New Cold War: Russia Warns Of Cold War 2 Due To Syria, Will This Lead To World War 3?
A new Cold War has started, according to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Medvedev made these comments on Saturday due to the way that Russia is being viewed by the United States in their actions in Syria. Russia is being accused of bombing targets in which civilian casualties are increasing. Russia denies these claims, and these claims are the catalyst that forced Prime Minister Medvedev to declare a new Cold War with the West. United States Secretary of State John Kerry stated that Russia needs to change their tactics in regard to the war in Syria.
“To adhere to the agreement it made, Russia’s targeting must change. This is the moment. This is a hinge point. Decisions made in the coming days and weeks, and a few months could end the war in Syria –- or could define a very difficult set of choices for the future.”
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says we’re in a new Cold War https://t.co/Vjnv2jMTYV (epa photo) pic.twitter.com/WyXHxhJl6d
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 13, 2016
According to Medvedev, Russia is sick of being blamed for things that they say they have no part in.
“Almost every day we are accused of making new horrible threats either against NATO as a whole, against Europe or against the US or other countries.”
The war in Syria is not the only issue in which other countries are finding problems with Russia. The military crisis in Ukraine is another military conflict in which Russia is at odds with the United States and NATO. The United States has not become involved militarily in Ukraine but has placed sanctions on Russia over their aggression in invading a sovereign nation. Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko spoke about the conflict between his country and Russia.
“Mr Putin, this is not a civil war in Ukraine, this is your aggression. This is not a civil war in Crimea, this is your soldiers who occupied my country. Isolationism, intolerance, disrespect of human rights, religious fanatics, homophobia — this alternative Europe has a leader. His name is Mr Putin.”
The fact that Prime Minister Medvedev used the term Cold War should be concerning to the United States and the world. The first Cold War between the United States and Russia saw both nations begin a quest to have the deadliest military arsenal in the world. The Cold War almost became a very hot war between the two countries. The leaders of both nations had their nuclear arsenal pointed at the other and complete destruction was just a button push away.
After the Cold War ended, tensions eased between the United States and Russia and the two nations became allies. Both countries agreed to decrease the number of nuclear weapons at their disposal while still making sure they had enough left if the need for them ever arose. Slowly, the nations began to separate from being allies, yet not far enough to be considered enemies. Due to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Syria, and provocative maneuvers by their Air Force, the two nations have all but severed their past friendship.
If in fact a new Cold War actually starts, it would not be fought in the same way it was fought in the ’60s to the ’80s. Instead of threatening destruction with nuclear weapons, destruction through cyberspace could be the way Russia and the United States fight the next Cold War.
History has proven that even the smallest event can lead to a full-scale war. If the United States and Russia become entrenched in a new Cold War, it may not take much for it to escalate into World War III.
Do you think the United States and Russia are in another Cold War?
[Image Via AP Photo/Matthias Schrader]
