By Fred M’membe
The war in Ukraine is ushering in a new period of heightened danger in world politics and the threat of a global conflict that would devastate humanity. Socialists and people who want peace need to recognise that the entire United States foreign policy and military establishment is now organised around great power conflict against Russia and China as the defining strategy for decades to come. It is essential to recognise that Russia, China and other countries are not being targeted fundamentally because of human rights, or this or that military action, but because they no longer accept the United States-dominated world order.
In the run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and ever since, the corporate media in the United States and its allies has been working overtime to spread misinformation and confusion.
We must stand in opposition to this new Cold War-style period of confrontation. This major power conflict is not in the interests of the great mass of people, in the United States or worldwide. The logic of it will only produce severe economic pain, climate disaster, and ultimately catastrophic war. The working class, the poor have no interest in being dragged into such a conflict in the name of preserving the dominance of Wall Street and the Pentagon.
In the run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and ever since, the corporate media in the United States and its allies has been working overtime to spread misinformation and confusion. They hope that inundating people with non-stop anti-Russian content will manufacture the consent necessary not just for a short-term military escalation in Eastern Europe, but so as to sign people up for a whole new Cold War.
Clearly, there’s need for increased unity for those who oppose United States imperialism and support peace. NATO provoked the war between Russia and Ukraine. The United States government has been intentionally escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine for years. From continuing NATO’s eastward expansion, despite promises not to, to supporting the pro-Western coup in Ukraine in 2014, to heavily arming the Ukrainian government, NATO’s aggressive actions set the stage for the war. The United States was determined to bring Ukraine into a Western sphere of influence, and so refused to acknowledge Russia’s legitimate security concerns about NATO expansion and advanced missiles being placed on its borders. Russia’s “red lines” were well known for decades and NATO did all of this knowing it could potentially lead to intervention. In some respects, it appears NATO set a deliberate trap that Russia fell into.
NATO is a relic of the Cold War, and needs to be dissolved; its only purpose is to maintain United States military hegemony.
NATO’s drive to turn Europe into a staging ground for its military threats against Russia means that not only is Ukraine militarised, but that all of Europe is. Currently, the principal obstacle to establishing a peaceful Europe is the polarisation of the continent around NATO as a de facto anti-Russian alliance. NATO is a relic of the Cold War, and needs to be dissolved; its only purpose is to maintain United States military hegemony. The only way to have discussions about the many issues causing conflict between European nations – borders, languages, economic relations, etc. – without raising the possibility of war is through the dissolution of NATO, the demilitarisation of Europe, and the removal of United States troops, missiles, and nuclear weapons. Russia should follow suit with their own demilitarisation, step by step.
The UN Charter of 1945 was written, and agreed to, to protect against a “might makes right” world order where stronger, more powerful countries can do whatever they want while smaller, less powerful nations have no guaranteed rights. This sovereignty-based international system has never been fully realised, and in many ways has masked the imperialist reality and deep power imbalances of the global order. The UN Security Council, the only body empowered to authorise sanctions and military action against another country, functions in a completely undemocratic way by concentrating power into the hands of just five permanent members that can veto any resolutions. The Security Council should be abolished. What should be defended, however, is that the UN Charter creates a legal and political baseline to counteract abuses of power perpetrated by more powerful nations against lesser powers — and insists on the sovereignty and independence of formerly colonised nations in particular.
While the whole world is crying out for an end to the United States-dominated unipolar world order, “multipolarity” would not be progressive if it means becoming simply a competition of “unilateral” initiatives. Many left-wing and anti-imperialist governments believe that adherence to the UN Charter is an instrument to defend what is positive about “multi-polarity” – the space for counter-hegemonic projects to grow.
For decades politicians and the corporate media, liberal and conservative alike, have pushed a false equivalency between fascists and communists. At the end of the day, this anti-communist slander is also a sleight of hand that lets fascists in through the back door. In Ukraine, where the Communist Party is banned, the rapid and dangerous normalisation of Nazi Germany and its collaborators has taken place. Ukraine has integrated outright Nazis and Nazi-adjacent forces into the armed services and police. Now the United States media, which just a few years ago noted the neo-Nazi presence in Ukraine, assists in their rebranding as “patriots.”
Humanity is calling out for an alternative to capitalism, and we cannot allow the idea of socialism — of working-class power and international unity — to be taken off the table.
The underlying cause of this conflict, beyond NATO, is that we still live in a world that is divided into states run by capitalist elites who prioritise their own wealth and power above all else. The only way to build a world that allows for global cooperation and peace between all peoples, the elimination of poverty, the abolition of nuclear weapons, and the implementation of real democracy that puts the power in the hands of the people, is through socialism.
