“In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff.” – Vladimir Putin, 21 Sept 2022.
Both leaders Biden and Putin have crossed the line. They are talking up a war where each has been using proxies to fight. Biden has equipped the willing Ukrainian military providing them with battlefield intelligence and with effective High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). Biden is after regime change in Russia. Does he wish to break Russian alignment with China to retain US supremacy. Meanwhile the political narrative demonizing China and Russia makes it hard to expose the reality of US involvement.
Listen below to how hard Biden attacks Russia: “A dictator (Putin) bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase the people’s love for liberty. Brutality will never grind down their will to be free. Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia … For God’s sake, this man cannot remain (in) power. Don’t even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory. We have sacred obligation.” – Joe Biden, 29 Mar 2022.
Putin has supported the Russian separatists fighting in Donbass since 2014. Zelensky’s ultra-nationalist Askov battalion with more advanced western weapons and intelligence are overpowering poorly equipped separatists and inexperienced Russian soldiers.
On 24th February Putin upped the ante and brought in limited forces through Belarus against Zelensky. And then again, on 21 Sept 2022, ordered a call-up of more reservists. Despite this, the United Nations have not intervened. It is time they do so for there is little chance for negotiation while Putin and Biden are in charge of the conflict. France attempted to intervene early in 2022, but Macron was grandstanding and never looked like settling the dispute. Macron is too influenced by the Americans.
One of the main advisers to President Macron of France (Emmanuel Bonne) tells the viewers of the France tv doco ‘Un President L Europe et la guerre DOC’ that France has nuclear arms as well as Putin. He did so from one of the last trains into Kyiv from the West. There were three heads of state on the train – Germany, Italy and France. Monsieur Bonne makes these chilling remarks while a nuclear power plant catches fire after an alleged missile strike by Russian military.
Both Biden and Putin are cold war warriors and have doubled down and caused the deaths of over 100,000 people since February 2022 by failing to talk up a negotiated settlement in the United Nations between Zelensky and the Russian separatists a la the Minsk agreement. Russian-speaking people in Ukraine are conflicted because their grandparents grew up under the Soviet system, many have married Ukrainian speakers. Putin is not entitled to decide for them and Biden certainly is not.
Support for Ceasefire in Ukraine
Every Australian government since Whitlam has been firmly in the pocket of the Americans. This must end. We support the call by Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) for immediate ceasefire in the Ukraine. This plea signed by over 1,000 people and 85 organisations will no doubt fall on deaf ears inside the Australian government as ‘life was not meant to be easy under Albanese’ and the coalition leadership are warmongers in support of NATO and the United States. But it does not end there. As Bevan Ramsden (IPAN) points out “None of the parties involved in this conflict (US, NATO and Russia) have ruled out using nuclear weapons“. So far conventional weapons have been highly destructive to both sides with great loss of human life.
Last Wednesday September 21, 2022, the Russian President, Putin, said that the Russian military in Ukraine is confronting not only the Ukrainians but, in fact, the entire military machinery of the collective West. In response he declared a partial mobilisation of 300,000 military reservists to support the already serving 200,000 troops in ‘the special military operation‘ in the Donbass region of Ukraine. This is because the Ukrainian army has been highly successful in that region taking back large areas previously occupied by forces that support the Russian Federation (separatists and Russian soldiers).
President Biden, speaking at the UN, in reply to Putin made the following claims: “We stood with Ukraine. Like you, the United States wants this war to end on just terms … The only country standing in the way of that is Russia.” – President Biden addresses the United Nations General Assembly – 9_21_22. This is simply not true. Biden has been sabre rattling since he came to power. He heads the most powerfulmilitary industrial complex in the world.
Almost in the same breath Joe Biden says: “And we will continue to advocate for lasting negotiated peace between the Jewish and democratic state of Israel and the Palestinian people. The United States is committed to Israel security full stop.” Biden’s proclamation comes despite Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, the building of an apartheid wall and allowing the construction of unlawful settlements on the West Bank while Israeli military demolish Palestinian homes and bomb Gaza week in, week out.
The US as a member of NATO has supplied the Ukraine army with sophisticated weapons resulting in the loss of over 80,000 troops fighting for the Russian Federation. NATO escalated the violence while imposing crippling economic sanctions on Russia. Ukraine President Zelensky calls the soldiers opposing his Kyiv administration ‘cowards’ because they shelled his hometown; yet many of the killed Russian soldiers have barely emerged from childhood. There is no glory in war; no heroes, no cowards. There may be as many as 50,000 soldiers dead on the Russian side in this conflict and nearly as many civilians and soldiers on the Ukrainian side. The Australian government must change tack and insist that its allies in the conflict (US, UK and NATO) call a ceasefire in Ukraine immediately).
– Ian Curr, 24 September, 2022.
IPAN Urges Australian Government to call for a Ceasefire in Ukraine
- A ceasefire is critical to avert the possible use of nuclear weapons and an escalation of the war
- A ceasefire will enable negotiations for a security solution, to address the needs of all parties
- A ceasefire will help provide a pathway to peace for the people of the region
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) urges the Australian government to call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties in Ukraine and to urge this course of action upon its alliance partners. Ordinary people of Ukraine and Russia did not start this war, but are bearing the full brunt of the devastation. They want peace, security and sovereignty for their countries.
A ceasefire must be followed by a conference to determine a security solution which needs to address the genuine needs of all parties. United Nations involvement will be imperative in order to supervise the ceasefire and convene the conference.
These measures are even more urgent following the announcement of escalation by Russia’s President Putin. It is critical to avert any use of nuclear weapons. None of the parties involved in this conflict (US, NATO and Russia) have ruled out using nuclear weapons”, stated Bevan Ramsden, IPAN spokesperson.
China and India have recognized the seriousness of the situation and called for a “ceasefire and negotiations for a security outcome which addresses the needs of all parties”. Furthermore, the Governments of Mexico, Brazil, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates have expressed concern that UN Security Council deliberations have, so far, not provided constructive support for diplomatic action towards peaceful settlement of this conflict.
“IPAN calls on the Australia government to demonstrate commitment to a diplomatic solution to this, and future conflicts, by advocating for a third country to act as mediator to de-escalate this dispute”, stated Mr. Ramsden
“To this end, the provision of war materiel by the Australian Government to the Ukraine must cease. Supplying weapons for war is only adding fuel to the fire and increasing the misery and suffering which this war entails, for both people of Ukraine and Russia.”
With Foreign Minister Penny Wong currently at the UN New York Headquarters, an opportune moment is available to work with all of countries who want to see this war end.
A statement “A Public Call for Peace”, signed by over 1000 individuals and 85 organisations, will be published in the Weekend Australian tomorrow 24th September (2022).
Media Interviews: Bevan Ramsden 0418 697 528;
Media Co-ordinator: Kathryn Kelly 0417 269 984
Here is the original “Call for Peace” that appeared as an advertisement in The Australian and The Saturday Paper on 24 Sept 2022.