The US Mass Media Tells US Russia is Isolated. But That's Not Quite True

Richard Mellor
Afscme Local 444, retired
GED/HEO

There are a couple of things to point out about this report from the Hindustan Times. One is that the US mass media (and likely the European counterparts) repeatedly talk of how Russia is isolated throughout the world, how it has no allies but China etc. But this is simply not true as this report shows.

When we read the more serious journals of capitalism it's clearly more complicated than we are led to believe.  We get a little more information. There is a growing trend among what used to be called the non-aligned states in the UN, non aligned as most of them would be former colonial possessions of European powers and wanted to be independent of the two major cold war powers the US and the Soviet Union, to stay out of the Ukraine Russia conflict. 

We read in the more serious journals of capitalism and foreign news outlets, about the potential growth of BRICS bloc, (Brazil, Russia, China and India) and the opposition to a western dominated world order under the leadership of the US/NATO.

"In the public discourse in the BRICS countries, the war in Ukraine is often portrayed as having been provoked by NATO expansion, as a proxy conflict between the U.S. and Russia, or as a regional European problem. At the same time, the pressure to condemn Russia and comply with the sanctions is rejected, citing Western hypocrisy, including previous violations of international law (e.g., the intervention in Iraq in 2003) or the purchase of Russian oil by EU countries." Polish Institute of International Affairs.

Pointing out that pretty much all the South American countries refuse to join the sanctions on Russia, is a reminder that for Latin America, these countries have been under the domination of US imperialism and have faced numerous invasions, coups and assassinations as the US, considering the region to be its own back yard, crushed any regime that threatened US capitalism's interests. The inhabitants of Mexico, Central America and South America are well aware of the costs of trying to break the grip of US imperialism over their political and economic lives.

The report mentions another important piece of information that also strengthens the argument of those that claim the US is not interested in bringing this conflict to an end, in addition to weakening Russia in order to pay more attention to China. Washington has promised these South American nations more modern weaponry and planes if they'll send the old Soviet era ones to Ukraine.

What a great deal for the US arms and energy industries. Both are raking in massive profits. The US is selling high priced natural gas to Europe and selling more modern weapons of mass destruction to Latin America states would boost profits further. The US always, sells weapons of this nature that are not quite up to par of course in order for itself and it's most trusted allies, the UK and Israel for example, to maintain an edge.

Biden continues to promise to support Ukraine until a complete victory is assured, in other words, Russia suffers a crushing defeat and is driven out of areas it occupies.  He's urged the Ukrainians to continue fighting. He's a tough guy old "sleepy Joe" as the degenerate Trump called him.

This conflict, like most of them, is no conflict in which workers should take a side. Workers lose no matter which side wins in this inter-imperialist conflict being fought on Ukrainian soil by Ukrainian and Russian workers. The European workers are organized and have potential power that could force this conflict to end. They have political parties that claim to be workers parties. There are times when there is no leadership that can take a road that can lead to a better future for the working people of the world that leaves the mass of workers as passive bystanders and  therefore further suffering. This is true throughout the world. Ukraine is just one more example of the crisis of leadership and working class power internationally.