
<p>For a generation after World War II, the United States – and the free world – were at odds with Russia and China. ; We deemed it a “Cold War” because we were not in a hot direct military confrontation. ; We were, however, fighting the Siamese twins of Communism in other peoples’ lands – client states as they were called.</p>



<p>The proliferation of nuclear weapons created a standoff – what was appropriately named MAD, Mutual Assured Destruction. ; Confrontation between the great powers was not doable because it was unthinkable.</p>



<p>Thanks to President Nixon, we entered an era of cooperation and peace with China – bringing the Middle Kingdom from out behind the Bamboo Curtain. ; Thanks to President Reagan, we ended the old Cold War with the collapse of the Soviet Union.</p>



<p>For another generation, we entered an era of relative peace – opening business and trade relationships with the old Cold War adversaries. ; But with the arrival of Putin in Russia and Xi Jinping in China, the old global configuration started to re-emerge.</p>



<p>We are not in that old Cold War, however. ; It is worse than that. ; We are now in what can be called a “Warm War.” ; ;</p>



<p>Of course, we see similar client-state wars in places like Afghanistan, Ukraine and in the Middle East. ; Much like the client-state conflicts in the Cold War, the United States and NATO have been losing them – this time by not even fighting.</p>



<p>The weapons of the Warm War are oil and cyber. ; Russia is using its only major resource as a weapon against the west. ; Foolishly, many of our NATO allies put themselves at the mercy of Moscow by making their economies dependent on Russian oil and gas.</p>



<p>The United States is also vulnerable since President Biden decided that the United States did not need to be oil independent – even an exporter. ; America now draws up to seven percent of its oil from Russia. ; In fact, if the United States is not oil independent, we must rely largely on nations that are adversaries – Russia, Iran and Venezuela. ; And nations with which we have a strained relationship – such as Saudi Arabia.</p>



<p>Biden had hoped to disengage with Saudi Arabia because of the murder of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi. ; But now that America is dependent on Middle East oil, Biden is said to be planning a trip to Saudi Arabia to beg them to put more oil on the market – and to sell directly to the United States. ;</p>



<p>Then there is cyber. ; Apart from the false accusations of Trump conspiring with Putin to influence the 2016 election, Putin DID meddle in a major way. ; While he did not change numbers at the polling places, he did mount social media campaigns to create confusion and distrust – and racial tensions. ; President Obama was aware of Putin’s meddling before the 2016 election but did nothing to stop it. ; He did not alert the campaigns, the Congress or the American people.</p>



<p>It is clear to American intelligence agencies that both Putin and Xi have engaged in cyberattacks on the United States. ; In one major attack, they shut down a major power grid on the east coast. ; Those are acts of war &#8212; just as were the old-fashion government-sponsored acts of sabotage. ;</p>



<p>In this new Warm War, the United States and the NATO/European allies respond to “acts” with “words.” ; The timidity of the west is centered on a fear that any proportionate response would be viewed by Moscow and Beijing as a “provocation.” ; They say as much. ; Conversely, nothing they do is viewed as a provocation – not by them and, unfortunately, not by us. ; ;</p>



<p>With the possible exception of the Reagan years, America and the western democracies have been on a losing streak. ; At some point, that needs to be turned around – or we lose the lead permanently, and the authoritarians take over the world.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Face It … We Are In A “Warm War” With Putin
