Mikhail Gorbachev: 'It All Looks As If the World Is Preparing for War'

TIME Jan 26th 2017
Mikhail Gorbachev: 'It All Looks As If the World Is Preparing for War'

The world today is overwhelmed with problems. Policymakers seem to be confused and at a loss.

But no problem is more urgent today than the militarization of politics and the new arms race. Stopping and reversing this ruinous race must be our top priority.

The current situation is too dangerous.

More troops, tanks and armored personnel carriers are being brought to Europe. NATO and Russian forces and weapons that used to be deployed at a distance are now placed closer to each other, as if to shoot point-blank.

While state budgets are struggling to fund people’s essential social needs military spending is growing. Money is easily found for sophisticated weapons whose destructive power is comparable to that of the weapons of mass destruction; for submarines whose single salvo is capable of devastating half a continent; for missile defense systems that undermine strategic stability.

Politicians and military leaders sound increasingly belligerent and defense doctrines more dangerous. Commentators and TV personalities are joining the bellicose chorus. It all looks as if the world is preparing for war.

It could have been different
...

The news has been building for a while now. The 2014-2016 pacific theater escalations between China, Japan, Russia, and the United States are now finally coming to a climax.

• BBC Nov. 10th 2014 article titled: How uninhabited islands soured China-Japan ties

Ties between China and Japan have been strained by a territorial row over a group of islands, known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China.

• Business Insider Mar. 28th 2016 article titled: Tensions are mounting between Russia, China, and Japan in the Pacific

Japan on Monday switched on a radar station in the East China Sea, giving it a permanent intelligence gathering post close to Taiwan and a group of islands disputed by Japan and China, drawing an angry response from Beijing.

• RT Aug. 7th 2016 article titled: Japan discovers Chinese ‘military’ radar on drilling rig in disputed waters, files protest

Japan has discovered a Chinese radar installed on a gas platform in the disputed East China Sea. Tokyo fears this could be a signal of Beijing’s intent to control the area through military means and has filed a complaint to China following the find.

• Washington Times Aug 4th 2016 article titled: Without Trans-Pacific Partnership, U.S. hands over trade power to China, Japan

As the prospects for President Obama’s signature Asian trade deal look increasingly bleak, the question has become: If not the TPP, then what? For the U.S., there may be no plan B.

• CNN Sept. 16th 2016 article titled: Russia is seriously running out of cash

After almost two years in recession, the country's rainy day fund has shrunk to just $32.2 billion this month, according to the Russian Finance Ministry. It was $91.7 billion in September 2014, just before oil prices started to collapse.

• Reuters Oct. 21st 2016 article titled: U.S. warship challenges China's claims in South China Sea

A U.S. navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Friday, drawing a warning from Chinese warships to leave the area.

The U.S. action was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, U.S. officials said.

• Washington Post Dec. 12th 2016 article titled: Trum p risks war by turning the One China question into a bargaining chip

President-elect Donald Trump has just said that he considers America’s One China policy a bargaining chip, to be traded off against other things that the United States wants from China. ... In other words, the One China policy isn’t a big deal — it’s a bargaining issue, like many other issues. So is Trump right?

No. The big deal is this: The relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan is an ambiguous one, where the People’s Republic claims Taiwan as part of its national territory but is prepared for the present to let Taiwan continue in existence, while Taiwan also has an interest in not clarifying its relationship with the People’s Republic too precisely. Both the PRC and the United States adhere to the notion of One China, but they mean very different things by it. Undermining the status quo could lead to full-scale military conflict between the United States and China over an island that both see as vital to their national interests and whose unique status they have managed well up to this point.

• Washington Post Dec. 16th 2016 article titled: Pentagon: Chinese naval ship seized an unmanned U.S. underwater vehicle in South China Sea

A Chinese naval ship seized an underwater naval drone that was being used by the U.S. Navy to test water conditions in the South China Sea, the Pentagon said Friday.

