The US election results have been widely seen to have improved the prospects for ending the Ukraine war sooner rather than later. Whatever happens ultimately—and we should not exaggerate the certainty of peace—the fact remains that peace prospects just now are better than at any other time during the preceding year.
Such a time is a time for trying to further improve peace prospects in a number of ways. However the USA has done exactly the opposite of this with the Biden administration allowing long-range strikes inside Russia with American provided missiles. This will allow Ukraine to use a ballistic missile system called ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System), with a range of 300 km to strike about 225 military installations of Russia, according to a recent estimate by the Institute for the Study of War.
Ukraine President Zelensky has suggested that such attacks are likely to be made without any pre-warning. He said on November 17, “Such things are not announced. The rockets will speak for themselves.”
The Kremlin has stated that this decision of the USA was a major step toward a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO and adds fuel to the fire. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, said on November 18 that this decision represents a “qualitatively new situation in terms of the US involvement in the conflict.”
When President-elect Donald Trump has clearly stated that ending the Ukraine war would be a high priority for him, what is the point of Joe Biden trying to escalate the war in his last few weeks in office, even in ways that can lead to increased risks of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO? Of course the past record of Biden and his team has all along been that of discouraging peace prospects in this war, but this latest move shows a particularly shocking disregard for human lives and for wider world peace. At the same time the deep state and the military industrial complex who do not favor an early end of this war may also be behind this decision.
What is to be gained by deep strikes in Russia if within a few weeks a new government is set to take over with the several times declared agenda of early peace. When such deep strikes take place Russia is also likely to respond with heavier strikes and all this will lead to the loss of more human lives without any clear purpose or aim being served. Why is Biden trying to harm peace prospects even in his last days in the office? Of course the danger of more than anticipated damage being caused and this leading to a wider crisis situation between the USA/NATO and Russia also exists.
Even at this late stage the mistaken decision can be corrected and many human lives that may be lost due to escalation for a few weeks can be saved.
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In another development, as reported by AFP, the Sweden authorities have begun sending millions of pamphlets advising residents how to prepare for possible war. It is not at all clear why such an action should be taken at a time when the change in government very soon in the USA is likely to result in higher peace prospects in the context of Ukraine war. Why should war feelings be scaled up at a time which is much more appropriate for taking several steps to improve peace prospects in anticipation of the likely bigger efforts for peace expected in the near future? Are efforts being made to escalate now in such a way as to reduce the expected peace prospects of the coming months?
All forces of peace should try to ensure that peace prospects are not destroyed even before these can start effectively.
Bharat Dogra is honorary convener, campaign to save earth now. His recent books include Planet in Peril, Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine and A Day in 2071.
