Trump’s NATO Threat Reflects a Wider Shift on America’s Place in the World

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Alliances that were once seen as the bulwark of the Cold War are now viewed as an outdated albatross by a significant segment of the American public.

When former President Donald J. Trump told a campaign rally in South Carolina last weekend that he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies who “didn’t pay,” there were gasps of shock in Washington, London, Paris, Tokyo and elsewhere around the world.

But not in South Carolina. At least not in the room that day. The crowd of Trump supporters decked out in “Make America Great Again” T-shirts and baseball caps reacted to the notion of siding with Moscow over longtime friends of the United States with boisterous cheers and whistles. “Delinquent” allies? Forget them. Not America’s problem.

The visceral rejection of the American-led security architecture constructed in the years after World War II serves as a reminder of how much the notion of U.S. leadership in the world has shifted in recent years. Alliances that were once seen as the bulwark of the Cold War are now viewed as an outdated albatross by a significant segment of the American public that Mr. Trump appeals to.

The old consensus that endured even in the initial years after the end of the Cold War has frayed under the weight of globalization, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Great Recession of 2008-09 and Mr. Trump’s relentless assault on international institutions and agreements. While polls show most Americans still support NATO and other alliances, the increasingly vocal objections in some quarters hark back to a century ago when much of America just wanted to be left alone. » | Peter Baker, Reporting from Washington | Thursday, February 15, 2024

The Middle East's Cold War, Explained

How two feuding countries are tearing apart the Middle East.

The Middle East's Cold War, Explained

How two feuding countries are tearing apart the Middle East.

Russia Deploys Nuclear-capable Missiles in Kaliningrad as Tensions between US and Russia Become 'More Dangerous Than Cold War'

THE TELEGRAPH: Moscow has moved nuclear-capable missiles near the Polish border, its defence ministry confirmed on Saturday, as Germany's foreign minister warned that tensions between Russia and the West were "more dangerous" today than during the Cold War. » | Raf Sanchez, Middle East Correspondent | Saturday, October 8, 2016

Downing of Russian Jet by Turkey Could Push Us Back to 'Darkest Hour' of Cold War: Expert

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: London: The shooting down of a Russian fighter jet on the Turkey-Syria border is a grave development that could push the world back towards the darkest hour of the Cold War, a foreign policy expert has warned.

There are early signs that Russia will respond to the incident aggressively, rather than diplomatically, warned analyst Lukasz Kulesa. (+ video) » | Nick Miller | Wednesday, November 25, 2015

How CIA Used Copies of Doctor Zhivago in Battle to Win Cold War

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: After nearly six decades of secrecy, newly declassified documents reveal the CIA's clandestine programme to bring the great Russian novel to readers behind the Iron Curtain

t had all the hallmarks of a classic Cold War spy caper, and it began in January 1958 when British intelligence’s Moscow station delivered two rolls of microfilm into the hands of the CIA’s Langley headquarters.

However the films showed not the blueprints for a new Soviet warplane or ballistic missile, but something potentially even more powerful in the ideological war between East and West: the complete Russian text of Boris Pasternak’s masterpiece, Doctor Zhivago.

In a nine-point memo, marked Secret but recently declassified, British intelligence said it was “in favour of exploiting the book”, warning that Soviet censors were already putting pressure on Pasternak to put out a “revised” version of the novel. » | Peter Foster, Washington | Sunday, April 06, 2014


Lara’s Theme »

Doctor Zhivago: Trailer (1965) »

Listening Post: The Cold War Narrative

As Russia redraws the map in Ukraine, the media narrative is once again split between the powers of the East and West.

Worlds Apart: 'US Thinks Rules Are for Inferior Nations, It's In Their DNA' – Ex-Australian PM

Kosovo's secession demonstrated that international law is only as applicable as the force used to back it. But with Crimea now free on the wings of that precedent, the West cries foul. Why does the Western world fail to recognize parallels between Kosovo and Crimea? Is it a case of double standards or the result of decades of adversarial EU and NATO policies towards Russia? Oksana is joined by former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser to canvass these issues.

