Source: Common Dreams
by Lawrence Wittner
“In the conflict-ridden realm of international relations, certain terms are particularly widely used, and one of them is ‘red lines.’ Derived from the concept of ‘a line in the sand,’ first employed in antiquity, the term appears to have emerged in the 1970s to denote actions one nation regards as unacceptable from other nations. In short, it is an implicit threat. Vladimir Putin, self-anointed restorer of the Russian empire, has tossed about the term repeatedly in recent years. ‘I hope nobody will get it into their heads to cross Russia’s so-called red line,’ he warned in April 2021. ‘Where it will be drawn, we will decide ourselves in each specific case.’ These red lines, although addressing a variety of issues, have been proclaimed frequently.” (03/06/23)