On the 18th, Lavrov sat down for an hour interview that revealed some new aspects to Lavrov I haven’t seen before as well as some new descriptions and answers that featured an escalation in the rhetoric applied, thus making the answers a new formulation.
Agree completely with the criticism of the Russian approach to the Palestine issue. I understand they view the well-being of the former Soviet Union Jews in Israel the way they viewed the well-being of the Donbass Russians, but they just don't seem to get the reality of the situation overall. I think the rest of the world have long ago left behind the two-state solution as a non-starter, so Russia is behind on this issue, and I'm surprised that they aren't aware of that.
I covered the problem with Russia's approach in the first part of my recent Substack series on why this conflict is inevitable:
If it wasn't apparent before there's no excuse now that the genocidal behaviour and israeli insanity is in full view. For Russia these dual passport holders should be viewed as traitors much like fair weather friends - gone when there are problems, but around to enjoy the good times.
There are people, good and intelligent people, with whom I usually agree 70%, 80% and even 90%. And then there is the 100% person, namely Sergey Lavrov.
Great article —a good follow-up to “The Morning” which is sent out to Times subscribers daily. I’ll try to copy it here:
The New York Times
The Morning
David Leonard, September 23, 2024
In the South China Sea. Aaron Favila/Associated Press
‘The threats we face’
The first sentence of the report — released over the summer by a bipartisan, congressionally appointed commission — was blunt: “The threats the United States faces are the most serious and most challenging the nation has encountered since 1945 and include the potential for near-term major war.”
The nation, the report continued, “is not prepared today.”
The threats begin with China, which has grown more belligerent in Asia. In Europe, Russia started the first major war in almost 80 years. In the Middle East, Iran finances a network of extremist groups. Increasingly, these countries work together, too, sometimes with North Korea. The report described them as “an axis of growing malign partnerships.”
I want to devote today’s newsletter to the findings from the group (officially known as the Commission on the National Defense Strategy) because I found them jarring — and because I suspect many readers haven’t yet heard them. “In a healthy political climate,” Walter Russell Mead, a foreign affairs expert at the Hudson Institute, wrote in The Wall Street Journal, the report would be “the central topic in national conversation.”
An anti-democracy alliance
This anti-American alliance presents a threat because its members are not satisfied with the status quo. That’s why Russia invaded Ukraine and Iran’s proxies have been so aggressive in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. It’s why China has rammed Philippine boats in the South China Sea and President Xi Jinping has directed China’s military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. China, Russia and Iran all want more control over their regions than they now have.
One of the bipartisan group’s central arguments is that American weakness has contributed to the new instability. “This is not a report encouraging the U.S. to go to war,” Jane Harman, the former Democratic congresswoman from California and the commission’s chair, told me. “It’s a report making sure the U.S. can deter war.”
If the U.S. doesn’t do more to deter aggression, living standards in this country could suffer, Harman and her colleagues argued. Iran-backed attacks in the Red Sea have already raised shipping costs, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made energy more expensive. A war in Taiwan could cut off access to the semiconductors that power modern life.
Harman told me that she believed the warning signs today were similar to those in the run-up to both Pearl Harbor and 9/11 — serious and underestimated.
American weaknesses
The report cited several major U.S. weaknesses, including:
A failure to remain ahead of China in some aspects of military power. “China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment,” the report concluded.
One reason is the decline in the share of U.S. resources devoted to the military. This Times chart, which may surprise some readers, tells the story:
Source: Congressional Budget Office | By The New York Times
The report recommended increasing military spending, partly by making changes to Medicare and Social Security (which is sure to upset many liberals) and partly by increasing taxes, including on corporations (which is sure to upset many conservatives). The report also called for more spending on diplomacy and praised the Biden administration for strengthening alliances in Europe and Asia.
A Pentagon bureaucracy that’s too deferential to military suppliers.
The report criticized consolidation among defense contractors, which has raised costs and hampered innovation. The future increasingly lies with drones and A.I., not the decades-old equipment that the Pentagon now uses.
