https://sputnikglobe.com/20221026/observers-support-for-bidens-proxy-war-in-ukraine-is-cracking-among-us-lawmakers-citizens-1102735161.html
Observers: Support For Biden's Proxy War in Ukraine is Cracking Among US Lawmakers, Citizens
Observers: Support For Biden's Proxy War in Ukraine is Cracking Among US Lawmakers, Citizens
Sputnik International
Congressional progressive Democrats withdrew their letter calling for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the caucus chair... 26.10.2022, Sputnik International
2022-10-26T18:27+0000
2022-10-26T18:27+0000
2022-12-19T14:00+0000
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"The letter signed by 30 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus [CPC] was actually a very tame, if not timid, document," independent journalist and author Daniel Lazare told Sputnik. "It did not criticize NATO, it condemned the Russian invasion, it hailed the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people, and it broadly endorsed Ukraine's war aims. But it is still significant because it goes counter to the Biden administration's war drive and is at odds with the pro-war propaganda blasted out by the corporate media here in the West virtually around the clock."The CPC letter called on US President Joe Biden to pursue a "proactive push, doubling efforts to seek a realistic framework for a cease fire" and "every diplomatic avenue to support such a solution that is acceptable to the people of Ukraine.""The alternative to diplomacy is protracted war, with both its attendant certainties and catastrophic and unknowable risks," the letter read.However, the progressives' initiative was met with fierce criticism from their fellow Democrats, who accused the 30 signatories to the letter of undermining Washington's support for Kiev at a critical time. For their part, members of Ukraine’s political elite claimed that the US progressives' calls for negotiations with Russia to end the conflict were "not a viable option."The progressives' retreat has exposed growing tensions within the Democratic Party ahead of the November midterms, according to Waddy. Right now, the safest thing for most American politicians to do is "mouth support for Ukraine and condemnation of Vladimir Putin – even if such virtue-signaling does little to resolve the conflict or to protect the Ukrainian people," according to him.However, some US media have drawn attention to the fact that despite withdrawing the letter, CPC chair Jayapal did not disavow the substance of the document or the call for engaging in diplomacy.GOP-Controlled House Could Create Opportunities for Anti-War TrendMeanwhile, some Republican lawmakers are openly expressing skepticism about the Biden administration's "limitless" military aid to Kiev amid an unfolding recession in the United States. On October 18, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy made it clear that the House GOP won't give a "blank check" to Kiev if Republicans win the lower chamber in November.The Biden administration has taken a very hawkish, combative line against Russia, and some politicians on both side of the US political aisle believe that "this line of thinking is naive, at best (since it is unlikely that Ukraine can defeat Russia), and reckless, at worst (since it exposes the entire world to the risk of nuclear war)," according to Waddy.Still, the professor of history believes that Republican control of Congress could create the possibility "that more and more Republicans and Democrats would gradually drift into an 'anti-war' camp and the calls for negotiation could grow louder."Americans Believe Biden is Not Doing Enough to End ConflictThe American public also seems to have grown weary of the Ukraine conflict, which, along with the West's sweeping anti-Russia sanctions, has had a dramatic impact on markets, economy, and inflation."People, black and otherwise, care about pocketbook issues. Inflation is out of control. Cost of living is the number one issue, not some foreign entanglement," noted Ralph, adding that "bloodthirsty support of Ukraine does nothing to help that."A September survey by Data for Progress on behalf of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft indicated that roughly 60% of Americans would support the US engaging in diplomatic efforts "as soon as possible" to end the Ukraine standoff, even if that means Kiev having to make concessions to Russia. In addition to this, the poll showed that 49% of respondents believe the Biden administration and Congress "have not done enough diplomatically" to help end the conflict, while just 37% said they have.The independent journalist argued that the Western goal "is not only to force Russia to withdraw, but to eliminate it once and for all as a major military power."The journalist went on by citing Joe Biden's March speech, in which the US president said of Putin, "For God's sake, this man must go." In April, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin echoed Biden by saying: "We want to see Russia weakened." A regime change in Russia is clearly the goal of the Washington foreign policy establishment, the author emphasized."When people wake up to what NATO is doing to the quality of their lives, we can be certain that the reaction will be powerful," Lazare concluded.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20221026/ukraine-peace-talks-pathetic-u-turn-by-30-dems--curious-case-of-jeffrey-sachs-1102707399.html
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Observers: Support For Biden's Proxy War in Ukraine is Cracking Among US Lawmakers, Citizens
18:27 GMT 26.10.2022 (Updated: 14:00 GMT 19.12.2022) Congressional progressive Democrats withdrew their letter calling for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the caucus chair, claiming that it was "released without vetting." However, an antiwar trend appears to be emerging in the US Congress, which is triggering concern in Kiev, according to the US press.
"The letter signed by 30 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus [CPC] was actually a very tame, if not timid, document," independent journalist and author Daniel Lazare told Sputnik. "It did not criticize NATO, it condemned the Russian invasion, it hailed the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people, and it broadly endorsed Ukraine's war aims. But it is still significant because it goes counter to the Biden administration's war drive and is at odds with the pro-war propaganda blasted out by the corporate media here in the West virtually around the clock."