• Newsweek Jan 23 2017 article titled: Trump White House Pledges to Block China from Taking South China Sea Islands

The new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States would prevent China from taking over territory in international waters in the South China Sea, something Chinese state media has warned would require Washington to "wage war."

Where it starts to become scary is when you take a closer look at what's been happening with the world's militaries behind the scenes.

• AirForce Times Oct. 7th 2016 article titled: Air Force conducts test-drops of dummy nukes

The Air Force dropped two mock nuclear weapons at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada earlier this month in a test of a key element of the nation's nuclear triad.

Not long after this we learned:

• The News (AFP) Oct 12th 2016 article titled: Russia tests ballistic missiles amid tensions with West

MOSCOW: Russia´s military conducted a series of intercontinental ballistic missile tests on Wednesday, the latest flexing of its muscles as tensions with the US spike over Syria.

• Reuters Oct 12th 2016 article titled: Putin ally tells Americans: vote Trump or face nuclear war

Americans should vote for Donald Trump as president next month or risk being dragged into a nuclear war, according to a Russian ultra-nationalist ally of President Vladimir Putin who likes to compare himself to the U.S. Republican candidate.

China has been no slouch either.

• NY Times Oct. 27th 2015 article titled: What China Has Been Building in the South China Sea

China has been rapidly piling sand onto reefs in the South China Sea, creating seven new islets in the region. It is straining geopolitical tensions that were already taut.

• AP Oct. 11th 2016 article titled: Russia, China to mull joint response to US missile shield

MOSCOW (AP) — Amid escalating U.S.-Russia tensions, the Russian military said Tuesday it will cooperate with China on efforts to fend off a threat posed by the U.S. missile defense program.

• ZeroHedge (Znak) Oct 12th 2016 article titled: Russian Government Officials Told To Immediately Bring Back Children Studying Abroad

In Europe, when it gets serious, you have to lie... at least if you are an unelected bureaucrat like Jean-Claude Juncker. In Russia, however, when it gets serious, attention immediately turns to the children.

Which is why we read a report in Russian website Znak published Tuesday, according to which Russian state officials and government workers were told to bring back their children studying abroad immediately, even if means cutting their education short and not waiting until the end of the school year, and re-enroll them in Russian schools, with some concern. The article adds that if the parents of these same officials also live abroad "for some reason", and have not lost their Russian citizenship, should also be returned to the motherland. Znak cited five administration officials as the source of the report.

• Daily Beast Oct. 17th 2016 article titled: Russia Is Building Fallout Shelters to Prepare for a Potential Nuclear Strike

MOSCOW — Managers of the Zenit Arena, a giant half-built stadium in St. Petersburg, received an official letter from the Ministry of Emergency Situations last week demanding that they immediately create shelter facilities for wartime. The stadium, under construction for the upcoming World Cup 2018, is located outside the city boundaries, the letter said, but in case of nuclear attack it is in the potential “zone of war destruction and radiation fallout.”

• BBC Nov. 4th 2016 article titled: Bulgaria warns of Russian attempts to divide Europe

The president of Bulgaria has told the BBC that Russia is trying to divide and weaken Europe.

Rosen Plevneliev warned of Russian influence in his country and across the continent and said Europe needed to take a stronger line.

Around December is when things really started to look like the United States was actively preparing for war.

• Los Angeles Times Dec. 22 2016th article titled: Congress scrapped this one word from the law, shaking up nuclear defense policy and opening the door to a space arms race

By removing a single word from legislation governing the military, Congress has laid the groundwork for both a major shift in U.S. nuclear defense doctrine and a costly effort to field space-based weaponry.

Experts say the changes, approved by overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate, could aggravate tensions with Russia and China and prompt a renewed nuclear arms race. The bill awaits action by President Obama. The White House has not said what he will do.

• Los Angeles Times Dec. 23rd 2016 article titled: Trump's comments on nuclear weapons rattle U.S. officials and foreign leaders

Donald Trump shook up long-standing international security norms Friday by reportedly suggesting a renewed arms race, a day after he tweeted that the United States should “greatly strengthen and expand” its nuclear weapons capability.