A U.S. manufacturing sector that isn’t strong enough to produce what the military needs.
A lack of production capacity has already hurt the country’s efforts to aid Ukraine, as The Times has documented. “Putin’s invasion has demonstrated how weak our industrial base is,” David Grannis, the commission’s executive director, said. If the Pentagon and the innovative U.S. technology sector collaborated more, they could address this problem, Grannis added.
A polarized political atmosphere that undermines national unity. A lack of patriotism is one reason that the military has failed to meet its recent recruitment goals. Perhaps more worrisome, many Americans are angry at one another rather than paying attention to external threats.
The bottom line
A single commission won’t have all the answers to the hard strategic issues facing the country. How much money should the U.S. spend on the military, given other priorities and the large federal debt? How much waste can be cut from the Pentagon budget? Which foreign conflicts are vital to the national interest — and which are a distraction?
All these questions are vexing. But Americans do face a more dangerous world than many realize. The unexpected global turmoil of the past decade makes that clear.
For more: I recommend this Times interactive, which has videos, photos and maps that document the Chinese coast guard’s aggression toward Philippine ships.
XXXXXXXXXX
SORRY——this was an email—I don’t think they have a link to their subscribers email.
Some truths mixed with lies--Typical NY Times fare. As I wrote yesterday in comment at Larry Johnson's--The Outlaw US Empire faces a dangerous world of its own making, which is the usual product/reaction to Imperialism. If it altered its behavior, the world wouldn't pose such a danger to it.
Great interview. And Tariq Ali is a wonderfully clear speaker as well, so thanks for that link too!
Re Lavrov's statement of Russia policy on Israel -- that's multipolar diplomacy for ya, I suppose. Soviet support during Israel's war of independence, and the reversal to support post-colonial Arab nationalism in subsequent years, is an interesting subject too. Both sides had socialist characteristics, interestingly. But as the postscript quote points out, Israel's de facto settler-colonial character made it a natural hub of US/Euro power projection, part of the Western strategy that toppled many of the more promising governments in the region.
As I've pointed to before, there's the constitutional responsibility for Russians overseas plus historical baggage that seems to be the albatross. Lavrov's prayer that truth and justice will win I agree with, but that doesn't alter the constitutional issue.
So I'm hopeful that dual passport holders who have participated in the genocide are arrested and put on trial if they darken Russia's door. By the way things are going I'm sure many will be packing bags.
You're so right, Russia's biggest problem is how naive their ruling classes are. This is exactly why certain countries behave the way they do against them. While Russians believe they're acting as adults & stopping the escalation to an all out nuclear war. The ones acting like kids are laughing at them thinking to themselves. I wonder what bullshit Medvedev is going to come out with next.
Take a big breath mate. If you yourself are Ukrainian, then consider that your current heroes have done nothing whatever to your country's benefit - and neither have the leadership class that allied itself with the West. If you're living somewhere else and are carrying around a vestigial hatred of the USSR from something you or your parents suffered 40 years ago - that's an issue to be discussed on its own terms. It's no reason to advocate for far more destructive fascist programme.
Lol, Serghiy. echo in a Bucket is comedic genius. Sovereign country, lol too funny considering that there is no such country as Ukraine anymore. It's gone, man, just like the Dodo.
Sorry disregard my 1st reply to you , I see you suffer from mental illness my apologies. I have sympathy for you, I work in mental health. If you'd like some advice & I can give it to you. I'll be glad to.
The abusive commentator and its spew are removed and banned per substack rules for non-abusive discourse, which that creature was incapable of performing. I reviewed its profile where it confessed to being on a mission to disrupt and abuse/torment. It's the first such action I've had to take.
Agree completely with the criticism of the Russian approach to the Palestine issue. I understand they view the well-being of the former Soviet Union Jews in Israel the way they viewed the well-being of the Donbass Russians, but they just don't seem to get the reality of the situation overall. I think the rest of the world have long ago left behind the two-state solution as a non-starter, so Russia is behind on this issue, and I'm surprised that they aren't aware of that.