THIS IS THE MOST ACCURATE AND FACTUAL WRITE UP ON THE WAR IN LUSAKA TIMES. THE OTHERS WE SAW WERE UNRESEARCHED BRAINWASHED WESTERN MEDIA COPY AND PASTE PROPAGANDA. THANK YOU DR. MEMBE.
What a total bullsh!t. This just confirms that Uncle Fred really should be admitted in a mental hospital. Just as well he only got 0,000001% of the votes during last year’s election.
Ever since Russia and Germany completed the NORDSTREAM 2 gas pipeline from russias sibera to Germany……….
The USA had Russia in their sights…….
Russia was set to become one of the richest countries because of their unlimited energy supplies to western Europe from sibera , a vast mineral rich wilderness …….
Because Putin is a nationalist and a good percentage of that wealth would have been spent on weapons development, this did not sit well with Washington……..
Russias only guarantee is they have nuclear weapons, otherwise the dismantling of Russia is already on the cards………..
Russia’s actions in Ukraine reciprocate what the Yankees did in 1962 when the former wanted to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba.
Read the bible, only one dominant power will remain over time. Thus the long term sustainability of Russia is not guranteed especiallly since ruled by a strongman. Unfortunately history has shown that once strong man goes country disintegrates. Putin is mortal and has life span as person. cannot sustain what is doing. Western world and USA has institutions that sustains their policies. Unless Russia puts up strong institutions that sustains it and not by strong man, has no chance in the long term. Thus Fred article is partially flowed.
ABSOLUTE BULLSH!T
But then I’m not surprised by the mentality and literacy of some on here
Fred is sick, he took time to type all this ignorant gibberish. I wasted my time reading through hoping it will make some sense.
News flash for Fred: everywhere in the world that adopted communism failed miserably. You espouse ideas that have already been proven false. Capitalism brought 1 billion people out of poverty in the last 100 years — fact.
Meembe is a self made Communist, a supporte of totalitarian regimes wherever they appear, provided they are anti west. Meembe supports openly Chavez, Castro etc. For Meembe, anything pro west is betrayal.
So, there’s nothing new in this write up
Fred is still living in the past.China is now leading power not because of its military might and communist ideology but because of its aggressive capitalistic agenda.
China has the largest manufacturing base in the world with poorly paid workers and has the more millionaires than any other nation in the world .
Using its wealth,China has literally invaded many countries by giving then huge loans.Now poor countries like Zambia fell into this debt trap and are heavily indebted to China.
Thats the new world order.Capitalism and diplomacy rule
@ayatollah you are right…the cuban missile crisis almost produced the same results we are seeing in ukraine had russia deployed the missiles…these yankees have an f’ word attitude
Ba Fred, what is your comment on the death of RB? I have not heard anything from you so far……………..
More sense coming from Fred than that sell out hh. We stand with you Russia
I have never heard of such humbug before. Can someone send those men in white coats and take this man away in a straitjacket. Putin is the anti christ of the 21st century. Putin is a multi billionaire and has billionaire sycophants kissing his a?se all day. If the west cuts off aid, you think Putin will give you anything? Afew scholarships to third rate universities in Russia? Fred is unwell!!
Eagles Eye , RB is dead. Thats it. Let the gallant son of the soil rest in eterrnal peace. He run his race well.
Fred piece is provifing sn alterna reslity of the war Ukraine. Western media has blacked out alternative news. Inderstaning what really caused the war will.hrlp in maklng informed decisions on who to suppott . This was is about geopolitics and security concerns. NATO is millitarizng againist who? The Warsal Pact was dismantled. What is NATO still doing. It is now the aggressor and fermentor of war. Case in point, its involvement in middle east, former Yugoslavia and Libya to just mention a few. In arming a neighbor to your greatest percieved enemy, what us the implication?
Let us look at both sides of the coin and not just a mono narrative following a war in making…
it was a reasonable and honest analysis about Russia-Ukraine conflict. And I believe that until world order is based on “competition”, no country will ever have peace. I strongly believe that competition is a feature from nature that penetrated in social life that is a “rational project”. Competition doesn’t care that all people despite any conditions (nationality, religious, appearance, political believes…) needs food, home, clothes, Education, health care and etc.
