Complaining about Iran delivering kamikaze drones and surface-to-air missiles to Russia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced today that the 30-member alliance will deliver air defense systems to Ukraine. Yet the U.S. and NATO have condemned Iran’s delivery of Iran’s kamikaze drones AKA Shahed-136 to Russia, prompting denials from Russia and Iran. But why is it OK for the U.S. and NATO to supply Ukraine sophisticated lethal weapons but not OK for Iran or China to do the same for Russia? Whatever the double standard, Russia has its allies much like the U.S., depending on allies to supply arms-and-cash to defeat the Russian Federation. So as long as there’s an active war between the U.S. and Russia, it’s unrealistic to think that Russia’s allies, just like Ukraine’s, wouldn’t provide whatever cash-and-weapons their ally would need to win the war.
When it comes to the Russian Federation, 79-year-old President Joe Biden doesn’t think 70-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin has a right to defend himself from the U.S. and NATO alliance giving everything to Ukraine except troops and a no-fly-zone. So when questioning why the U.S. and NATO view Ukraine as a close ally, why has the U.S. and NATO not committed troops or a no-fly-zone to Ukraine? Ukarine’s 44-year-old President Voldymyr Zelensky has begged for NATO membership or U.S. and NATO troops from Day 1, Feb. 24 of the conflict. Western nations and the press condemn Iran for supplying their kamikaze drones and surface-to-air missiles, something the U.S. and NATO do readily for Ukraine. As long as an active war between the U.S. and Russia goes on, there’s no way to restrict where the weapons come from. Iran has cultivated close ties to the Kremlin.
Iran and Russia have much in common today, considered pariah regimes by the West for various war interests. Russian used to have cooperative relations with the U.S. until Biden decided to wage proxy war against the Russian Federation. Whatever the reason given by Biden for picking Ukraine over the Russian Federation, Ukraine offers the U.S. no strategic benefit to U.S. foreign policy. Zelensky has warned the West of Russia’s attempt at genocide against the Ukrainian people. Zelensky accuses Putin of seeking to reestablish the old Soviet Union, taking over current NATO countries in Eastern Europe. Zelensky tells the West routinely that if they stopped fighting Russia, it would soon take over Eastern Europe, in former Soviet republics. Giving every excuse why the West should commit troops and a no-fly-zone, Zelensky has no problem asking the U.S. and NATO for cash and military help.
With all the West’s sanctions on Iran, they have sought closer ties to the Russian Federation, hoping to gain access to the BRICS economic bloc, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Iran’s decision to defy the White House and supply Russia with Shahed-136 drones and surface-to-air missiles will no doubt result in more sanctions, something that’s hurt Iran economically, especially with its global oil business. “Russia’s deepening alliance with Iran is something the whole world, especially those in the region and across the world frankly, should be seen as a threat and something that any country should pay very close attention to,” said State Department Spokesman Verdant Patel. Should the world, especially allies of Russia, be concerned about the Ukraine’s growing ties to the U.S. and NATO? When it comes to war, both sides have allies, regardless of differing loyalties
India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping told Putin that he should wrap up the war at the earliest possible time. Both Russian allies oppose the war, while, at the same time, supporting their ally, the same way the U.S. and NATO support Ukraine. Some military experts indicate that Russia is running out of weapons to fight the Ukraine war, now going to allies for more weapons. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-up offered Putin more ballistic missiles if he needs them. As long as the war trundles on, both sides can expect to get weapons from various places. Why Biden thinks he can limit Putin’s access to weapons from his allies in anyone’s guess? No one questions Ukraine’s right to get weapons from every source available. But given the no-holds-barred nature of the war, it seems that both sides should take advantage of active efforts to move the conflict to peace table.
Ranting about where Putin gets his weapons to prosecute the Ukraine War is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black. Both sides get weapons from their allies, with Russia now getting some ballistic weapons help from Iran. If the war morphs into WW III, something dreaded in Europe, there’s no question that China and India could commit troops and weapons to the Russian Federation. Many countries do not agree with Biden’s attempt to topple the Russia government or, as 69-year-old Defense Minister Lloyd Austin says, to degrade the Russian military to the point it can no longer wage war. Whatever differences with Ukraine, the war is not worth fighting WW III on the European Continent or certainly not waging nuclear war. U.S. and NATO have been negligent over the last eight months on working feverishly with U.N. peacemakers to end the war at the earliest possible time.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
