No to War, Hot or Cold, With Russia

Source  : http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/no_to_war_hot_or_cold_with_russia_20141201/

Posted on Dec 1, 2014

By Dennis Kucinich

plavevski / Shutterstock.com

Editor’s note: The following was adapted from an email by former Rep. Dennis Kucinich to his subscribers.
U.S.-Russia relations have deteriorated severely in the past decade and they are about to get worse, if the House passes H. Res. 758.

NATO encirclement, the U.S.-backed coup in Ukraine, an attempt to use an agreement with the European Union to bring NATO into Ukraine at the Russian border, a U.S. nuclear first-strike policy, are all policies which attempt to substitute force for diplomacy.

Russia’s response to the terror unleashed by western-backed neo-nazis in Crimea and Odessa came after the local population appealed to Russia to protect them from the violence. Russia then agreed to Crimea joining the Russian Federation, a reaffirmation of an historic relationship.

The Western press begins its narrative on the Crimea situation with the annexation, but completely ignores the provocations by the West and other causal factors which resulted in the annexation. This distortion of reality is artificially creating an hysteria about Russian aggressiveness, another distortion which could pose an exceptionally dangerous situation for the world, if acted upon by other nations. The U.S. Congress is responding to the distortions, not to the reality.

Similar distortions are developing now in the coverage of events in the eastern part of Ukraine, in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Tensions between Russia and the U.S. are being fueled every day by players who would benefit financially from a resumption of the Cold War which, from 1948 to 1991 cost U.S. taxpayers $20 TRILLION dollars (in 2014 dollars), an amount exceeding our $18 trillion National Debt.

With wars re-igniting in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Syria being a staging ground for an ongoing proxy war between the great powers, the U.S. treasury is being drained for military adventures, our national debt is piling up, and we are demonstrably less safe.

Tomorrow the U.S. House will debate and vote on H. Res. 758 which is tantamount to a ‘Declaration of Cold War’ against Russia, reciting a host of grievances, old and new, against Russia which represent complaints that Russia could well make against the U.S., given our nation’s most recent military actions: Violating territorial integrity, violations of international law, violations of nuclear arms agreements.

Congress’ solution? Restart the Cold War!

The resolution demands Russia to be isolated and for “the President, in consultation with Congress, to conduct a review of the force posture, readiness and responsibilities of United States Armed Forces and the forces of other members of NATO to determine if the contributions and actions of each are sufficient to meet the obligations of collective self-defense [my emphasis] under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, and to specify the measures needed to remedy any deficiencies…” In other words, ‘let’s get ready for war with Russia.’

This is exactly the type of sabre rattling which led to the initiation and escalation of the Cold War. It is time we demanded that the U.S. employ diplomacy, not more military expenditures, in the quest for international order.

It is time the U.S. stepped out of this expensive dialectic of conflict and seek to rebuild diplomatic relations with Russia and set aside the risky adventurism in the name of NATO.

If you agree, please contact your congressperson today, 202-224-3121, and ask them to vote against H. Res. 758.

