Russia Becomes a Chinese Satellite

That's what I am thinking after seeing Putin’s two-day charm offensive with Xi underlines who’s boss from The Guardian, America Can’t Afford Naivete on China from The Liberal Patriot, Xi’s Russia trip marks the arrival of a more ambitious ‘Global China’ from The Washington Post, and from Counterpunch: Why China’s Actions Toward Ukraine and Russia Could Shape the Course of Future Geopolitics and China’s Foreign Policy: Lessons for the United States. The latter has a paragraph I particularly agree with:

Conversely, for the past century, the United State has obtusely relied on a policy of non-recognition of countries that Washington simply didn’t favor for idealogical reasons.  The Soviet Union had to wait for 16 years to gain recognition from the United States, which ultimately required President Roosevelt’s understanding of the futility of ignoring the Kremlin at a time when allies were going to be needed against the dangerous new leadership in Germany.  The role of the Soviet Union in World War II was central to the allied victory.  Three-fourths of the German army were concentrated on the eastern front.

To my mind, this smacks of Mussolini and Hitler creating the original Axis. Putin playing Mussolini and Xi playing Hitler. Two authoritarians thinking they have the world by the tail. We can put on our blinkers, we can push forward the MAGA Republicans who lean towards Putin, or we can work to alleviate the world of authoritarian egotism.

sch