By Colin Todhunter
March 22, 2023
Those who have been following events in Ukraine will know of the bloodshed and destruction taking place in that country, especially if they go beyond mainstream media reports. This is not to excuse Russia’s brutal military actions, but it was a wholly avoidable conflict that was largely engineered in Washington by a clique of neoconservatives who have been responsible for igniting situations that have led to hundreds of thousands if not millions of deaths this century, from Libya, Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan and beyond, aside from the displacement of many more.
The NATO countries continue to ship arms and equipment to Ukraine, swelling the coffers of arms manufacturers like Raytheon. The UK has now decided to send weapons containing depleted uranium, provoking a firm response from Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian Television and Radio (VGTRK) that the UK’s depleted uranium supply violates international law.
Labrov said:
“They [the UK] have already lost their bearings in terms of their actions and how these actions undermine strategic stability around the world.”
He added that this will “end badly” for London.
On her Telegram account, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova explained:
“These shells not only kill but infect the environment and cause cancer in people living on these lands.”
It is clear that – and it has been clear for a very long time – that those who create policy care nothing for ordinary people who are regarded as expendable in the lust for power, profit and geopolitical gain.
Relatively few politicians have stood up to challenge the official narrative on Ukraine, let alone call out those responsible for adding fuel to a fire in danger of escalating out of control. MEP Clare Daly has been one politician (along with fellow MEP Mick Wallace) who has been fearless in her response to events, not only regarding Ukraine but also concerning US wars of aggression across the globe in that country’s ultimately doomed attempt to maintain global hegemony.
Her recent brief but powerful speech (with transcript) given to the European parliament on 15 March is worth listening to and is presented below.
“Listening to the cheerleading in here, safe and secure thousands of miles away from the frontlines, I think it would be a useful exercise for us to remind ourselves about what ordinary Ukrainians are experiencing.
“The Economist reports of forced recruitment across the country. Draftees with no experience or training are being sent to the front in what a UK minister calls First World War levels of attrition. Casualty figures are secret, but we know there are estimates of about 120,000 (dead). Battalion commanders tell the Washington Post of recruits fleeing positions on mass. Politico reports a crackdown on deserters.
“These are human beings and there is a shameful lack of empathy for ordinary people in the war rhetoric in here. The debate is about keeping the weapons flowing to keep the war going. Ukraine is burning through a generation of men. Sons, husbands, brothers who can never be replaced. This cannot go on indefinitely.
“And it’s sickening to watch generals who sit in here and will these men to their deaths. You make me sick!!
“We need peace. We need dialogue, however unpleasant that may be.”
We remind our readers that publication of articles on our site does not mean that we agree with what is written. Our policy is to publish anything which we consider of interest, so as to assist our readers in forming their opinions. Sometimes we even publish articles with which we totally disagree, since we believe it is important for our readers to be informed on as wide a spectrum of views as possible.
