In Ukraine—a clash of the titans—The US and Russia—power for the sake of power

By Steve Otto

As we watch events in Ukraine, we are about to see a clash of the titans—US vs. Russia. The Ukraine government doesn't seem to fit in much with the plans of the US, which constantly expands NATO, a now defunct alliance which the US and Europe won't let go of. It is mostly used for keeping Europe from changing. It also allows small right-wing countries, in Eastern Europe, to get cheap or free weapons for their army. On the Russian side, we have an imperialist country that seems to believe in power for the sake of power.

At one time the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) tried to be a Marxist empire. The stated goal was Marx and Lenin.[1] The country was run by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. A past president, "Boozin'" Boris Yeltsin,[2] was at one time a member of that Communist Party. But as it turned out, he joined the party only to advance his career, not out of any socialist convictions. He turned to US capitalism for inspiration. When his career was nearly over and his approval rating were almost kaput, US Republican Party hacks came over with their bag of dirty tricks to help him get re-elected.

Today we have Vladimir Putin.[3] He worked as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel, before resigning in 1991 to begin a political career in Saint Petersburg. As with Yeltsin, he joined that organization for career reasons. As with Yeltsin he has been a complete phony, caring nothing about Marx or Lenin. Today he is as capitalist, a crook and a dictator. He no longer represents any ideology other than power for the sake of power.

He wants to run his own empire. Today, Russia is not really any more democratic that the USSR was. It is hard to say why he wants to invade Ukraine, but we can be sure that neither the US or Russia have anything other than imperialist aims in that country.

President Joseph Biden has warned us that there will be economic consequences if the Russian invades Ukraine. But overall, the Ukrainians have the most to lose from all of this. And it really doesn't matter who wins or loses.

There are no good guys in this situation. There are just power hungry imperialists. Both profess capitalism and both practice a rather phony stile of democracy. This is really a no-win situation for those of us on the left. 

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[1] Karl Marx, VI Lenin, Владимир Ленин.

[2] Борис Ельцин.

[3] Владимир Путин.

 

 

Pix by Clash of the Titans.