THE GUARDIAN: Ukraine: there's no way out unless the west understands its past mistakes: Western leaders mostly paint the whole dispute as totally one-sided: it is all Russia’s fault. But the Crimea crisis is directly related to the misguided steps taken after the Soviet Union’s fall » | Malcolm Fraser | Monday, March 03, 2014

THE WASHINGTON POST: How the Ukraine crisis ends » | Henry A. Kissinger | Wednesday, March 05, 2014

New Cold War? Obama, Putin Are Split

America Sees Rise of a Globalized Economy, Russia Sees a Right to Protect Its Interests in Ukraine
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: There are many differences in style and substance between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the Ukraine crisis has brought into sharp relief the most important one: The American leader believes the world has moved beyond the Cold War, and his Russian counterpart seems more comfortable moving back into it.

In fact, this difference probably is true of the countries the two men lead, not just of the leaders themselves. Americans tend to see the Cold War in the rearview mirror as a wildly expensive period of ideological struggle that was settled decisively in favor of the rightful victor, democratic capitalism. Russians tend to view it as a period in which Moscow played its rightful role as a superpower with a large and clearly defined sphere of influence and an important voice on every world issue.

The differences help explain the depth of the disconnect between the U.S. and Russia as they circle each other warily over the future of Ukraine. By the American reckoning, a new set of standards ought to apply to 21st century international behavior, and the grounds for excusing one superpower's behavior because it believes it is involved in an existential struggle against the other have largely disappeared. By the other reckoning, the Russian one, big nation-states still have the clear right to protect their regional influence and interests. » | Gerald F. Seib | Monday, March 03, 2014

Is a Modern Day Cold War upon Us?

Feb. 28, 2014 - 2:00 - With increasing concern over Russian military intervention in unrest in the Ukraine - and President Obama issuing warnings to Putin - has the Cold War returned?

The New Cold War
There has long been bad blood between Iran and Saudi Arabia, but popular protests across the Middle East now threaten to turn the rivalry into a tense and dangerous regional divide.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: For three months, the Arab world has been awash in protests and demonstrations. It's being called an Arab Spring, harking back to the Prague Spring of 1968.

But comparison to the short-lived flowering of protests 40 years ago in Czechoslovakia is turning out to be apt in another way. For all the attention the Mideast protests have received, their most notable impact on the region thus far hasn't been an upswell of democracy. It has been a dramatic spike in tensions between two geopolitical titans, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

This new Middle East cold war comes complete with its own spy-versus-spy intrigues, disinformation campaigns, shadowy proxy forces, supercharged state rhetoric—and very high stakes.

"The cold war is a reality," says one senior Saudi official. "Iran is looking to expand its influence. This instability over the last few months means that we don't have the luxury of sitting back and watching events unfold."

On March 14, the Saudis rolled tanks and troops across a causeway into the island kingdom of Bahrain. The ruling family there, long a close Saudi ally, appealed for assistance in dealing with increasingly large protests.

Iran soon rattled its own sabers. Iranian parliamentarian Ruhollah Hosseinian urged the Islamic Republic to put its military forces on high alert, reported the website for Press TV, the state-run English-language news agency. "I believe that the Iranian government should not be reluctant to prepare the country's military forces at a time that Saudi Arabia has dispatched its troops to Bahrain," he was quoted as saying. » | Bill Spindle and Margaret Coker | The Saturday Essay | Saturday, April 16, 2011

Day One: Obama Faces Cold War Threat, a Warning from Israel... and an Armed Guard to Go to the Gym
MAIL Online: With barely time to savour his triumph, Barack Obama has been confronted with various international crises to test his mettle.

The U.S. President-elect faces threats from Russia, Israel and Afghanistan as it emerged his election team's computers were hacked by a 'foreign entity' during the election.

Officials at the FBI and the White House believe the hackers sought to gather information on the evolution of both his and Senator John McCain's policy positions with the idea of using that information in negotiations with the next administration.

Obama technical experts later speculated the hackers were Russian or Chinese, and security ended the intrusion, Newsweek reported.

The first of the challenges thrown at the President-elect, who received his first national security intelligence briefing yesterday, came from the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

He threatened to base warheads along the Polish border if Obama goes ahead with a Bush administration plan to create a missile shield in Eastern Europe.

Then Israel warned Obama last night that his claim that he was ready to open talks with Iran could be seen in the Middle East as a sign of weakness.

