Ukraine-crisis, a "The Game goes on"
In Ukraine, neither the United States nor Russia can lose the war. For the U.S., losing it would mean the end of its preeminence; for Russia, a visualization. Continuing the war leads to direct confrontation, an eventuality that both sides reject. Will Vladimir Putin launch a major offensive or will he let NATO run out of steam in a war he cannot win, thus avoiding being unfairly accused of using dirty bombs planted by his opponents on territory he does not want to conquer? Perhaps one day[i], Western leaders will eventually choke on their own illogical apoplexy. There was froth and ire in the West this week over Moscow's decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, despite the fact that the move was in full agreement with the government in Minsk, Russia's longtime ally and a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The CSTO is organically comparable to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), having a shared defense commitment among allied states that were formerly members of the Soviet Union.
Russia can play the same card
In ratifying the deployment, Russian President Vladimir Putin[ii] has been accused by Western powers of endangering international security, threatening European neighbors and violating the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Belarus borders three NATO members-Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. But Russia's decision to install tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus (of which Moscow would retain control) was a response to NATO's move to supply depleted uranium (DU) weapons to its anti-Russian proxy in Kiev. Britain announced last week that Challenger 2 tanks sent to Ukraine would be equipped with depleted uranium shells. It is understood that the United States is also prepared to provide depleted uranium armor-piercing ammunition to Ukraine with its Abrams tanks. Video footage from the Ministry of Defense in London shows Ukrainian troops[iii] being trained by British and American officers to handle depleted uranium shells. Depleted uranium is a high-density metal, much denser than lead, that can penetrate modern armor. It ignites after penetration and turns to vapor at extreme temperatures. Although depleted uranium munitions are not explosively fissile and do not cause nuclear explosions, they release harmful radioactive contamination into the environment. Arguably, the munitions are thus a form of nuclear weapon in the same way as a low-yield "dirty bomb."
The West fired tons of depleted uranium shells in Iraq
The United States and Britain fired tons of depleted uranium shells during their decade-long illegal war in Iraq. NATO forces also used depleted uranium weapons in their war of aggression against the former Yugoslavia. In both cases, the resulting radioactive contamination has been correlated with high rates of cancer and birth defects in civilian populations. The Americans and British have never been called to account for their war crimes. This impunity partly explains their arrogance regarding the pumping of weapons into Ukraine against Russia and particularly the latest iteration of radioactive uranium projectiles. For the British regime to claim that depleted uranium weapons are "normal" and acceptable munitions to potentially deploy to strike Russian territory is a demonstration of its depraved deception and outright illegality. It also demonstrates that London and its NATO partners are willing to recklessly escalate the conflict in Ukraine against Russia by crossing a dangerous threshold regarding nuclear weapons.
A possible resolve
The conflict in Ukraine can be resolved if Western powers were to respect international law and stop the Kiev regime's use of weapons. Moving forward, Ukraine must be a neutral state and NATO must stop its aggressive expansion. A serious nuclear arms control policy must involve the withdrawal of nuclear weapons from European NATO member states and the inclusion of British and French arsenals as part of a broader détente framework. Note, however, that the conditions for peace are largely the burden of Washington and its Western allies to do the right and reasonable things. The disturbing question, however, is: Can Washington and its imperialist lackeys be reasonable? Until enlightened conduct prevails, Russia is right to be intolerant of any double standard presumed by the Americans, British and their NATO stooges. Any aggressive move must be reciprocated with courage and intelligence. Without that countervailing action there is impunity, which is even more dangerous.
