The unending hostility between the superpowers, Russians (USSR) and Americans (United States) had started right at the termination of the Second World War and is termed the “Cold War.” The coinage of this term is based on not having direct armed conflict. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted mainly due to the egos and self-interests of war-mongers. Starting from traditional warfare to today’s space race, missile and nuclear technology and if not handled properly, it will continue till eternity.
China’s role in Cold War
After the defeat of Japan, Korea was divided. Soon after the handovers, the two territories became more militarized when China played a significant role, only as a third party in the cold war. Initially, China sided with the Soviets just to get arms. Kim, after getting the support of Mao in May 1950, invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. South Korean forces and the American troops were pushed to the southeastern corner of the peninsula. The United States and its allies began sending troops to hold the Pusan perimeter after getting the United Nations mandate to defend South Korea from aggression. Neither side won the Korean War. The Cold War goes on to this day since the combatants never signed an armistice. It was even repudiated by North Korea in 2013.
Fighting by proxy
It is no secret now, as has been witnessed by the whole world, that the indirect participation of other countries as allies for Russians and Americans in conflicts into proxy wars. They have abstained from direct conflicts, for instance, the United States supported the armed rebels in Afghanistan to confront the Soviet invasion with an excuse to quell expansionist designs.
A Lasting Legacy – resulting in today’s situation in Ukraine
The Cold War was officially considered to have ended in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. In reality, the Cold War has never ended. The CIA had existed since World War II, but the Cold War caused a major expansion in its powers and funding as both had been obsessed with finding out about the other. Yet it had lasting effects on the world. Many of the several proxy wars fought in countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq had led to lasting political instability that is linked with modern wars and terrorism.
The recent war in Ukraine is yet another specimen of a serious Cold War where both Superpowers along with other Members of NATO and the European Union in G77 are involved because of bolstered egos and arrogance.
The recent war going in Ukraine is yet another specimen of a serious Cold War where both the Superpowers along with other Members of NATO and the European Union in G77 are involved directly or indirectly because of bolstered egos and arrogance. Moreover, the superiority of China and Russia nexus over the US in the recent modern warfare has the US scratching its head and is making one blunder after the other. The United States Joe Biden’s administration has proven to be weak and has been unable to tackle Vladimir Putin effectively. Relations between the two countries have sunk to their lowest ebb since the end of the Cold War in 1999.
The root cause of the problem dates back to the US feeling of triumph over a perceived ‘victory’ in the Cold War and the breach of faith with the Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev by President George H.W. Bush’. They had consented to Germany’s reunification even being a member of NATO, provided that the military alliance did not spread eastwards which did. Putin had time and again reminded and tried to get a pledge from US and NATO’s forces not to expand eastward and would not tolerate Ukraine having any alliance.
In 2009, the EU prompted to launch Eastern Partnership, Moscow suggested the Eurasian Economic Union where Ukraine would have been assigned a focal role because of its closer proximity to both Russia and the EU, dissuading it from entering the EU or into the fold of NATO. In Feb 2014, there was a regime change in Ukraine that had shaken Moscow. Earlier, a few months ago, Ukraine’s President had refused to ink a free-trade agreement with EU, signed a deal with opposition for early elections and restoring the parliamentary system to put to an end bloody protests in Kyiv. This was brokered by EU mediators in the presence of Russian representatives. Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned that his country has “every right” to “react harshly to unfriendly steps”. He, however, has used this as a pretext to invade Ukraine at full scale, in early 2022.
Enormous sanctions have been put on Russia and Putin is unnerved. More countries have joined into NATO alliance and he has displayed his anger over eastward expansion. Even China had given reasonable assurance and support to Russia so that it could amass around 100, 000 troops near the Ukrainian border. Tension has heightened so much that Russia has even mentioned of nuclear attack and the first city could be London in case of a Third World War. In the past too, Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The US has supplied “small” arms to Ukraine including some missiles.
Recently, Ukraine said that Russia fired missiles from Belarus “for the purpose of further dragging Belarus into the war against Ukraine”. The Russian bombers have directly used Belarus territory having involved them fully. They even had trained the soldiers in Belarus nearing Ukraine borders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that 48 cruise missiles were fired in total on Ukraine last night. Full-fledged war is going on inside Ukraine. The Economic sanctions on Russia by the United States are being mocked around. Russians say that they have benefited from them. Anytime, this Cold War can result in a Third World War, if not handled properly by all the Super Powers.
The writer is a former Special Assistant to PM (Benazir Bhutto); Member (National Finance Commission) and Convener (Movement for the Restoration of Democracy)