Furthermore, Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai demanded that Obama 'put an end to civilian casualties' by changing U.S. military tactics to avoid airstrikes in the war on the Taliban. He spoke out after seven wedding party guests were accidentally killed by an American airstrike.

It was as he was locked away in his Chicago home, that Obama received his first national intelligence briefing as he wrestled with appointments for his Cabinet.

During the day he ventured out twice, once to visit his local gym and then his downtown offices.

Each time he was escorted by a convoy of black vehicles carrying heavily armed secret service agents.

Aides said he planned no public appearances until later in the week.

It also emerged that both Obama and McCain's computers were hacked into by a 'foreign entity' during the campaign.

Newsweek magazine revealed the FBI and the Secret Service had been called in, with one agent warning the Obama campaign: 'You have a problem way bigger than what you understand... You have been compromised, and a serious amount of files have been loaded off your system.' >>> By David Gardner | November 7, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback) – Free delivery >>>

Fear of New Mid East ‘Cold War’ as Syria Strengthens Military Alliance with Russia
TIMESONLINE: Syria raised the prospect yesterday of having Russian missiles on its soil, sparking fears of a new Cold War in the Middle East. President Assad said as he arrived in Moscow to clinch a series of military agreements: “We are ready to co-operate with Russia in any project that can strengthen its security.”

The Syrian leader told Russian newspapers: “I think Russia really has to think of the response it will make when it finds itself closed in a circle.”

Mr Assad said that he would be discussing the deployment of Russian missiles on his territory. The Syrians are also interested in buying Russian weapons.

In return Moscow is expected to propose a revival of its Cold War era naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, which would give the Russian Navy its first foothold in the Mediterranean for two decades. Damascus and Moscow were close allies during the Cold War but the Kremlin’s influence in the region waned after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yesterday’s rapprochement raised the possibility that Moscow intends to re-create a global anti-Western alliance with former Soviet bloc allies.

Many in Israel fear that the Middle East could once again become a theatre for the two great powers to exert their spheres of influence, militarily and politically. And with Israel and the US providing military backing to Georgia, Russia appears set to respond in kind by supporting Syria. Fear of New Mid East 'Cold War' as Syria Strengthens Military Alliance with Russia >>> By Kevin O’Flynn in Moscow and James Hider, Middle East Correspondent | August 21, 2008

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL:
Poland Risks Serious Confrontation with Russia: The Cold War is returning to Poland. Warsaw wants to further tighten ties with Washington and it has used the US missile defense system to do so -- against massive opposition from Moscow. In return, the Poles will now be given Patriot missiles to protect themselves >>> By Jan Puhl | August 20, 2008

NZZ Online:
Israel warnt Moskau vor Waffenlieferungen: Syriens Präsident Asad zu Besuch in Russland >>> | 20. August 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (US) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (US) >>>

Putin’s Games – Russia's Military Get Down to Some of Good, Old-Fashioned Sabre-Rattling: RAF Fighter Jets Yesterday Intercept Two Russian Strategic Bombers Heading for British Airspace
TIMESONLINE: RAF fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers heading for British airspace yesterday, as the spirit of the Cold War returned to the North Atlantic once again.

The incident, described as rare by the RAF, served as a telling metaphor for the stand-off between London and Moscow over the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

While the Kremlin hesitated before responding to Britain’s expulsion of four diplomats, the Russian military engaged in some old-fashioned sabre-rattling.

Two Tu95 “Bear” bombers were dispatched from their base on the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic Circle and headed towards British airspace. RAF scrambles to intercept Russian bombers (more) By Richard Beeston

Mark Alexander

A New Arms Race?
FINANCIAL TIMES: Russia could site cruise missiles in Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, if the US goes ahead with plans for a missile defence shield in central Europe, Russia’s first deputy prime minister warned on Wednesday.

The televised comments by Sergei Ivanov – a possible successor to President Vladimir Putin – came two days after Mr Putin proposed using a new radar station being built in southern Russia in place of a planned US radar in the Czech Republic. The proposal was made during informal talks with US president George W. Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine. Russians threaten to counter US shield (more) By Neil Buckley and Demetri Sevastopulo

TIMESONLINE:
Russian missile threat to Europe raises Cold War fear over US shield By Tony Halpin and Tom Baldwin

Mark Alexander

Icy Times Ahead with Russia
TIMESONLINE: Tony Blair told Vladimir Putin yesterday that the world was becoming more and more afraid of Russia’s behaviour at home and abroad.

