北约在美国华盛顿特区举行峰会纪念成立75周年之际，发表了一份公报，指责中国是俄罗斯对乌克兰战争的“关键支持者”，西方媒体也随之起舞。 据北约秘书长斯托尔滕贝格说法，这是“北约盟国就中国对俄罗斯与乌克兰非法战争的贡献，发出的最强烈讯息”。 没有证据表明中国向俄罗斯提供了武器或军事援助来支持这项指控。北约也没有详细说明中国对俄罗斯的哪一些出口是“非法的”或与世界其他地区有所“不同”。 值得注意的是，北约7月15日的这项指控是在印度总理莫迪于7月8日至9日访问俄罗斯之后提出的，莫迪称普京为“亲密的朋友”，并与普京展示了广为人知的熊抱，热情地表示“每个印度人都视俄罗斯为朋友，无论顺境还是逆境”，并告诉全世界“两国关系已经过多次考验，每次都变得非常强大”。 众所周知，俄罗斯几十年来一直是印度最大的武器供应国，而俄罗斯能够继续在乌克兰发动战争，很大程度上是由于印度和许多国家不愿参与西方对俄罗斯的经济制裁。 目前，俄罗斯从印度进口的产品包括电子、工程、工业和其他产品，这些产品属于军民两用物资类别，这也是中国被指控的“罪魁祸首”。然而北约却对此视而不见，其反华情绪显见如此强烈。 北约想像中敌人 北约公报引起中方强烈反应。 中国外交部发言人林剑在例行记者会上表示：“在乌克兰危机上，北约渲染中国的责任，毫无道理，居心不良。” “我们敦促北约反思危机的根源及其所做的事情，并采取具体行动缓和局势，而不是推卸责任。” 其更不客气的指出，北约可能才是乌克兰战争的第一个且持续的“推动者”和催化剂。 一些批评者也提醒北约，其不仅在欧洲，而且在包括阿富汗、利比亚和伊拉克在内的世界各地的冲突和战争中，涉及的血腥之手。值得注意的是，在乌克兰惨绝人寰战争中，一个关键因素是苏联解体后，北约进一步削弱俄罗斯的行为。及其把势力伸展到对俄罗斯安全和利益至关重要的领土上。 不可否认的事实是，俄罗斯领导人和一些西方政策家在二十多年前就警告说，北约扩张可能会与俄罗斯引发一场新的冷战，甚至会引发一场热战。根据美国自由主义智库─卡托研究所的报告，这个无论如何都不可能被视为亲普京的组织指出，为美国冷战时期制定遏制政策的大师乔治·凯南早在1998年5月2日的《纽约时报》访问中，对于北约东进提出了警告，“我认为这是新冷战的开始，”，他说：“我认为俄罗斯人将逐渐做出敌对的反应，这将影响他们的政策。请参阅〈美国和北约引发了乌克兰战争。承认这一点并非“站在普京这边”〉 特朗普是北约最大敌人？ 如今，北约决心继续在乌克兰进行战争，并将其扩大到欧洲以外，透过在印太和亚洲地区的挑衅行动来对抗许多观察家所说的“假想敌人─中国”。这可能与特朗普想作为乌克兰和俄罗斯战争的和平缔造者载入史册相冲突。 特朗普多次吹嘘自己就任总统后一天就能结束战争。既然他在11月的总统选举中获胜已是必然，不仅欧洲，而且世界其他地方都将拭目以待，看看他是否能够兑现诺言并进行斡旋，以实现难以捉摸的和平协议。 北约领导层可能正为特朗普即将当选的前景发恶梦。他们充分意识到，特朗普轻蔑地称泽伦斯基为“有史以来最伟大的推销员”，因为后者努力从华盛顿获得数十亿美元的军事、经济和人道主义援助。他们也担心特朗普政府（与拜登政府相反）可能会削减美国对北约及其战争贩子的支持。 如果是这样，特朗普很可能成为北约要打击的最大敌人。 如果特朗普成功为乌克兰和俄罗斯带来和平，他很可能会创造历史，届时北约等冷战时代下遗存至今的军事联盟将衰落并最终消亡。 林德宜《北约最大敌人──特朗普或中国？》原文：NATO’s Biggest Enemy - Trump or China? Western media went to town following NATO’s summit meeting in Wash DC marking the organisation’s 75th anniversary when it released a communique accusing China of being a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stolengerg, this was “the strongest message NATO allies have ever sent on China’s contributions to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.” No evidence was provided of Chinese weapons or military assistance provided to Russia to back up this accusation. Neither were details provided of how China’s exports to Russia may be “illegal” or different from the rest of the world. Significantly, this accusation on 15 July came after Indian Prime Minister Modi visit to Russia on 8-9 July in which he called Putin his “dear friend”, engaged in a much publicised bear hug, enthused that “[e]very Indian considers Russia to be India’s friend in good and bad times”’, and told the world that “[t]he commitment of our relationship has been tested multiple times and its has emerged very strong each time”. It is no secret that Russia has been India’s largest weapons provider for decades and that Russia’s ability to continue the war in Ukraine has in large part been due to the reluctance of India and many countries to participate in the West’s economic sanctions against Russia. Russia’s imports from India currently include electronic, engineering, industrial and other products that fall into the dual use category of supplies that China has been accused of being a villain. However NATO is blind to this so strong is its anti-China sentiment. NATO’s Imagined and Other Enemies The NATO communique drew a sharp response from China. "On the Ukraine