• TechDirt Jan 5th 2017 article titled: Putin' s Adviser Says Russia Must Be Ready To Disconnect Itself From The Global Internet

Back in November, we wrote about Russia's surprising move to enforce an older data localization law that requires all Internet companies to store the personal data of Russian citizens on Russian soil. At the time, that seemed to be just another example of Vladimir Putin's desire to keep a close eye on everything that was happening in Russia. But a comment from his Internet adviser, German Klimenko, hints that there could be another motive: to make it easier for Russia to cut itself off from the global Internet during a crisis...

There is much more that has popped up in the news over the last two years, but the situation does indeed look like it's reaching a head.

And what better time for foreign militaries to wage war with the United States than after a new President has entered office, especially one with such little experience dealing with foreign heads of state and so little knowledge of military planning.

Stay safe everyone.

reserved

Fark,cheers for that.

It's the south China sea that everyone should be the most concerned about.

China is about business, Trump is about business, War is business

Any questions?

a reply to: ThingsThatDontMakeSense

If it happens, it happens.

Obviously most of us sane people would prefer to avoid war to spare the lives of countless individuals, but as history has shown us, those who call the shots are the ones who make decisions like going to War, and everyone else is pretty much just along for the ride. Not much we can really do.

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: ThingsThatDontMakeSense

If it happens, it happens.

Obviously most of us sane people would prefer to avoid war to spare the lives of countless individuals, but as history has shown us, those who call the shots are the ones who make decisions like going to War, and everyone else is pretty much just along for the ride. Not much we can really do.

Amen.

Shame the banker elite are all in for MAD and depopulation in general, they might have a chance at stopping this.

a reply to: FamCore

We get on real good with China thanks to our "I think I'll retire and pass the pot" prime minister here in nz,we are basically the real south sea Chinese island,so as you said "if it happens it happens" we should be OK. Move to nz

originally posted by: hiddenNZ
a reply to: FamCore

We get on real good with China thanks to our "I think I'll retire and pass the pot" prime minister here in nz,we are basically the real south sea Chinese island,so as you said "if it happens it happens" we should be OK. Move to nz

And learn to speak Chinese because that SOB sold the economy to them too.

Nothing makes me angrier than thinking about what Keys did to my home country, seeing my brothers and sister struggle with insane mortgages because the Chinese elite think it's okay to just fly in and book a real estate agent for the day and buy every home they are shown. (It was happening before I left in 2006 and only got worse)

NZ should be a precautionary tale for the rest of the world, but nobody wants to listen.

originally posted by: Tranceopticalinclined
China is about business, Trump is about business, War is business

Any questions?

Don't forget China is dumping US Treasuries like mad.

• Bloomberg Jan 19th 2017 article titled: The Daily Prophet: Why Is China Dumping Treasuries?

As if the bond market wasn't facing enough headwinds, with inflation starting to stir and the Federal Reserve forecasting a faster pace of interest-rate increases. Now we get news that China dumped more U.S. Treasuries in November than any time since 2011.

There is no reason to dump US Treasuries if China has an amicable relationship with the United States and feels we have a strong economy, which seems to be the case at least for the moment anyhow. So the question then is, "Why now?"

I think the answer is staring us in the face.

a reply to: ThingsThatDontMakeSense

Gorbechav is a drunk. He's just drunk again.

oh wait, that's Yeltsin.

Someone keeps pushing WAR I wonder why? Oh right, it's big Money, I almost forgot.

It's interesting that the oldest frailest leaders and former leaders are predicting a huge war. It's almost as if they are hoping to see one, cause their time is almost up anyway.

originally posted by: markosity1973

originally posted by: hiddenNZ
a reply to: FamCore

We get on real good with China thanks to our "I think I'll retire and pass the pot" prime minister here in nz,we are basically the real south sea Chinese island,so as you said "if it happens it happens" we should be OK. Move to nz

And learn to speak Chinese because that SOB sold the economy to them too.

