America should understand that Trump’s understanding with Putin can be its greatest asset rather than a liability. Unfortunately, so far Trump has been criticized for having good relations with Putin. However, such relationship can provide America an opportunity to not only improve its relations with Russia but also with China because Putin has a very close alliance with China. If America has good relations with Russia then eventually its relations with China care likely to improve. Sooner or later America is going to realize that Putin is too smart to fall in the trap that to become America’s friend he has to sacrifice his relations with China. I feel Putin will continue to give highest priority to his relations with China and continue coordinating his policies with China. Once America realizes that it is unlikely to draw a wedge between Russia and China then it will give up its policies of containing and confronting China. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, America became the only super power of the world. It could do pretty much whatever it wanted, whenever and wherever it wanted. This made America and the Americans extremely arrogant. America even tried to make a virtue of this vice by promoting the concept of American Exceptionalism. This concept tried to cover up and justify the arrogant and hegemonic behavior. Such an erratic behavior not only hurt rest of the world, it also proved very harmful for America. Because of this attitude America was unable to understand and properly respond to the changed situation in the world. The world situation, the equations of power and the balance of power have radically changed. Putin understood from the very beginning that if there is an alliance between China and Russia then the balance of power will tilt toward them. Therefore, as soon as he came to power, he gave Russia-China relation the highest priority. Putin knew that America and the west really have no options to counter the strength of the Russia-China alliance. Europe understood this fact better than America. America has continued to counter the combined strength of Russia and China by different measures such as trying to contain Russia in Europe and China in Asia. America tried to get exclusive control over the Mideast oil by toppling Saddam in Iraq and Gaddafi in Libya and by trying to topple Assad in Syria. These American policies proved disastrous.
America tried to contain Russia by inciting countries such as Georgia and Ukraine against Russia. However, this policy failed miserably. Similarly, America tried and continues to contain China by inciting India against China and by promoting the idea of a quadrilateral alliance of America, India, Japan and Australia. However, instead of isolating and containing China, America is clearly losing ground to China in Asia. Philippines is a good example of this phenomenon, one of the closest American allies, has moved closer to China. Philippines is not alone many other Asian countries are in a similar situation. These countries are closely watching the emergence of new power equations in Asia. One of the main causes of Trump’s victory was the pressure of America’s major European allies to reconsider its anti Russia policy. They were very concerned about Russia’s response to this American policy. Russia’s response to the economic sanctions hurt them more than the sanctions hurt Russia. Similarly, Russia’s military response which could even include a nuclear response could prove devastating for them. Therefore, Trump’s understanding with Putin proved to be a major asset in winning the election. Many in the west seem to feel that an understanding with Russia is now needed to maintain peace and harmony in the world. However, the same understanding is still lacking about China. America still feels that it can draw a wedge between Russia and China and use Russia against China the way it used China to bring down the Soviet Union. This is the reason that Trump seems to continue to pursue anti China policy while advocating reconciliation with Russia. America should understand that the situation now is very different than at the time of the Soviet Union. The world was bipolar then, now it has become multipolar. China has become the manufacturing hub and engine of the world economy. It is almost impossible to contain China. Putin understands these factors more than any world leader. Therefore an understanding between Trump and Putin can be very beneficial for America and rest of the world. Putin can help Trump understand the changed situation better than anyone else. America should start seeing this relation as an asset rather than a liability. America has to accept the reality of a multipolar world.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
