This week I am delighted to welcome Professor Glenn Diesen of South Norway University as my midweek guest. Glenn is a Norwegian political scientist who is known as a regular commentator on Russia Today. Scandinavian media and Western academics have criticized him for promoting Russian propaganda. By propaganda they, of course, mean he tells the other side of the Ukrainian/Russia conflict! The one that says this war started in 2014 when Ukrainian army and militia units attacked the Donbass, not February 2022 when the Russians entered the fray.
We discuss the origins of this conflict and recent events like the failed and much vaunted Ukrainian counter-offensive.
We talk about the effects of this war in a broader context. The global south and the diminishing American global and financial hegemony. Glenn bemoans the waste of so many innocent young lives in this ongoing conflict. We ask if Ukraine can ever fully recover from this terrible war.
We discuss if this could all have been avoided and why it happened at all. The duplicity of Germany and France in particular over the Minsk accords. Can the EU survive? As Ukrainian deaths toll passes the 500,000 mark we ask, is there an off ramp for the two opposing sides that will help avoid a nuclear war?
This is your chance to hear an account of the war that will never be brought to you by the western media.
That was a really enlightening programme Roddy. I just hope that a wider public gets access to it. I try to share your podcasts and the feedback I get is really positive; and information such as this, given by Professor Diesen deserves to get out there to challenge the endless propaganda of the western media.I live in Germany where the propaganda is equally mind stultifying.
Keep up the good work and the progammes coming. I really appreciate what you are doing.
Thank you for watching,sharing and commenting it is much appreciated
Really good programme Roddy, it’s great to hear a sensible alternative view about the war in Ukraine and Glenn Diesen was a really knowledgeable guest. Roles in the global economy have certainly changed but I think it is premature to write off the west’s economies as unable to make “stuff”. The financialisation trend has happened because of international comparative advantage, where it was advantageous for the west to finance manufacture in lower-wage “developing” economies. Once that becomes unviable (rising wage rates in developing economies, capital accumulation in developing countries – esp China, alternative sources of international investment) then roles will be reversed again. The western economies will need to re-focus on manufacture etc, the BRICS countries will partially transition to capital-providers etc. Countries like China and India will invest in some manufacture in, say, the Uk – oh wait . . . .
Roddy, I could pretty much commend them all, but I think that’s been one of your very best podcasts ever.
If there was ever to be a public inquiry into this whole bourach, I doubt it could, or would, cover so much ground so thoroughly or succinctly, and be so adroit in it’s conclusions.
Deeply uncomfortable listening for some, your discussion was grimly depressing concerning the West’s orchestration of this disaster, but at the same time, it felt like a refreshing oasis of honest truth while our nation flounders in a desert of Western propaganda and disinformation.
I only know a tiny fraction of what Mr Diesen clearly knows, but even I lament the squandered opportunities after the West and Europe chose not to normalise relations with Russia in the 90’s. Anybody paying attention knew it was a grave mistake, and that our destiny was in the hands of the dangerous people rather than the clever ones.
Sadly for Scotland, while chained to one of the nastiest co-belligerents, I see a lot in common between Ukraine’s squandered future as a wealthy conduit for East / West Trade, and similar opportunities for Scotland, “IF” Scotland embraced Alf Baird’s analysis of Scapa Flow’s potential to function as a Container Ship facility, and conduit for Europe’s congested Western seaboard. On our current trajectory, I fear the candle of hope will forever now remain just a candle of hope that is never realised.
Yet still, the optimist inside me wonders whether what has gone so terribly, terribly wrong for Ukraine might yet go right for Scotland.
An independent Scotland is not without clout, because Scotland’s Independence would rock both the UK and NATO with far more effect, and much less risk, than any possible strike the Russian or Chinese military might ever deliver.
If an independent Scotland styled itself as a strictly neutral player in the game, brokering Trade between BRICS, Europe, the US and even the former Commonwealth, our wee nation could become an influential peace-broker and arbiter in these troubled times.
Our strategic location in the North Atlantic for defence, is a similarly significant strategic location for trade. There is opportunity here, great and positive opportunity, but only where Scotland has a benign and constructive, outward looking Government, rather than being told what to do by one of the chief belligerents stoking mistrust and hostility towards Russia, (and the EU for that matter).
How tragic it is that Scotland doesn’t have such an independent minded and courageous government, but instead, a weak and cowardly government that is profoundly susceptible to corrupting and subversive influences.
A thousand more curses on Sturgeon. When we needed a champ, what we got was a chump.
Very good discussion. I have a few friend who support Scottish independence and don’t believe a word the BBC says about it, but everything the Beeb says about Ukraine is meant to be true! There are plenty of good commentators like Andrei Martyanov, Brian Berletic etc who will at least give a different perspective on what is happening militarily. And the excellent Michael Hudson is well worth listening to on the impact of the war on western economies. The people of western Europe are being betrayed by their politicians. Personally, I don’t believe there is any chance of Scottish independence with American hegemony and NATO – it simply wouldn’t be allowed.