Why would Mr. Obama side with China?

The Feb. 21 Washington Post editorial, “Why would Mr. Obama side with China?” suggested that the Kremlin ended Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov’s internal exile after the Senate renamed the Soviet Embassy site Andrei Sakharov Plaza. In fact, new Soviet leadership, led by Mikhail Gorbachev and Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, ended Sakharov’s house arrest in Gorki as part of an overall reform campaign that included increased emigration for Soviet Jews and other minorities as well as a fundamental change in the Soviet attitude toward human rights.

If and when China finally obtains a reform leadership, then perhaps it will also view the world “through the eyes of humanity,” as Shevardnadze said in 1986. A feckless congressional effort to rename the location of the Chinese Embassy will not be a factor in any Chinese decision.

– Melvin A. Goodman, Bethesda

Read the entire article on the Washington Post editorial page.

Recent News and Latest Book

The Atlantic Joins the Chorus of Fear

One of the lessons of the Cold War should have been the danger of exaggerating the threat or key adversaries in order to avoid the great cost of unnecessary military buildups.  We spent unnecessarily against a Soviet “threat” that was hyped beyond reality.  Politicians and pundits alike are failing to actually assess the the threat or the adversary, which is contributing to budget deficits and heightened fears.  More time should be devoted to the study of diplomatic history in order to examine precedents for improving bilateral relations.  Fear is driving us toward arms races; diplomacy could drive us to arms control and disarmament as well as a more stable international environment.

Two Wars, Five Losing Nations

The United States, complicit in Israel’s genocidal actions and sending conflicting signals regarding Ukraine and Gaza, is also losing in terms of influence and standing.  The international community understands the hypocrisy of the Biden administration that condemns the terrorism of Russia but allows the terrorism of Israel.  The United States has been Israel’s political shield on the global stage for the past 75 years.  A New York Times editorial on Monday continued to support Biden’s most recent veto of a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Containing the National Security State

Containing the National Security State