And as he left his last G8 summit in Germany Mr Blair predicted a lengthy period of deep freeze in relations between Russia and the West.

The two men, who have been sparring with each other from a distance for weeks, had a tense, hour-long encounter in the Caroline Room at the Kempinski Grand Hotel. Mr Blair emerged alone, a fixed smile on his face.

But when he spoke to reporters later at Rostock airport shortly before flying home he did not attempt to disguise that it had been a hard encounter or that he had been frustrated by the outcome. Blair talks of ‘deep freeze’ after tense encounter with Putin (more) By Philip Webster and David Charter

THE GUARDIAN:
West ‘fearful’ of Russia, says exasperated Blair

THE DAILY MAIL:
'We fear your slide into dictatorship', Blair warns Putin

Mark Alexander

Are We Following the Cold War with Cold Peace?
THE GUARDIAN: Putin's belligerence is the upshot of inept western diplomacy. Following cold war with cold peace may prove a historic error

Will history tell us we were fools? We worried about the wrong war and made the wrong enemies. In the first decade of the 21st century the leaders of America and Britain allowed themselves to be distracted by a few Islamist bombers and took easy refuge in the politics of fear. They concocted a "war on terror" and went off to fight little nations that offered quick wins.

Meanwhile these leaders neglected the great strategic challenge of the aftermath of cold war: the fate of Russia and its mighty arsenals, its soul tormented by military and political collapse, its pride undimmed. They danced on Moscow's grave and hurled abuse at its shortcomings. They drove its leaders to assert a new energy-based hegemony and find new allies to the south and east. The result was a new arms race and, after a Kremlin coup, a new war. Is that the path we are treading? This Russian risk could yet dwarf our blunder on Iraq (more) By Simon Jenkins

Mark Alexander

The Spectre of a New Cold War
THE DAILY MAIL: Leader - Less than 20 years after the Berlin Wall came down, the menacing spectre of the Cold War looms once again over Europe.

At the start of an eight-day European tour, a swaggering George Bush talks up his plans to build a futuristic anti-missile defence shield in Russia's backyard.

Meanwhile, an intransigent Vladimir Putin warns he may take 'retaliatory steps', including aiming Russian nuclear weapons at targets in the West. Is this the start of a new Cold War (more)

DAILY MAIL:
A blundering Bush, Tsar Putin, and the question: will we, in this century, have to fight Russia? By Max Hastings

Mark Alexander

Russia in the Process of Reasserting Itself
TIMESONLINE: There is a nasty smell of Weimar in Russia nowadays. All the talk is of Russia’s need to reassert itself and show the world it is still a great power. On the streets, skinheads and racists beat up foreigners and attack dark-skinned Caucasians. Gays are attacked, liberals jeered and opposition protests forcibly disbanded. At home there is growing intolerance of anything except the government line, while abroad President Putin picks quarrels with his neighbours and threatens his erstwhile Western allies.

Is Putin leading Russia into fascism? That is now the accusation of Western critics. Is it not time, they say, to drop pretences of partnership, stand up to Russian bullying of its neighbourhood, denounce the clampdown on basic freedoms and chuck Russia out of the G8? Those who remember appeasement trumpet the dangers of Western drift. Is Putin the bully leading Russia into fascism? (more) By Michael Binyon

Mark Alexander

Putin Signals He Prefers Combat to Compromise

Photo of Putin courtesy of THE TIMES

THE TELEGRAPH: President Vladimir Putin has sent a chilling message to world leaders on the eve of the G8 summit with a threat to aim Russian nuclear missiles at European cities for the first time since the Cold War.

In comments that seemed calculated to cause consternation and division at Wednesday's meeting in Germany, the Russian leader said that American plans to erect a missile defence shield in eastern Europe had left him with no choice but to retaliate.

"It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe we will have to respond," he told reporters from G8 countries in Moscow at the weekend. 



"What kind of steps are we are going to take in response? Of course we are going to acquire new targets in Europe." Putin in nuclear threat against Europe (more) By Adrian Blomfield

TELEGRAPH LEADER:
Kick the Russians out

TIMESONLINE:
Putin raises spectre of nuclear war in Europe

Mark Alexander