#1469 Geopolitical Brinksmanship Rekindling The Cold War (Ukraine Crisis)
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 9 February 2022
⏱️ 63 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date 2/9/2022
Today we take a look at the simmering geopolitical crisis in Ukraine as Russia amasses military forces along the border. In particular, we hear from those who do not predict the imminent outbreak of war and analyze the various motives at play.
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SHOW NOTES
In which John discusses the crisis in Ukraine, and how the influence of Russia and Europe have shaped Ukrainian politics for centuries. REMINDER: Educational videos are allowed to be more than four minutes long.
On the Ukraine crisis, there was a sharp juxtaposition Friday as the Pentagon warned that Russian troops could invade at any time, while Ukraine’s president accused the West of sowing panic.
To speak about the key role NATO is playing in the Ukraine crisis, we speak with Ludo De Brabander, spokesperson of the peace organization Vrede vzw in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered.
Ch. 4: Sanctions Sanctions Everywhere w/ Yar Batmanghelidj - American Prestige - Air Date 2-4-22
Danny and Derek speak about the attempted coup in Guinea-Bissau, North Korea's missile test, Ukraine, the U.S. operation that killed an Isis leader in Syria, and recent reports about Iran's nuclear breakout capability.
Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to deny accusations of a planned invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration ordered the deployment of 3,000 additional troops to Eastern Europe on Wednesday to supposedly protect Ukraine.
Ch. 6: Ukraine w/ Volodymyr Ishchenko - The Dig - Air Date 1-28-22
An in-depth interview on the historical and political-economic context of the Ukraine crisis with Ukrainian sociologist Volodymyr Ishchenko.
The United States and Russia sparred on Monday over the crisis in Ukraine at the United Nations Security Council. Meanwhile, U.S. senators are preparing to unveil a bill that would target Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian banks and other entities
MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)
Ch. 8: Explaining the US-Russia Saber-Rattling - Jacobin Radio w/ Suzi Weissman - Air Date 2-1-22
Hillel Ticktin also joins to continue the discussion about the escalating tensions on the Russian/Ukrainian border. Ticktin argues that the long downturn and economic stagnation are the backdrop to understanding both Russia and the US in this crisis.
Ch. 9: Putin's Terrorism and What to Do About It - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-1-22
We dig deep into this complex conflict, examining the humanitarian toll it takes on Ukraine, Putin’s ambitions for other regions of the world and the American exploitation of the conflict for partisan purposes.
VOICEMAILS
Ch. 10: Value of curation regarding the recent Israel/Palestine episode - Craig from Ohio
Ch. 11: Maybe Neil Postman is actually the devil - Nick from California
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 12: Final comments on Russia plans besides war and their new agreement with China
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to this episode of the award-winning Best of Left Podcast in which we shall |
| 0:07.3 | take a look at the simmering geopolitical crisis in Ukraine as Russia amasses military |
| 0:12.8 | forces along the border. |
| 0:14.7 | In particular, we're going to be hearing from those who do not predict the imminent outbreak |
| 0:19.2 | of war and analyze the various motives at play. |
| 0:23.3 | The city are from the Vlaga brothers, the PBS News Hour, Democracy Now, American Prestige, |
| 0:30.3 | and the Dig with additional members' only clips from Jacobin Radio and Gaslit Nation. |
| 0:36.6 | So this is Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe by area, and this is the Crimean |
| 0:46.8 | Peninsula, which saw much of the fighting in the Crimean War that lasted from 1853 to |
| 0:51.3 | 1856. |
| 0:52.3 | This sort of a Catholic versus Orthodox thing, but the larger cause was Europe fearing that |
| 0:56.2 | Russia's power would expand as the Ottoman Empire declined. |
| 0:59.6 | So Britain, France, and the kind of still-a-thing Ottoman Empire teamed up to eventually defeat |
| 1:04.4 | Russia and 500,000 people died, and it was generally pretty awful, and obviously resolved |
| 1:08.8 | very little since Europe just 60 years later would go ahead and have World War I. |
| 1:12.7 | Then toward the end of World War I, Russia had its famous communist revolution, and Ukraine |
| 1:16.4 | enjoyed a brief period of independence, although enjoyed may not be quite the right verb. |
| 1:21.3 | In fact, from 1917 to 1921, Ukraine was mired in endless wars among competing factions, |
| 1:26.3 | including Poland and the USSR and Ukrainian nationalists, even some real-life anarchists. |
| 1:30.9 | It was all very complicated. |
| 1:32.6 | It was also extremely violent, more than 1.5 million people died. |
| 1:37.6 | And then finally, Ukraine became part of the USSR, and things became more stable for |
... |
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