korea, Japan and Australia who share security pacts with America which of-course is the NATO leader. Under such a scenario, China cannot remain neutral. Geo political factors would compel China to put its forces on full alert and extend economic and logistical assistance to Russia. A defeated or weakened Russia exposes China to the risk of western hegemony. It will be a World War III begun in Ukraine.

The solution to Ukraine crisis is not NATO forces. Crimea will become autonomous state with its own independent foreign and defense portfolio. The unity of Ukraine will suffer as did that of Yugoslavia and Sudan because the West chose to encourage break away groups. A general election will have to be called for the rest of Ukraine and a government which is neither hostile nor pro Russia or Europe need to take over the reign of the country. Ukraine does not have to be a war zone to settle the supremacy of the West or the East. The people of Ukraine need economic assistance from both Russia and the West.

It is not possible to isolate Russia economically although the attempt is being made by America and her allies. America is under trillions of dollar debt. And except for Germany, most NATO allies are in economic doldrums. Neither G-8 nor G-20 and for that matter even United Nations, without Russia and China, are ineffective world groups. May the people of Ukraine and Crimea be free from international pawning games and find peace among themselves. 

The Politics of TIT for TAT the UPA way, India

There is a way in the political system of India to bypass the Parliament to put a Bill into effect. That bypass is known as the ordinance route. The government can submit a Bill in the form of an ordinance for assent of the President. The approved ordinance then becomes immediate law though the same has to be later passed in the next parliament session.

Last time Rahul Gandhi tore down the ordinance on criminally charged Netas that was submitted by ManMohan Singh Cabinet for the President’s approval. So the proposed ordinance was withdrawn. This time Rahul Gandhi wanted the UPA Cabinet to put the anti-corruption Bills through the ordinance route. It was to enhance his Mr. Clean image, the same objective that he had sought to achieve when he publicly tore the last ordinance Bill on Netas.

The Indian Prime Minister is ageing and is on his way out from the UPA Prime Minister post. He does not have his own grass root base. However, India’s Mr. Honest seems to have his own reserve of influence and integrity. This time the UPA cabinet under Prime Minister ManMohan Singh has refused to play the Rahul tune. The Cabinet has rejected the ordinance route for anti-corruption Bills. The 10 year term Prime Minister ManMohan Singh may go down in Indian History as the intellectual with potential greatness shackled in by mother and son Congress high command. However, he seems determined to put a stamp of individuality in the last days of his Prime Minister-ship as he had done in the nuclear deal.

UPA especially Congress Party sits on a very precarious disharmony between the senior leadership led by ManMohan Singh and his cabinet colleagues and the young Turks led by Rahul Gandhi backed by Sonia Gandhi.

The Gandhi name is a very important landmark in the political arena of India. However, over the years that landmark has been badly eroded with charges of corruption, nepotism and insensitivity. It has reached a stage where UPA was reluctant to identify its 2014 election with Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate. BJP said that a mother is instinctively not ready to sacrifice her child for a lost cause. However, the real behind the scene reason could be a lack of resounding endorsement by diverse UPA leaders in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi chose to remain a shadow super Prime Minister and refused to join ManMohan Singh cabinet. The UPA cabinet resigned itself to this arrangement until Rahul Gandhi publicly humiliated the Prime Minister who was on official tour to USA and lambasted his cabinet over the corrupted Netas ordinance. And in no time, the discord between UPA allies and among Congress leaders widened. The situation suffered more because there was no longer the firm and respected wisdom of Shri Pranab Mukherjee to soothe over wounded egos of allies or senior colleagues. Shri Pranab Mukherjee is the President of India and can no longer play the cementing figure role for Congress, UPA and with Opposition Parties.

Lately the retired top brass Army Officers have joined the political fray. They say that they wish to steer the national ship to proper course through political participation. In India, the Institution of the Army represents the highest standard and integrity of India as a nation. Until this year, there never was a case of en-mass entry of former top brass into politics. Many have joined BJP and some would join Congress or other parties. However, they do not intent to extend their service of bondage to their once political masters. Their goal is to change the political standard of the political parties so that national interest will prevail in matters of governance, thus very truly serving the nation.

I wish well the new political forces arising in India. May the people of India as well as the neighbouring countries benefit from this new found Indian national sense of integrity and fairness!