Bullies

The world has always been a restless place. Someone is always trying to steal someone else’s place, girl, guy, car, or gold mine. Wars have been fought over stolen hearts, insults, sticks and stones, and much more serious matters. Through it all, however, the world seems to come out seeking peace and getting it. At least for awhile.

Take now, for instance. Here are hot spots around the globe:

• Iraq
• Iran
• Middle East in general – Libya, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Gaza…
• The Koreas – North and South
• China’s war of attrition and attention in coastal waters seeking to expand its control toward frenemies
• Russia and its world reach toward Scandinavia, the Ukraine, Crimea, Poland, China
• South American nations – Venezuela and its frenemies
• Central America and southern Mexico with warring drug cartels
• And other focused arenas of discomfort among locals – many regions of Africa as examples

The United Nations is a good representation of what I speak of – so many opportunities to build peace and most are lost because of political skirmishing among the diplomats with orders from home to block all avenues toward meaningful peace. Why? You ask this question simply but the answer is not simple. You see diplomats are window dressing for many nations seeking some small sense of power over global activity, while at the same time, begging for money, jobs, or other elements needed for their success.

But you see, the UN is small potatoes. It doesn’t have the money or influence to make for lasting peace at this point in time. Why, again, you ask!  Well, in my opinion it is due to bully power. Here’s more of what I mean.

Russia is bullying the world community: exciting North Korean to be a regional bad boy. So North Korea restarts its nuclear reactor. North Korea teases South Korea with missile test firings. North Korea executes its own leaders to show its brutality and infer it will act the same with their enemies outside its borders. Bullying as sport. Bullying as minor irritant. North Korea is incapable of waging a sustain war of any kind. It knows it will be its last act if it even tries. North Korea will cease to exist if they try any warlike act.

But you see, everyone would like to see the pressure disappear, so they give in a little to gain a bit of peace. But Russia, now there is another bad boy influence!

Russia eggs North Korea on so others are upset. Then Russia enters Syria to prop up Assad in his hour of need. Oh, Russia claims it is helping Syria fight ISIS, but we all know Russia is actually fighting the United States. They don’t want US efforts to go unchallenged by a puny Syria.

While they are at it Russia also partners with Iran to arm Syria and other Middle Eastern warriors to keep the balance of power in sway among ISIS and rebels. Little does Russia understand the power of ISIS and the ramifications within its own border. Mother Russia is playing with a ticking time bomb that is likely to blow up in its own face!

Bullies like to keep wars going. They like the chaos environment. They can do much unseen and illegal and get away with it. Too bad they don’t pour their resources into building a better standard of living for their own people. And their friends. They could accomplish much that is good and change their international image for the better, but they don’t. It’s the bully mentality taking over their own reality.

Putin is desperate to prove he is a man’s man. And will now poke every eye in the room for a reaction. Trouble is the world is on to him. His nation is broke. His economy is in shambles. He sits on a huge stockpile of surplus oil. And he conjures war in many places to distract attention from his troubles.

North Korea is a ghost enemy. Russia is a more serious enemy. But it plays with its own demise all alone in a diminishing world of influence. Only desperate measures remain. But now they are on full view. What a pity!

Instead of making lemonade from a bowl of lemons, Putin is making a stew of viscera and poverty. Things can get worse, Vlad. Much worse. And you will be the cause of your own downfall.

Yes it is a pity. It could be very much otherwise. The Lament of the Bully often is: “I shoulda done…..”

September 17, 2015