The CPC letter called on US President Joe Biden to pursue a "proactive push, doubling efforts to seek a realistic framework for a cease fire" and "every diplomatic avenue to support such a solution that is acceptable to the people of Ukraine."
"The alternative to diplomacy is protracted war, with both its attendant certainties and catastrophic and unknowable risks," the letter read.
However, the progressives' initiative was met with fierce criticism from their fellow Democrats, who accused the 30 signatories to the letter of undermining Washington's support for Kiev at a critical time.
"The Washington Establishment has been pushing an anti-Russian message for 70 years," said Ethan Ralph, a conservative political commentator and host of Killstream. "Joe Biden has a crooked history of corruption in Ukraine and has been all-in on this proxy war from the start. I imagine the White House put huge pressure on the Progressives in Congress to drop their detente push."
For their part, members of Ukraine’s political elite claimed that the US progressives' calls for negotiations with Russia to end the conflict were "not a viable option."
26 October 2022, 13:24 GMT
"[T]he letter's withdrawal is a reminder of how dissent and freedom of thought simply aren't tolerated in the modern Democratic Party nor on the political left," said Dr. Nicholas Waddy, political analyst and associate professor of History at SUNY Alfred. "'Nuance' is forbidden among progressives. You're either 'with them or against them.'"
The progressives' retreat has exposed growing tensions within the Democratic Party ahead of the November midterms, according to Waddy. Right now, the safest thing for most American politicians to do is "mouth support for Ukraine and condemnation of Vladimir Putin – even if such virtue-signaling does little to resolve the conflict or to protect the Ukrainian people," according to him.
However, some US media have drawn attention to the fact that despite withdrawing the letter, CPC chair Jayapal did not disavow the substance of the document or the call for engaging in diplomacy.
25 October 2022, 11:49 GMT
GOP-Controlled House Could Create Opportunities for Anti-War Trend
Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers are openly expressing skepticism about the Biden administration's "limitless" military aid to Kiev amid an unfolding recession in the United States. On October 18, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy made it clear that
the House GOP won't give a "blank check" to Kiev if Republicans win the lower chamber in November.
The Biden administration has taken a very hawkish, combative line against Russia, and some politicians on both side of the US political aisle believe that "this line of thinking is naive, at best (since it is unlikely that Ukraine can defeat Russia), and reckless, at worst (since it exposes the entire world to the risk of nuclear war)," according to Waddy.
"It is unclear how much of an effect a Republican takeover in the House and Senate would have on US policy [with regard to] Ukraine, both because that policy is set mostly by the president and because so far the Russia-Ukraine conflict hasn't necessarily generated a partisan response," Waddy continued. "Most establishment Democrats and Republicans are steadfastly – and noisily – pro-Ukraine, while 'backbenchers' in both parties – from populist, nationalist conservatives to firebrand progressives – are skeptical of a policy that seems hellbent on reigniting the Cold War, all for the rather unattractive stakes of pulling Ukraine into NATO."
Still, the professor of history believes that Republican control of Congress could create the possibility "that more and more Republicans and Democrats would gradually drift into an 'anti-war' camp and the calls for negotiation could grow louder."
26 October 2022, 11:47 GMT
Americans Believe Biden is Not Doing Enough to End Conflict
The American public also seems to have grown weary of the Ukraine conflict, which, along with the West's sweeping anti-Russia sanctions, has had a dramatic impact on markets, economy, and inflation.
"People, black and otherwise, care about pocketbook issues. Inflation is out of control. Cost of living is the number one issue, not some foreign entanglement," noted Ralph, adding that "bloodthirsty support of Ukraine does nothing to help that."
A September
survey by Data for Progress on behalf of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft indicated that roughly 60% of Americans would support
the US engaging in diplomatic efforts "as soon as possible" to end the Ukraine standoff, even if that means Kiev having to make concessions to Russia. In addition to this, the poll showed that 49% of respondents believe the Biden administration and Congress "have not done enough diplomatically" to help end the conflict, while just 37% said they have.
"With public support for the NATO war drive plainly beginning to waver in the EU, the CPC letter is a sign that support may be cracking here in the US as well," said Lazare. "If so, it's hardly surprising since the NATO rationale for the war has never made sense from the get-go. Not even a child would believe the official fairy tale that the West is blameless and that the conflict is all Russia's fault."
The independent journalist argued that the Western goal "is not only to force Russia to withdraw, but to eliminate it once and for all as a major military power."
"This is what Zbigniew Brzezinski advocated in 'The Grand Chessboard,' his 1997 bestseller, in which he called for breaking Russia up into three parts so that US corporations could gain access for former Soviet Central Asia," Lazare underscored.
The journalist went on by citing Joe Biden's March speech, in which the US president said of Putin, "For God's sake, this man must go." In April, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin echoed Biden by saying: "We want to see Russia weakened." A regime change in Russia is clearly the goal of the Washington foreign policy establishment, the author emphasized.
"When people wake up to what NATO is doing to the quality of their lives, we can be certain that the reaction will be powerful," Lazare concluded.
