Sunday Snippets
By Venkatesh Raghavan
Amir called me early in the morning as I was about to leave for my regular walk. I joined him at the Irani restaurant shortly after I finished doing the rounds of the garden situated in the midst of a traffic island. Amir pushed the plate of chicken patties towards me. I signalled for black tea with lemon, popularly termed Irani chai in Bombay circles. Amir wanted to know about the worsening international relationship between Russia and the Western powers. Our conversation went on somewhat like this.
Amir: I am not able to make any sense of this. Russians keep saying we have no intention of launching an invasion. The NATO allies keep talking about being fully prepared in case of any escalation taking place on Russia’s Ukrainian borders.
Me: Follow the money, Amir. You can’t make money when Utopian world peace reigns on our planet. We need at least half-a-dozen war zones to keep simmering to ensure that the weapons industry flourishes and people working in their factories have money to feed their families.
Amir: You sound very insensitive to the issue of Ukraine holding on to its sovereign status. Are you in favour of Russian imperialism?
Me: No Amir. I am just taking a pragmatic view. I will cite an instance from the United States. After the end of World War II, the American arms industry would have to shut shop as there was no need for the manufacture and sale of weapons. What did the American government do? It phased out all public transport to ensure that these arms companies can manufacture and sell cars to the citizens of the United States. It’s always about following the money Amir.
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Amir: Can’t you see that the Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to usurp neighbouring territories systematically? It’s just like before World War II Adolf Hitler sounded that he only wanted to regain the Rhineland and got away with it till the invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939?
Me: That was about the unfair conditions of the Treaty of Versailles being rectified as perceived by the Germans. It was not about an arms race or say the sale of weapons for profiteering. If Ukraine seeks support from the NATO allies, there will be a steep rise in arms purchases and further militarization of the country. This will fill in the vacuum created by the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan that ends the era of Western arms supply.
Amir: It looks very funny. Why can’t the Russians and Ukraine see through this game and thwart it? Why can’t they be good neighbours and promote trade and business instead of wasting on military expenditure?
Me: People who see reason Amir tend to get eliminated before it is God’s good time to claim them. Take the example of former American President John F Kennedy. Peace activist and also anti-Vietnam protester and famous ex-Beatle John Lennon too paid for it with his life. If you want peace Amir, especially the Utopian type who seeks world peace, in all probability you will have to pay for it with your life.
Amir: On the sidelines, I feel India and Pakistan are being faced with a similar problem. Who is going to pay for our peace?