I covered the problem with Russia's approach in the first part of my recent Substack series on why this conflict is inevitable:
https://richardstevenhack.substack.com/p/armageddon-in-the-middle-east-part-a9a
If it wasn't apparent before there's no excuse now that the genocidal behaviour and israeli insanity is in full view. For Russia these dual passport holders should be viewed as traitors much like fair weather friends - gone when there are problems, but around to enjoy the good times.
There are people, good and intelligent people, with whom I usually agree 70%, 80% and even 90%. And then there is the 100% person, namely Sergey Lavrov.
thanks karl.. i agree with your conclusion at the end and appreciate reading lavrovs response to these questions..
Thank you, Karl. Very informative! Agree with you re Lavrov, Russia on Israel.
Great article —a good follow-up to “The Morning” which is sent out to Times subscribers daily. I’ll try to copy it here:
The New York Times
The Morning
David Leonard, September 23, 2024
In the South China Sea. Aaron Favila/Associated Press
‘The threats we face’
The first sentence of the report — released over the summer by a bipartisan, congressionally appointed commission — was blunt: “The threats the United States faces are the most serious and most challenging the nation has encountered since 1945 and include the potential for near-term major war.”
The nation, the report continued, “is not prepared today.”
The threats begin with China, which has grown more belligerent in Asia. In Europe, Russia started the first major war in almost 80 years. In the Middle East, Iran finances a network of extremist groups. Increasingly, these countries work together, too, sometimes with North Korea. The report described them as “an axis of growing malign partnerships.”
I want to devote today’s newsletter to the findings from the group (officially known as the Commission on the National Defense Strategy) because I found them jarring — and because I suspect many readers haven’t yet heard them. “In a healthy political climate,” Walter Russell Mead, a foreign affairs expert at the Hudson Institute, wrote in The Wall Street Journal, the report would be “the central topic in national conversation.”
An anti-democracy alliance
This anti-American alliance presents a threat because its members are not satisfied with the status quo. That’s why Russia invaded Ukraine and Iran’s proxies have been so aggressive in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. It’s why China has rammed Philippine boats in the South China Sea and President Xi Jinping has directed China’s military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. China, Russia and Iran all want more control over their regions than they now have.
One of the bipartisan group’s central arguments is that American weakness has contributed to the new instability. “This is not a report encouraging the U.S. to go to war,” Jane Harman, the former Democratic congresswoman from California and the commission’s chair, told me. “It’s a report making sure the U.S. can deter war.”
If the U.S. doesn’t do more to deter aggression, living standards in this country could suffer, Harman and her colleagues argued. Iran-backed attacks in the Red Sea have already raised shipping costs, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made energy more expensive. A war in Taiwan could cut off access to the semiconductors that power modern life.
Harman told me that she believed the warning signs today were similar to those in the run-up to both Pearl Harbor and 9/11 — serious and underestimated.
American weaknesses
The report cited several major U.S. weaknesses, including:
A failure to remain ahead of China in some aspects of military power. “China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment,” the report concluded.
One reason is the decline in the share of U.S. resources devoted to the military. This Times chart, which may surprise some readers, tells the story:
Source: Congressional Budget Office | By The New York Times
The report recommended increasing military spending, partly by making changes to Medicare and Social Security (which is sure to upset many liberals) and partly by increasing taxes, including on corporations (which is sure to upset many conservatives). The report also called for more spending on diplomacy and praised the Biden administration for strengthening alliances in Europe and Asia.
A Pentagon bureaucracy that’s too deferential to military suppliers.
The report criticized consolidation among defense contractors, which has raised costs and hampered innovation. The future increasingly lies with drones and A.I., not the decades-old equipment that the Pentagon now uses.
A U.S. manufacturing sector that isn’t strong enough to produce what the military needs.
