Source: Antiwar.com
by Ted Snider
“The concept of ‘the West’ is a complex and difficult one. At times it excludes countries in the geographical west, like Cuba and Venezuela and sometimes Brazil. At times it includes countries not in the geographical west, like Japan and Australia. As Richard Sakwa has explained, the West can refer to a 500 year old civilizational West or to a cultural or historical West of which Russia considers itself to be a core member. The twin ticket to admission of the political West is membership in the U.S. led post Cold War security community built around NATO and in a cultural community allegedly built around free trade, freedom and democracy. The political West, by definition, excludes Russia and, now, China. But recently, there seems to be a political price being paid by governments in the political West. It is being exacted at the polls by their citizens.” (11/14/24)