A Tale of 2 Empires. Or is it 3?

We are witnessing the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Many people are saying – Why is this happening now? This is part of a pattern. Empire states tend to control smaller ones at their borders.

Russia

Ukraine and Russia have a long history together. When the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR) was formed in 1922, Ukraine was one of its founding members. In 1991, Ukraine obtained its independence. The USSR has a long and turbulent history. This has been marked by Russian invasions into restive members.

- In 1956, Hungary was invaded. In that year, I remember about 10 students of engineering fleeing from Hungary before joining our Mechanical Engineering class at the University of Toronto.

- In 1958, Czechoslovakia was invaded and President Alexander Dubcek was deposed.

- In 2014, Russia invaded and occupied Crimea.

- Now, in 2022, Russia has invaded Ukraine.

USA

The United States has also invaded other countries. The more recent of note are:

- The Vietnam war (1955-1975)

- The Iraq invasion (2003)

- Afghanistan (2001-2021)

China

China fits the same pattern. Uighurs in the north have been subject to brutal domination and ‘re-education’ programs of its citizens. Taiwan is also in China's cross hairs.

What this shows is that Empires tend to dominate their neighbours. Note that whereas the Russian and Chinese interventions have been in nearby nations, US interventions have been far away. However, the US has also meddled in its own backyard – Chile (1953), Dominican Republic (1916-1924). Cuba (1961), Nicaragua (1981), Honduras (1987) among many other countries.

The present Russian intervention in Ukraine fits into a depressing pattern of military interventions into neighbouring states. This kind of activity has a long history going back to the Roman Empire in the West and to the Han Dynasty in the East.

Resolution?

The best that we can hope for is a peaceful stand-off between the two opposing powers -- one one side, NATO (dominated by the US and the EU), and on the other, Russia and its few client states (now slowly merging with Chinese support). Unfortunately, nuclear armaments complicate everything. One can only hope and pray for a mutual nuclear disarmament some time in the future. If not, nuclear war, or a growing environmental crisis awaits us.


Rebellious Seeker
Ottawa, February 27, 2022