Nothing makes me angrier than thinking about what Keys did to my home country, seeing my brothers and sister struggle with insane mortgages because the Chinese elite think it's okay to just fly in and book a real estate agent for the day and buy every home they are shown. (It was happening before I left in 2006 and only got worse)

NZ should be a precautionary tale for the rest of the world, but nobody wants to listen.

Yeah I feel for you
Australia has the same problem, foreigners coming from all around, immigrating and buying property
We need a trump as well, specially for the sheep shaggers from across the ditch

Nostradamus:

Century I: 40

The false orange trumpet concealing madness
will cause Byzantium to change its laws.
From Egypt there will go forth a man who wants
the edict withdrawn, changing money and standards.

Century I: 57

The orange trumpet shakes with great discord.
An agreement broken: lifting the face to heaven:
the bloody mouth will swim with blood;
the face anointed with milk and honey lies on the ground.

Century III: 50

The republic of the great city
Will not want to consent to the great severity:
King summoned the orange trumpet to go out,
The ladder at the wall, the city will repent.

Century X: 76

The great Senate will ordain the triumph
For one who afterwards will be vanquished, driven out:
At the sound of the orange trumpet of his adherents there will be
Put up for sale their possessions, enemies expelled.

a reply to: markosity1973

Same thing happened in Vancouver and surrounding area..houses going for 30 % over asking, much more sometimes..bidding wars, shadow flipping, very shady stuff. Finally after enough uproar the govt introduced a foreign buyers tax..should of done it a year ago but were too busy bending over for the chinese nationals to park some money here and leave the damn house empty

a reply to: ThingsThatDontMakeSense

Nice thread, and he couldn't have been more eloquent with a statement aimed at all parties involved. He isn't divisive and doesn't open the door for people to get defensive and blame.

Oh how leaders used to talk.

"Let China Sleep, for when the Dragon awakes, she will shake the world."

~ Napoléon Bonaparte

originally posted by: JesusXst
a reply to: ThingsThatDontMakeSense

Gorbechav is a drunk. He's just drunk again.

oh wait, that's Yeltsin.

Someone keeps pushing WAR I wonder why? Oh right, it's big Money, I almost forgot.

The TIME article written by Gorbachev is a call for nuclear disarmament and deescalation. You might want to read the article before commenting on it.

originally posted by: imitator
Nostradamus:

Century I: 40

The false orange trumpet concealing madness
will cause Byzantium to change its laws.
From Egypt there will go forth a man who wants
the edict withdrawn, changing money and standards.

Century I: 57

The orange trumpet shakes with great discord.
An agreement broken: lifting the face to heaven:
the bloody mouth will swim with blood;
the face anointed with milk and honey lies on the ground.

Century III: 50

The republic of the great city
Will not want to consent to the great severity:
King summoned the orange trumpet to go out,
The ladder at the wall, the city will repent.

Century X: 76

The great Senate will ordain the triumph
For one who afterwards will be vanquished, driven out:
At the sound of the orange trumpet of his adherents there will be
Put up for sale their possessions, enemies expelled.

Would you like to share what your interpretation is?
I have always been very interrested in Nostradamus quatrains and what they (could) predict.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: markosity1973

Same thing happened in Vancouver and surrounding area..houses going for 30 % over asking, much more sometimes..bidding wars, shadow flipping, very shady stuff. Finally after enough uproar the govt introduced a foreign buyers tax..should of done it a year ago but were too busy bending over for the chinese nationals to park some money here and leave the damn house empty

That is how they manipulate the market. They buy up houses and leave them empty to create an artificial shortage on the market. Then the laws of supply and demand kick in and.... oh so sorry mister, price go up.

There are an estimated 30,000 empty homes in Auckland. An absolute crime given that people were migrating up from Christchurch after the earthquake and there is nowhere for them to live now. People are literally living in cars on the side of the road now.