The world we live in today is facing ominous man-made danger. Whoever is elected the new president of the US in November will face the same old rival, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Given the realities of the prevailing geopolitical landscape, it is not impossible that the two powers with the most nuclear weapons could aim their nukes at each other. The choice made by the Americans would have repercussions around the world.
It could upend today’s civilization as we know it should the new American leader decide to pursue a policy of America as the world’s biggest and contest with Russia.
During the Cold War, both sides competed and held dialogue on nuclear deterrence. The two superpowers no longer do that, instead bluffing and then following up on what they said, either empathically or threateningly.
Putin is here to stay for at least the next six years. After all, he just won the latest presidential election. Unlike in the American electoral cycle, Russia is not going to change.
With his renewed mandate, Putin is ready to respond to the US security policy in any way he deems necessary. He has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons if Russia’s independence and national sovereignty are being threatened.
As in the case of Ukraine, this time he wanted to send a clear signal to the US and its allies in Europe about his intention. Some of the European leaders say Putin is bluffing. For the rest of the world, this is not a subject for loose talk.
The West has to take Putin’s words seriously. The war in Ukraine could have been avoided if there had been some rational thinking in the foreign policy-making process of the Western allies.
They are obsessed with weakening Russia even though they know full well that doing so will be more dangerous to Europe and beyond. The balance of power in Europe must be maintained, otherwise, nuclear war will be the only option.
Up until the US presidential election on November 5, anything can happen both inside the US and Russia and in their proxy war in Ukraine.
For now, Biden has to prove every second that he is mentally and physically fit to stand for a second term. He has become the daily butt of jokes by the conservative media, in particular Fox News.
As Election Day approaches, there will be more insults for the two presidential candidates from opposing sides. Bi-partisan politics will make a mockery of the world’s most well-known democracy.
The earth’s future is uncertain because the European allies of the US are backing Washington in whatever it chooses. Europe is on the frontline and its leaders have reiterated time and again that Russia cannot win this war with Ukraine.
However, if the Nato alliance decides to send in troops, it would certainly become a world war.
While there is still a small window for peace negotiations between the two nemeses, all efforts at present must be focused on the prevention of a nuclear war.
by Kavi Chongkittavorn
