The Foundations for Peace are Being Touched

Yesterday President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order renaming the Department of Defense of the United States the 'Department of War'. This move sets a new precedent in the route to violence the Trump Administration has marked. In a context where the eastern armies of China, India and Russia are joining forces to contest global power, the most powerful army in the world is being redirected towards violence both inside the United States as well as outside. 

We all know the best remedies for ensuring peace at local -as well as international- levels is to strengthen the foundations for democracy as well as the rule of law. The first allows for the people of a country to have a say in the decisions that affect their everyday lives, and the second guarantees a common foundation and mark of action for everyone everyday's actions, ensuring justice for all and no impunity. Both democracy and the rule of law reinforce each other as the voices of  people in charge and opponents help create a common ground for civility in the access to power, and a fair game in its exercise. When opponents' voices stop being listened to, decisions start being imposed and the electoral arena gets rigged, tensions arise. Obviously, the only way to manage these tensions in the absense of negotiations is through repression, and societies so governed are minefields about to explode. 

Even more, there's a vicious cycle where the lack of democracy gives rise to authoritarian decisions and laws, perverting justice and giving rise to corruption and unjust laws, that no longer respond to the well being of the people but to the interests of the ruling class. These vicious cycle of injustice and lack of representation inevitably ends in wealth concentration, injustice, impunity and violence; creating societies where the few at the top become the enemy of its citizens, and citizens are aware. When the everyday life of the citizens becomes toxic, so does the common ground for leisure, work and making business, redirecting resources used for the well being of families towards conflict.

The Trump Presidency so misguided has proved to be a failure. The American people are keenly aware of the narcissistic behavior and improvised actions of the billionaire, surrounded by scandals that place him as a sexual predator and a pedophile. Trump response so far has been the use of thugs to intimidate citizens and predate on migrants in a spiral towards entrenchment in power and the use of arms instead of dialog. In that sense, the latter move towards war is a reflection of Trump's failure and moral bankruptcy, and a desperate call to correct the course for the American government. Only voters and consensus can make that happen in ending the authoritarian derivative the United States is currently in, with potential catastrophic consecuences for North America and the rest of the world.

The Inheritor of Hitler

Vladimir Putin escalated to power in 2000 as Russia struggled to maintain its global importance due to its economic crisis. At the time, the Euro coin was in the process of consolidation as the policies implemented after World War II led to supranational institutions looking to achieve the peace and stability of the European region. For that matter -as was envisioned- democracy and economic prosperity have to be put in place for its population. 

But Putin didn't long for that. He was an emissary of the Russian Soviet elites educated to control the population in order to thrive in their richness. His goal was not to give his people economic freedom and democratic participation, but rather to entrench the elite and make sure they stayed in power forever. He was successful in doing so, ending democracy in Russia and becoming de facto a new Tsar. His strategy was as simple as bloody: Turn the power of the armed forces against the population, instead of serving it. Rule by brute force, not by reason. Yet he had to dismantle all the remaining democratic institutions built to create a system of checks-and-balances following the model of western Europe,  a system that proved effective in creating a strong market and sustained economic growth. Again, he solved the problem by turning the armed forces against Russian Institutions, despite the condemnation of the international community.

Such a simple and cruel model of governance reached its egoistic goal: Sacrificing the people of Russia in behalf of its elite, blind followers of their Tsar. Yet Putin was not satisfied with a local victory. He wanted to create an exportable model following the steps of communism in the twentieth century. A refined version of the police state that worked both as an interior policy as well as an exterior. He reached fascism. The principle was used by dictator Hitler the century before: You get the power using democracy, but instead of fulfilling your promises and making concessions to the political opposition in order to create peace, you dismantle the system and make sure no one else makes the decisions but you. As long as you don't interfere with other countries' elites, there are no incentives for other countries to rescue your imprisoned population, since voting for you -or not voting at all- was that people's fault. Moreover, you can set yourself as an example of just how rich, powerful and successful you can become if you sacrifice the general well-being of the people in behalf of yours, if only you are willing to use repression with enough strenght. And there are other countries willing to hear that rhetoric.

It was no susprise that after Putin set the example other nations followed suit. The democratic trend that gave western people their way of life started reversing. The international institutions like United Nations or the International Criminal Court started losing their enforcement capabilities, and freedoms and economic opportunities for the population started deteriorating. The authoritarian rule was set in place. 

However, truth finds its ways. People notice when the pathway they want their country to go is no longer the path of their leader, and start making comparisons. In particular, the superior lifestyle of the neighboring country Ukraine was an anhelated goal for the Russians, especially since the new President Volodymir Zelensky had been elected. He was the example of a leader chosen by the people, a man fulfilling the goals of freedom and opportunities, since he came from the people and not from the elites, and was serving the people and not the elites, just as Barack Obama had done in the United States. Zelensky was the promise and Putin was the curse. And when Putin felt unmasked he could no longer stand his envy and his self-disdain. And Putin started a war.

We should all be aware of what Putin represents today. A captive country. A war monger. And a model of impoverishment and repression. People want economic opportunities. People want the freedom to elect their leaders. And people want freedom of speech, freedom to move and freedom to work. None of that is Putin today. Only death and destruction. We must fight the monster and everything Vladimir Putin represents. As an ancient Arab proverb says, when they asked the Pharaoh why he had become a tyrant he replied, "No one stopped me".

 

ICE has Started a New Civil War in America

It seemed incredibly improbable given the development level of the United States of America. Yet, as Albert Einstein pointed out "Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity". If you ever wanted to go to your local firearm store and buy a semi-automatic rifle to kill your neighbour, this is your opportunity. Otherwise, you should leave the US as soon as possible.

Because Republicans in Congress have made what it seemed almost impossible a year ago: To end the Rule of Law in America and tackle the human rights of their population. The USA is now giving a daily spectacle of authorized armed-masked-men violating human rights of Their own citizens! It is not important anymore whether children are left alone in the street while their parents get abducted; or the fact missing people are skyrocketing: The point is "To Make America Great Again".

As Pete Buttigieg has pointed out: "Our nation has been at its worst when we've been discriminating". This is specially true in the present times. The trauma for children to feel at risk, for mothers to refuse to give birth in hospitals, for farmworkers to go out in public, it's all on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are traumatizing society and a whole full generation with the threat of violence, with videos and images all around public spaces and the internet. The sole image of armed masked men in the streets looks like a modern remake of  western bandits in a no-law land.

But this is 2025 America, everyone. The land of the free and the home of the brave. Giving the worst possible spectacle since the slavery era. Causing an everyday harm to their own citizens that will take more than a generation to erase, even if it came to a full stop tomorrow. The Rule of Law needs to be restored. Armed masked men need to be out of the streets. Human rights need to be respected. And ICE needs to be stopped. For the sake of civility.

This madness needs to come to an end. Soon. The 4th of July is over. Long live the Fourth.