crisis, NATO hyped up China's responsibility. It makes no sense and comes with malicious intent," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing. “We urge NATO to reflect on the root cause of the crisis and what it has done, and take concrete action to de-escalate rather than shift blame." Others less charitable have point out that NATO may be considered to be the first and continuing “enabler” as well as catalyst of the war in Ukraine. Critical analysts have reminded NATO of its bloody hands in conflicts and wars not only in Europe but also around the world including in Afghanistan, Libya and Iraq. In the appalling and tragic Ukraine bloodshed, it is necessary to note that a key causative factor was NATO’s efforts to further undermine Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union; and its promotion of issues and incursion into territory critical to Russia’s security and interests. The undeniable fact is that Russian leaders and some Western policy experts warned more than two decades ago that NATO expansion would produce a new cold war with Russia at best, and a hot one at worst. According to a report by Cato Institute - a US libertarian think tank organisation which cannot be considered a supporter of Putin in any way - George Kennan, the intellectual architect of America’s containment policy during the Cold War, had warned in a May 2, 1998 New York Times interview what NATO’s move eastward would set in motion. “I think it is the beginning of a new cold war,” he stated. “I think the Russians will gradually react quite adversely and it will affect their policies. See, “The U.S. and NATO Helped Trigger the Ukraine War. It’s Not ‘Siding With Putin’ to Admit It”. Is Trump NATO’s Biggest Enemy Today NATO is bent on a continuation of the war in Ukraine and expanding it beyond Europe to take on what many observers describe as an “imagined China enemy” by its provocative moves in the Indo Pacific and Asian regions. This may be in conflict with Trump who wants to go down in history as the peacemaker in the war between Ukraine and Russia. Trump on several occasions has boasted that he can end the war in one day after he becomes President. Now that his win in the November presidential election is inevitable, it is not only Europe but the rest of the world which will be watching to see whether he will be able to live up to his word and mediate to realise the elusive peace agreement. The leadership of NATO is probably having nightmares with the prospect of Trump's imminent election. They are fully aware that Trump has disparagingly called Zelenskyy “the greatest salesman of all time” for his efforts to secure billions of dollars in military, economic and humanitarian aid from Washington. They will also be fearful that Trump’s administration -in contrast to Biden’s - may see an erosion of American support for NATO and its war mongering activities. If so, Trump may well become NATO’s biggest enemy to take down. Should Trump succeed in bringing peace to Ukraine and Russia, he may well be turning a page in history which will see the decline and ultimate demise of legacy cold war military alliances such as NATO |