I think the way to judge who and who is to look at the way leaders crossed in the conflict have been making decisions on the war You critically examine the nuanced and ethical decisions by Russia Ukraine NATO Eu and the US. Like the Presidential address in parliament,ethics have not been applied by leadership to prevent and cause Russia and Ukraine to discuss without going to war .There have been self centered in making and in discussions trade offs each one of them self centered and seeking for their own good This war war was unnecessary Its a dent on the west by Rnaussia as a result of the geopolitics in Ukraine if leadership had been ethically correct from all sides this could have not because eventually the cost is to them all in economics and other
Because of the at in Russia ukraine the West and Africa included is more exposed to prices in oil and food including inflationary expectations Foreinstance the default by Russia will put pressure on economies in the euro particularly Italy and Germany India included The war could be worn by Ukraine or Russia or NATO or the west by the cost imputed in economies for long-term could have been avoided To meet NATO could acted to prevent the war with Russia and the Ukrainean could have shown much restriant and responsibility. The US is simply playing a role to gate keep escalations is not being promoted to act with Ukraine yes NATO could have been more responsible because these are relatives form new Jersey to Russia Ukraine Poland Germany Italy France and Great Britain. It was a war…
We only hope that issues around the south China Sea and India Donot also give rise to the same the world is connected and intergrated
It’s very complex geopolitical issue just as you have all sides of Zambians students and lecturers living and married in those also but ethics and Presidential responses including positions could indicate who is provoking who and why for what at what cost to humanity okay
Just like u provoked Lungu when he mercilessly shuttered your ka post newspaper ka.
There is no such a thing as socialism in global environments now it’s a dead concept maybe rebrand and field same to some functional governance system It cannot work. In as much as those leaders show some understanding and reason for 2026 it’s a concept that existed then as rightly explained under similar conditions but cannot hold because of the economics and global transition
The world should not be stuck on one ideology. When one ideology rules that will be the end of humanity. It is always better to view things from different perspectives-even capitalists advance that thought as stubbornly anti-communist as they may be. Here only Almasi and perhaps Monze are arguing sanely. Someone claims that capitalism has rescued one billion people from poverty. He forgets that capitalism exploited millions of Africans in something called slavery and that became the base of its “success” Capitalism caused the two world wars and it created colonialism and from that benefited a few in the West while impoverishing billions of Africans and Asians Most people cant see this because they are too imersed in Western propaganda they aim to think like their conquerors
@Naphtali Socialism exists. All the Nordic countries practice a modified form of social welfare that goes against the original concept of capitalism. Socialist parties are not afraid to exist in those European countries
Anyone who knows Mmembe knows he is a tinpot dictator. Just ask Amos and all those he worked with at the Post. His crazy one sided articles were never edited yet any respected journalist will tell you even an editor in chief gets his articles checked. Not bigheaded mmembe. So we know whom he would support. A fellow tyrant
The concept s Based on distribution only unless it’s modified in between capitalism and socialism then it’s not a dead form As it is from he intellectual there reading through that is a dead form of socialism it’s an ideal not a Policy to pursue You can not simply distribute national resources without productivity but again there is no pure form of capitalism based on some architecture economism or so these building blocks to current economics the world has experimented and found an equilibrium rewarding productivity in resource allocation with social interventions and other social security There is no pure capitalism though it’s blend of all economism thoughts that work for society but pure socialism is dead
It failed in Scotland uk Eastern Europe the Us and here in Zambia and Africa in particular Like I have said there is no pure form of capitalism it’s a blend with a welfare state in mind Just like Britain has a National healthy system and free education so do we here in Zambia have a Blend of socialism and not in it’s pure form because of issues that collapsed socialism pricing and allocation of resources productive resources I will not write further simply rebrand and find a solution to 2026
Picking Russia as a saint is misplaced. NATO has not invaded or bombed Russia. Russia has invaded Ukraine and killed children and pregnant women. These are facts. Yes, the West is not saintly, but this does not justify what Russia is doing in Ukraine.
Well done, Fred, You nailed it.
Stick to Zambian politics and try to get more votes next time.
High probability that had Trump gotten a second term the disintegration of NATO would have initiated with the pulling out of the USA.
According to Mmembe:
1. NATO provoked Russia.
2. The US has dorminanting world affairs and this makes it possible to warrant American unilateral decisions.
3. Nazism is arguably propagated in Ukraine, that they can easily be seen in both police and military.
4. Capitalism has infiltrated the whole world basically to protect their riches.
While I don’t support Russia’s belligerence, I also slam America for seemingly being part of the problem.
Thanks Dr. Mmembe for this article. Fools will still say NATO and the US are right simply because they think these old serpents will love them. They forget too quickly that black people are killed by the ill-trained police in the US. There’s no where else in the world where black lives matter movements have been staged than the USA. But you will hear them say Putin this, Xi Jinping that. Uninformed bunch of hypocrites and bootlickers usually are quick to comment otherwise.
Socialism is an economy that feeds off RESERVES,, NOT work!! That is why it ALWAYS fails… Anyone that thinks that socialism is “the answer” is an *****… They certainly haven’t done their homework, of course.. Most pro-socialists are the laziest people on Earth..