The report is absolutely scathing. Some choice quotes:
But when the next crisis came, both the US and the governments of Europe fell back on old models of alliance leadership. Europe, as EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell loudly lamented prior to Russia’s invasion, is not really at the table when it comes to dealing with the Russia-Ukraine crisis. It has instead embarked on a process of vassalisation.
But “alone” had a very specific meaning for Scholz. He was unwilling to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine unless the US also sent its own main battle tank, the M1 Abrams. It was not enough that other partners would send tanks or that the US might send other weapons. Like a scared child in a room full of strangers, Germany felt alone if Uncle Sam was not holding its hand.
Europeans’ lack of agency in the Russia-Ukraine crisis stems from this growing power imbalance in the Western alliance. Under the Biden administration, the US has become ever more willing to exercise this growing influence.
But what about whataboutism?
“Whataboutism” is a weak response to avoid engaging with legitimate criticism of hypocrisy.
Ok tankie.
Oh no! I’ve been called out, now my argument lays in ruin due to this unfortunate circumstance!
Oh heveans! What will I do now?
I’d say read up on complexity theory, cybernetics, and Bookchin, but really that’s up to you.
I know of Bookchin and plan to read his books, however with the existence of imperialism a system of libertarian municipalism would be just a repeat of the Pairs commune.
When it comes to cybernetics, well project Cybersyn was something amazing to say the least and in no doubt a modernized system is ought to spring up in the future.
Imperialism is getting opposed by pretty many liberal democracies, figures it’s not that popular if you’re not an empire. Best example right now is Ukraine. You should talk to Lithuanians or Estonians sometime. If you can carve yourself out a municipality somewhere that’s the democratic political background for a co-op or something the larger state is unlikely to bother you, and if they do, you can make a hell of a stink in the press. Just keep everything above board, cross your 't’s and dot your 'i’s and don’t be a cult. At least in Europe, that is, wouldn’t be too sure about the US. But Canada should work. US might work if you pretend to be fundie Christians, which just might be worth the trade-off.
Cybersyn was hubris. That’s why I also mentioned complexity theory: Really, understanding what’s possible in that area is pretty much impossible without working knowledge in theoretical computer science, physics itself is beholden to complexity theory you can’t find a name in a telephone book in less than O(log n) time. It’s also why chaos (as in chaos theory) is infeasible to analyse, another thing to read into. The reason I mentioned cybernetics is not because of Cybersyn, but because it ties everything together and provides a general, and utterly (as in mathematically) solid theory of systems as such. That also includes individuals and society, there’s literally nothing it doesn’t apply to. Further things to look up include the biopsychosocial model, as well as practopoiesis.
Calling whataboutism is a logical fallacy that’s used to justify having a double standard for your own behavior and that of your adversaries. When somebody claims that China is not democratic because it does X and their own country, which they believe to be democratic, is doing X then the claim is not sound.