ECADES after US President Joe Biden disappears as a footnote to a turbulent chapter of American political history, his authorisation of the use of USsupplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia will remain a mystery.
First, the timing. Biden waited till November 6. He had a Plan A in case Kamala Harris won and a Plan B in the scenario of a Donald Trump presidency. Biden has initiated Plan B, which dares Russian President Vladimir Putin to respond with nuclear retaliation.
Biden sees it as a win-win. If Putin acts as promised, a nuclear confrontation ensues, which would disrupt Trump's hopes to normalise the Russian-American relationship. But if Putin doesn't (re)act, Moscow's nuclear deterrence increasingly looks like a bluff and the Ukraine war gets 6Trump-proofed' till 2028. Indeed, if Trump confronts Biden now, he risks resuscitating the moribund 6Russia collusion' hypothesis that hobbled his first term. So, Trump plans to get away to his new golf course in Scotland.
Biden's villainous plot may look smart. But that's only as smart as his original plan that Western sanctions would ruin the Russian economy. In October, the IMF ranked Russia as the fourth largest economy after the US, China and India based on purchasing power parity, the most accurate measuring scale for GDP, surpassing Japan. The Russian economy's upgrade in recent years, overtaking European competitors one after another-the UK, France, Germany and J apan-was driven by Western sanctions, which compelled Putin to implement aggressive import substitution and establish domestic production.
This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FOR BALANCE IN REGULATING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CHILDREN
AUSTRALIA'S recent bipartisan legislation banning social media for children under 16 has fuelled a global debate about the psychological impact of online platforms on children's well-being.
When the Union Is Not a Sum of the Parts
Given our fractured polity and institutional atrophy, this isn't a moment to celebrate the Constitution. Instead, we should ponder about the future of our democracy and constitutional culture
Foresters' attempts to unite elephant calf with herds fail
FOREST department officials have been attempting to unite a two-month-old elephant calf with a herd for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.
MT leaves behind eternal void in cultural realm
Death gave him no pain; coz life never enamoured him! Thus wrote MT in 'Shathru'. Yet he cherished each moment, endowed with a profound gaze that penetrated deep into the innermost recesses of the Malayali psyche, pouring out a slew of timeless creations.
Security beefed up at Puliyarai check post
THE Tenkasi police have beefed up security at the Puliyarai check post on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border to prevent the transportation of various wastes from the neighbouring state into Tamil Nadu here on Thursday.
Revanth proposes cess on movie tickets, says no to benefit shows
THE Telangana government has proposed to levy cess on movie tickets for use in the construction of Integrated Residential Schools in the state.
No compassionate ground posting in school dept since 2016; 5K families hit
FOR the 5,500 families waiting for jobs on compassionate grounds in the Tamil Nadu school education department, the ordeal seems unending as the department has not appointed even one person under the category in the last eight years across the state.
Singh steered economic transformation: Stalin
Says former PM's partnership with Kalaignar was instrumental in advancing development of the state; other leaders too pay homage
Kin of jailed fishermen seek legal help
AFTER more than a year, family members of jailed fishermen from Ramanathapuram, who were \"falsely implicated\" in a case of drug smuggling, made a plea to MEA to hire a local advocate and ensure their release.
Enforce laws strictly, end child marriage
CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan has expressed concern over increasing child marriages in Tamil Nadu, calling it a human rights violation.
