Munich Security Conference 2024
Participants Manifest Morbid Preoccupation with Defeat
Anti-war protests outside Munich Security Forum, February 17, 2024
The 60th Annual Munich Security Conference (MSC) took place in Munich, Germany from February 16-18 at a time nothing is working for the participants who are determined to make the pragmatic axiom true -- that nothing succeeds like success. The fact is that even MSC's description of itself is no longer true. It says it is the "world's leading forum for debating international security policy. It is a venue for diplomatic initiatives to address the world's most pressing security concerns."
This year there were 900 participants, including 50 heads of state and government, more than 100 ministers and representatives of think-tanks, NGOs and the private sector. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly attended the Conference to "emphasize both Canada's continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's war of aggression," Canada's efforts to "strengthen the rule-based international order" as well as "to discuss the crisis in the Middle East." Joly also met with her G-7 counterparts at a separate meeting on the sidelines of the MSC.
This year's conference theme was "Lose-Lose?" which was also the title of the MSC's annual report this year. The title appears to address the failure of one foreign policy endeavor after the other of the U.S./NATO alliance and European Union to establish their hegemony over the peoples. Their policies in the name of fighting terrorism and to guarantee peace, security, democracy and prosperity, have instead brought the world to the brink of disasters of unprecedented proportions, including famines, environmental catastrophes, and the killing of millions and millions of people that the rich consider disposable and whose migrations they have caused but want nothing to do with.
Instead of analyzing the reality taking place before everyone's eyes, the authors of the report resort to Cold War shibboleths. The framework they adopt gives the context as one of increasing geopolitical crises and tensions engulfing the world and it draws the conclusion that many countries are choosing more and more to look after their self-interest at the expense of global cooperation. The authors contend this will give rise to "lose-lose dynamics" that "undermines the existing international order, which in spite of all its flaws can still help grow the proverbial pie for the benefit of all."
Once it is not even acknowledged that accepting the genocide Israel is committing against the Palestinian people "undermines the existing international order," what is left?
Describing topics discussed at the MSC this year as "the ongoing war in Ukraine and the crisis in Gaza, as well as European unity, relations with Russia, China and India and other topics," is totally vacuous. In fact, the death of Alexei Navalny said to be a leader of the opposition in Russia to President Putin -- a known associate of the CIA and, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, a good friend of NATO -- which was reported on the first day of the MSC elicited more sorrow among those gathered at the Conference than the mounting deaths and casualties of the Zionist genocide in Gaza. More than 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed in the last four months by the Israeli Zionist killing machine and many others maimed and disappeared, but the situation in Palestine received far less attention than the situation in Ukraine. MSC participants were also not concerned with the deaths of Ukrainian citizens and how many soldiers have been used as cannon fodder to feed the criminal U.S./NATO proxy war. The U.S. is demanding -- and many of the countries attending this misnamed security forum are supporting -- forcing Ukraine to fight to the last Ukrainian.
One of the main themes repeated over and over by the speakers such as U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, EU President Ursula von der Leyen, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and others was how critical it was for the "West" to continue to support Ukraine in its war for "freedom and democracy" and "our values" against Russia.
Talk about "our values" is supposed to be a prime example of what is required for "global cooperation." They said that Ukraine is on the frontlines between a world of democracy and freedom which is being threatened by Russia, China and their allies like Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. They also claimed that Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi had expansionist ambitions and that a military loss to Russia in Ukraine will "embolden" these "autocrats" to seize other territory.
Of course no evidence is presented by any of the accusers to back these claims. Maybe they think that the sound of their own voices will drown the cries of weeping mothers and children in Gaza, Sudan and those who are dying in the waters of the Rio Grande on the southern U.S. border.
Another theme at the Conference was the enormous difficulties the EU and NATO are having in supplying arms to Ukraine. Despite an investment of some U.S.$88 billion in the last two years to supply Ukraine with training and arms, Russia has not been defeated but, on the contrary, its armed forces are increasing in strength and experience. The only hope the U.S./NATO forces have is to create the conditions for the war to go on for years. Discussion on how to procure and supply arms to Ukraine were based on this scenario as if the peoples of Ukraine, the peoples of the world and countries which are working to establish a world order based on equality and a peaceful solution of problems have no say in the matter. Ukrainian President Zelensky once again appealed to the gathering to send more arms and ammunition saying that without this help, Ukraine would lose the war and, repeating the U.S./NATO claim, this would lead to Russia invading the Baltic states.
In response, EU President Ursula von der Leyen noted that "Europe has to step up its industrial base ... I'm a convinced transatlanticist and at the same time we have to build a strong Europe and that goes hand in hand." She noted that the European Union will be tabling a proposal aimed at increasing defence spending, more efficiency with joint procurements and agreements that provide "predictability to industry" and "better interoperability" between Europe's military forces. Just what the European peoples wanted to hear! She added that by focusing spending in Europe to create "good jobs," "European taxpayers" who are footing the bill will be served. In her comments in a panel discussion von der Leyen also noted that Ukraine must be integrated into Europe's defence programs and that the EU will be opening an office to facilitate this in Kiev.
While this was all going on, the U.K., France, Germany and now Denmark have established one-on-one agreements with Ukraine in a move which they think will circumvent Ukraine's inadmissibility in both NATO and the EU and keep it afloat. It has already increased conflicts within the EU, especially as Germany moves to strengthen its role and relations independent of the EU.
For his part, Jens Stoltenberg noted that "European NATO allies and Canada are stepping up aid to Kyiv" and there is "a vital and urgent need for the U.S. to decide on a package for Ukraine." President Biden is still appealing to Congress to pass what is currently a $95 billion package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, promoting that $40 billion of it would go to U.S. jobs with the war monopolies.
All of this shows that the U.S./NATO and EU have no idea what to do with Russia and its plan to de-Nazify Ukraine. The early hope that Ukraine would quickly repel the Russian "invasion" has been dashed. The only strategy for the U.S. and its NATO allies including in the EU is to pour more fuel on the fire in the hope of outlasting Russia. Far from the war uniting the bureaucracy in the U.S. or uniting Europe, it has merely deepened the divisions and factional fighting, fomenting opposition amongst the people everywhere.
What is completely missing in all this is that it has become clear the Ukrainian people themselves want a negotiated settlement to end the war as do the peoples of Europe, the U.S., Canada and other countries. While it is obvious this will be done on Russia's terms, the peoples of Finland and Sweden are said to be preparing for war, gathering food rations and talking about escape plans and bomb shelters in light of the war propaganda their governments have unleashed as part of joining NATO, with Finland newly admitted and Sweden awaiting membership.
The peoples of Europe, who have suffered through two world wars, do not want war or to have their countries turned into bases for Anglo-American interests.
The
Action Alliance Against the NATO Security Conference organized protests
against the Munich Security Conference on February 17, 2023, starting
with a protest chain through the pedestrian zone and a protest march
that symbolically surrounds the luxury hotel where the conference is
held.
(With files from Munich Security Forum, Government of Canada.)
This article was published in
Volume 54 Number 13 - February 23, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54137.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca