A New Cold War

As former Cold War tensions flare up, I think about how scary the 80's were. With America on a new crusade and Russia reverting to its totalitarian past, it seems as if our two great nations will square-off on the world stage again.

Why is it that Russians and Americans have such a dark fascination with each other? Do our morals contrast so sharply? Are we really all that different? Whether we're facing off over missile defense in Poland, or 007 follies in Europe, we can never seem to get out of each other's way. A new wave of sabre rattling has been quietly reported for months, but no one seems to be taking notice.

We are so worried about bringing democracy to the middle-east, but it appears as if we should be giving lessons to the Russians. Democracy has had a tenuous hold at best in the former U.S.S.R., and now it seems to be sinking back towards communism, or perhaps something even worse. Russia holds some of the world's last great reserves of natural resources, but they don't have the wherewithal to utilize them. If we could only help Russia instead of provoking them, we could band together and be a powerhouse.

Currently there are close to a billion people in Asia that live without using electricity or petroleum products. Pretty soon, one of them is going to see an episode of Green Acres through their neighbor's window, and then they're ALL going to want electricity, indoor plumbing, and a jalopy to drive to the VP. If Russia, China and India decide they want what's left of the oil, they're going to take it. There are 8.3 of them to every 1 of us, and W ain't no Leonidas. In my view, there are only three ways to prevent the World War III that I see coming in the next 20 years.

1. Free energy: someone invents cold fusion, or a 90% efficient solar panel, and nobody has to fight over oil anymore.

2. Free food: someone invents a food that grows without soil or water, akin to magic beans, and nobody has to fight over food anymore.

3. Aliens arrive on earth: they either kick our asses, or help us out; but either way, nobody is fighting any longer.

Excepting the last one, the only way that we can achieve either of these is to put aside our differences and work together. We need diplomacy, not bullets. I call on the President to establish a Department of Peace cabinet position so we can actually work on some diplomacy, instead of just giving it lip service when it suits us.