As the coronavirus pandemic continues to create a global crisis of generational proportions, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is pushing a broad measure to declare a global ceasefire among all nations, allowing the world to focus on fighting the virus instead of one another.
The proposal has got a lot of interest internationally, but is falling just short of going into effect, with the United States and Russia both insisting they wouldn’t consider themselves bound by any such ceasefire for their wars.
The US is complaining that the ceasefire would hinder their wars against ISIS and other groups that they believe are hostile to US interests. Given the number of US wars around the world, that’s a substantial number of conflicts. Among primary interests is the US ability to attack Iraqi militias in the near future.
Its not just America’s many wars that America believes would be at stake, but also Israel’s intermittent attacks on Syria and other nations, with US objections including that no ceasefire can be allowed to inhibit Israel’s ability to launch unilateral attacks.
Russia’s complaints were similar but more narrow, focused on wanting to keep their military activities in Syria ongoing, and not wanting the international ceasefire to get in the way of Libya’s Civil War, in which Russia is supported Gen. Hafter’s forces.
In general, it can be expected that neither Russia or the US will go along with this unless the other agrees first. The support among other global powers is more promising, with France advocating the ceasefire outspokenly. China seems on board as well, though they balked at an initial version of the resolution when the US wanted to call coronavirus the “Wuhan Virus,” implying China is to blame.
Ceasefire support in Colombia, Sudan, Yemen, and the Philippines has seen some agreement and unilateral announcements, and the UN remains hopeful. Without the US and Russia, however, it will be difficult for it to become a global movement.
Great powers choose interests over peace, but fail to see the choice ultimately undermine them.
https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/
Good to know both US and Russia won’t allow any idea of peace to interfere with Israeli desire to keep Muslims killing each other….
Both?
Russia is sticking with the task it set for itself, getting the last of the Western funded, and politically supported militants in Idlib to lay down arms.
With Kurdish secessionism broken, Syria is on its way to be liberated with or without US troops guarding few Syrian oil patches. Russia and Turkey are getting Idlib under control. There it is pro-Western HTS and their cohorts fighting against Turkish sponsored militants.
And it is THIS fighting what Israel and US would love to STOP to allow HTS and their funding arm, White Helmets , to catch breath and rearm (through “humanitarian” aid to Helmets).
As for Israel’s desire to keep Moslems fighting each other — that is to be laid at US doorstep. Russia cannot save the Moslem countries (Iraq, Libya, Yemen), where US destroyed their governments and societal institutions — making violence the only way to arbitrate conflicts and organize self-defense.
When it comes to Israel and its proudly lawless and cruel behavior, until there is a wide spread global condemnation — I see no reason to expect Russia to meddle.
Although Russia’s “interests” might be more legitimate, Putin is still an ex-KGB thug. Compared to our narcissistic moron he looks good, but he’s still a thug.
Notice that what Russia won’t do is surrender to American wars.
America won’t stop pushing. Russia won’t stop resisting. So of course, blame Russia?
Yup the entirety of known reality is expansion, and resistance.
Eh, not buying the Russia part. Yer gonna have to support “Russia supports Haftar” with some evidence. And, amongst all the various factions in Syria, it will be tough to show Russia isnt playing defense, in their backyard. Now, the US, half a world away ?
Russian policy in Libya has two bad choices. It can support the puppet government set up by the West, or it can support the 20-year long resident of Virginia, CIA operative, rebelling against that with the open support of US allies Egypt and the Gulf Arabs.
It should not be surprising then that Russian efforts in Libya are really quite limited compared to everyone else.
It should also be no surprise that those efforts are subject of gaslighting by the US to hide its duplicitous role on all sides.