A friend and I have been debating Ukraine, and struggling to be respectful of our differing opinions. He asked me, “What would the Green Party — or you yourself — do about Ukraine if you were in power?” I’ll present this as my own perspective, which has certainly been clarified during three decades of Green Party study and activism. What would I actually do if I had the power and influence of the US president?
IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE, THIS NEEDS TO BE SAID:
I do love my country, the land and its people. I am not anti-American. My stance is not “pro-Putin.” I do believe very strongly that we can — all of us and the US government — do everything possible to decrease, not increase, hostilities among nations, especially among the world’s biggest military and economic powers.
EMPOWER COOPERATION AMONG NATIONS
The United Nations could become a strong force for good in the world. Yes, the UN is flawed and has made some terrible choices — a prime example is its treatment of Haiti. The United States, however, exerts a lot of power and influence on the UN. With a strong demonstration of good faith efforts, the US can change course from hostile interactions to peacemaking efforts, and that would move the UN toward its goals as stated in the United Nations Charter Preamble, including, “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.”
The US cannot continue trying to be the “policeman of the world.” It’s both expensive, and ineffective.
GOOD FAITH EFFORTS
At the same time that the US would advocate for negotiations and an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine, we would make the following long over-due good faith efforts to demonstrate our shift from war-making to peace-keeping.
(1) Stop the blockade against Cuba! By doing so, the US can demonstrate good faith, show respect for the wishes of 185 other countries, and empower the United Nations. As this AP article summarizes “The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to condemn the American economic embargo of Cuba for the 30th year, with the Biden administration continuing former President Donald Trump’s opposition and refusing to return to the Obama administration’s 2016 abstention. The vote in the 193-member General Assembly was 185 countries supporting the condemnation, the United States and Israel opposing it, and Brazil and Ukraine abstaining.”
(2) Stop US “sanctions” which are UN-prohibited “unilateral coercive measures.” The US has instituted these coercive measures on more than 30 nations. In the Americas, the nations are Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The suffering caused by these sanctions are beyond what we can imagine in our everyday lives in the US.
(3) Reduce US military spending. At least, as a show of good faith, begin to reduce. Does any country really need to upgrade its nuclear weapons? The estimated cost is $600 billion through 2030, here. The US military now spends more than the next nine highest countries combined. What if we only overspent the next, say, five countries? Or we could look at the US per-capita spending of about $2,200. How about dropping to about $1,000 per-capita, five times as much as the average of the next nine countries. Here’s more information.
NEGOTIATIONS ARE POSSIBLE!
I have been surprised that so many friends have told me negotiations won’t work. Who benefits by having us believe that? The weapons industry? Others who profit from war? Or those who use war as a “weapon of mass distraction” to distract us from organizing to stop the enormous threats of nuclear or environmental destruction of people and planet?
What really does not work is war — and supplying weapons of war — when we want to save lives, money and planet.
Yes, negotiations can work, but only if they are tried, not thwarted. Even if the best course ends up not being under the auspices of the UN, then still good faith efforts by the US will go a long way toward creating the needed conditions. Experts in negotiations exist — let’s use them.
WHAT IF THIS APPROACH FAILS?
I do not believe it would fail, but if it did, the world would still be a better place. The beauty of it is that the US would be perceived as being more aligned with other peoples of the world, and we would truly be more aligned. Domestically we would have more money for healthcare, education, housing, meaningful work, real justice, and environmental restoration. That sounds good to me.