H. RES. 758 

113TH CONGRESS
(Document certified by Superintendent of Documents <pkisupport@gpo.gov>) Signed by Superintendent of Documents <pkisupport@gpo.gov> Time: 2014.11.19 09:09:14 Z Reason: GPO attests that this document has not been altered since it was disseminated by GPO Location: US GPO, Washington, DC 20401
2D SESSION
H. RES. 758
Strongly condemning the actions of the Russian Federation, under President
Vladimir Putin, which has carried out a policy of aggression against
neighboring countries aimed at political and economic domination.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
Strongly condemning the actions of the Russian Federation,
under President Vladimir Putin, which has carried out
a policy of aggression against neighboring countries
aimed at political and economic domination.
Whereas upon entering office in 2009, President Barack
Obama announced his intention to ‘‘reset’’ relations with
the Russian Federation, which was described by former
United States Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul as
a policy to ‘‘engage with Russia to seek agreement on
common interests’’, which included the negotiation of the
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) in
which the United States agreed to major reductions in its
nuclear forces;
Whereas the Russian Federation has responded to this policy
with openly anti-American rhetoric and actions and with
armed aggression against United States allies and partner
countries, including Ukraine and the Republic of
Georgia;
Whereas the Russian Federation has subjected Ukraine to a
campaign of political, economic, and military aggression
for the purpose of establishing its domination over the
country and progressively erasing its independence;
Whereas the Russian Federation’s invasion of, and military
operations on, Ukrainian territory represent gross violations
of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial
integrity and a violation of international law, including
the Russian Federation’s obligations under the
United Nations Charter;
Whereas the Russian Federation’s forcible occupation and illegal
annexation of Crimea and its continuing support for
separatist and paramilitary forces in eastern Ukraine are
violations of its obligations under the 1994 Budapest
Memorandum on Security Assurances, in which it
pledged to respect the independence and sovereignty and
the existing borders of Ukraine and to refrain from the
threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or
political independence of Ukraine;
Whereas the Russian Federation has provided military equipment,
training, and other assistance to separatist and
paramilitary forces in eastern Ukraine that has resulted
in over 4,000 civilian deaths, hundreds of thousands of
civilian refugees, and widespread destruction;
Whereas the Ukrainian military remains at a significant disadvantage
compared to the armed forces of the Russian
•HRES 758 IH

Federation in terms of size and technological sophistication;
Whereas the United States strongly supports efforts to assist
Ukraine to defend its territory and sovereignty against
military aggression by the Russian Federation and by
separatist forces;
Whereas the terms of the ceasefire specified in the Minsk
Protocol that was signed on September 5, 2014, by representatives
of the Government of Ukraine, the Russian
Federation, and the Russian-backed separatists in the
eastern area of the Ukraine have been repeatedly violated
by the Russian Federation and the separatist forces it
supports;
Whereas separatist forces in areas they controlled in eastern
Ukraine prevented the holding of elections on May 25,
2014, for a new President of Ukraine and on October 26,
2014, for a new Rada, thereby preventing the people of
eastern Ukraine from exercising their democratic right to
select their candidates for office in free and fair elections;
Whereas, on November 2, 2014, separatist forces in eastern
Ukraine held fraudulent and illegal elections in areas
they controlled for the supposed purpose of choosing
leaders of the illegitimate local political entities they have
declared;
Whereas the Russian Federation has recognized the results of
the illegal elections and continues to provide the military,
political, and economic support without which the separatist
forces could not continue to maintain their areas
of control;
Whereas the reestablishment of peace and security in
Ukraine requires the full withdrawal of Russian forces
•HRES 758 IH

from Ukrainian territory, the resumption of the government’s
control over all of the country’s international borders,
the disarming of the separatist and paramilitary
forces in the east, an end to Russia’s use of its energy
exports and trade barriers to apply economic and political
pressure, and an end to Russian interference in
Ukraine’s internal affairs;
Whereas Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a civilian airliner, was
destroyed by a Russian-made missile provided by the
Russian Federation to separatist forces in eastern
Ukraine, resulting in the loss of 298 innocent lives;
Whereas the Russian Federation has used and is continuing
to use coercive economic measures, including the manipulation
of energy prices and supplies, as well as trade restrictions,
to place political and economic pressure on
Ukraine;
Whereas military forces of the Russian Federation and of the
separatists it controls have repeatedly violated the terms
of the ceasefire agreement announced on September 5,
2014;
Whereas the Russian Federation invaded the Republic of
Georgia in August 2008, continues to station military
forces in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and
is implementing measures intended to progressively integrate
these regions into the Russian Federation;
Whereas the Russian Federation continues to subject the Republic
of Georgia to political and military intimidation,
economic coercion, and other forms of aggression in an
effort to establish its control of the country and to prevent
Georgia from establishing closer relations with the
European Union and the United States;
•HRES 758 IH