A lack of production capacity has already hurt the country’s efforts to aid Ukraine, as The Times has documented. “Putin’s invasion has demonstrated how weak our industrial base is,” David Grannis, the commission’s executive director, said. If the Pentagon and the innovative U.S. technology sector collaborated more, they could address this problem, Grannis added.
A polarized political atmosphere that undermines national unity. A lack of patriotism is one reason that the military has failed to meet its recent recruitment goals. Perhaps more worrisome, many Americans are angry at one another rather than paying attention to external threats.
The bottom line
A single commission won’t have all the answers to the hard strategic issues facing the country. How much money should the U.S. spend on the military, given other priorities and the large federal debt? How much waste can be cut from the Pentagon budget? Which foreign conflicts are vital to the national interest — and which are a distraction?
All these questions are vexing. But Americans do face a more dangerous world than many realize. The unexpected global turmoil of the past decade makes that clear.
For more: I recommend this Times interactive, which has videos, photos and maps that document the Chinese coast guard’s aggression toward Philippine ships.
XXXXXXXXXX
SORRY——this was an email—I don’t think they have a link to their subscribers email.
Some truths mixed with lies--Typical NY Times fare. As I wrote yesterday in comment at Larry Johnson's--The Outlaw US Empire faces a dangerous world of its own making, which is the usual product/reaction to Imperialism. If it altered its behavior, the world wouldn't pose such a danger to it.
Great interview. And Tariq Ali is a wonderfully clear speaker as well, so thanks for that link too!
Re Lavrov's statement of Russia policy on Israel -- that's multipolar diplomacy for ya, I suppose. Soviet support during Israel's war of independence, and the reversal to support post-colonial Arab nationalism in subsequent years, is an interesting subject too. Both sides had socialist characteristics, interestingly. But as the postscript quote points out, Israel's de facto settler-colonial character made it a natural hub of US/Euro power projection, part of the Western strategy that toppled many of the more promising governments in the region.
I agree with you, Karl, about Lavrov's and Putin's view on Israel. It's kind of surprising. Maybe they're trying to be respectful to all parties?
As I've pointed to before, there's the constitutional responsibility for Russians overseas plus historical baggage that seems to be the albatross. Lavrov's prayer that truth and justice will win I agree with, but that doesn't alter the constitutional issue.
So I'm hopeful that dual passport holders who have participated in the genocide are arrested and put on trial if they darken Russia's door. By the way things are going I'm sure many will be packing bags.
You're so right, Russia's biggest problem is how naive their ruling classes are. This is exactly why certain countries behave the way they do against them. While Russians believe they're acting as adults & stopping the escalation to an all out nuclear war. The ones acting like kids are laughing at them thinking to themselves. I wonder what bullshit Medvedev is going to come out with next.
Take a big breath mate. If you yourself are Ukrainian, then consider that your current heroes have done nothing whatever to your country's benefit - and neither have the leadership class that allied itself with the West. If you're living somewhere else and are carrying around a vestigial hatred of the USSR from something you or your parents suffered 40 years ago - that's an issue to be discussed on its own terms. It's no reason to advocate for far more destructive fascist programme.
Lol, love your comedy. Snort another line and all will be fine, Zelensky.
Lol, Serghiy. echo in a Bucket is comedic genius. Sovereign country, lol too funny considering that there is no such country as Ukraine anymore. It's gone, man, just like the Dodo.
lol, you are bad.
Nice chatting. Be a good boy now and don't worry so much.
Sorry disregard my 1st reply to you , I see you suffer from mental illness my apologies. I have sympathy for you, I work in mental health. If you'd like some advice & I can give it to you. I'll be glad to.
The abusive commentator and its spew are removed and banned per substack rules for non-abusive discourse, which that creature was incapable of performing. I reviewed its profile where it confessed to being on a mission to disrupt and abuse/torment. It's the first such action I've had to take.
Sovereign country? You don't know what one is obviously