Whereas the Russian Federation continues to station military
forces in the Transniestria region of Moldova;
Whereas the Russian Federation continues to provide support
to the illegal separatist regime in the Transniestria region
of Moldova;
Whereas the Russian Federation continues to subject
Moldova to political and military intimidation, economic
coercion, and other forms of aggression in an effort to establish
its control of the countries and to prevent efforts
by Moldova to establish closer relations with the European
Union and the United States;
Whereas under the terms of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear
Forces Treaty (INF), a flight-test or deployment of any
INF-banned weapon delivery vehicle by the Russian Federation
constitutes a violation of the INF Treaty;
Whereas, on July 29, 2014, the United States Department
of State released its report on the Adherence to and
Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and
Disarmament Agreements and Commitments, as required
by Section 403 of the Arms Control and Disarmament
Act, for calendar year 2013, which found that, ‘‘[t]he
United States has determined that the Russian Federation
is in violation of its obligations under the INF Treaty
not to possess, produce, or flight-test a ground-
launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a range capability
of 500 km to 5,500 km, or to possess or produce launchers
of such missiles’’;
Whereas according to reports, the Government of the Russian
Federation has repeatedly engaged in the infiltration of,
and attacks on, computer networks of the United States
Government, as well as individuals and private entities,
•HRES 758 IH

for the purpose of illicitly acquiring information and disrupting
operations, including by supporting Russian individuals
and entities engaged in these actions;
Whereas the political, military, and economic aggression
against Ukraine and other countries by the Russian Federation
underscores the enduring importance of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as the cornerstone
of collective Euro-Atlantic defense;
Whereas the United States reaffirms its obligations under the
North Atlantic Treaty, especially Article 5 which states
that ‘‘an armed attack against one or more’’ of the treaty
signatories ‘‘shall be considered an attack against them
all’’;
Whereas the Russian Federation is continuing to use its supply
of energy as a means of political and economic coercion
against Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and other European
countries;
Whereas the United States strongly supports energy diversification
initiatives in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and
other European countries to reduce the ability of the
Russian Federation to use its supply of energy for political
and economic coercion, including the development of
domestic sources of energy, increased efficiency, and substituting
Russian energy resources with imports from
other countries;
Whereas the Russian Federation continues to conduct an aggressive
propaganda effort in Ukraine in which false information
is used to subvert the authority of the legitimate
national government, undermine stability, promote
ethnic dissension, and incite violence;
•HRES 758 IH

Whereas the Russian Federation has expanded the presence
of its state-sponsored media in national languages across
central and western Europe with the intent of using news
and information to distort public opinion and obscure
Russian political and economic influence in Europe;
Whereas expanded efforts by United States international
broadcasting across all media in the Russian and Ukrainian
languages are needed to counter Russian propaganda
and to provide the people of Ukraine and the surrounding
regions with access to credible and balanced information;
Whereas the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty (RFE/RL), Incorporated continue to represent a
minority market share in Ukraine and other regional
states with significant ethno-linguistic Russian populations
who increasingly obtain their local and international
news from Russian state-sponsored media outlets;
Whereas the United States International Programming to
Ukraine and Neighboring Regions Act of 2014 (Public
Law 113–96) requires the Voice of America and RFE/
RL, Incorporated to provide programming content to target
populations in Ukraine and Moldova 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, including at least 8 weekly hours of total
original video and television content and 14 weekly hours
of total audio content while expanding cooperation with
local media outlets and deploying greater content through
multimedia platforms and mobile devices; and
Whereas Vladimir Putin has established an increasingly authoritarian
regime in the Russian Federation through
fraudulent elections, the persecution and jailing of political
opponents, the elimination of independent media, the
seizure of key sectors of the economy and enabling sup
•HRES 758 IH