From the point of view of an extraterrestrial anthropologist, the human primate population currently is divided into three giant tribal groups with alpha males leading the U.S., Russia, China posturing over a chunk of territory of debatable value called Ukraine.
Russia is by far the weakest of the three and borders Ukraine, which is why it is being the most aggressive.
But the main geopolitical battle for primacy is between China (#2) and the U.S. (#1). China has been provoking trouble all over the globe, especially on its own borders, most notably by threatening to take over Taiwan, but also sponsoring North Korea, conducting probing military exercises, upsetting Japan and other U.S. allies in the process.
Economically, China is roughly two-thirds the size of the U.S., which is still far and away the largest economic and military power on the planet.
But the U.S. is overextended militarily in Europe and Asia and has a domestic population with no appetite to fight distant wars. Its recent withdrawal after 20 years in Afghanistan was a tipping point in the retreat of U.S. global pretensions — at least that is one way of thinking about it.
Of the three governments, two are autocratic with pretensions of democracy and one is democratic with autocratic tendencies. Trump represents the world’s greatest nightmare because he would convert the U.S. into an authoritarian country like Russia, which he greatly admires.
But that won’t happen if Trump can’t get re-elected. He’s never had the support of a majority of Americans, or even close to that, but splits among the majority groups and various machinations by Trump allies could still propel him back into power.
Plus achieving majority support isn’t necessary. Case in point: Hitler.
Meanwhile, Covid continues to rage here and there, although as the most recent mutations run their course it does not appear to be evolving into a more lethal threat than in the past.
However, the pandemic has deepened the political crisis and provoked economic uncertainty, which further destabilizes everything.
And that’s the way of the world right now, folks, from outer space. On to the headlines…
TODAY’s NEWS (45):
In Responses to Russia, U.S. Stands Firm on Who Can Join NATO — Leaked replies to Moscow’s security demands reinforced the intractability of a crisis that threatens to lead to war. (NYT)
The Reason Putin Would Risk War (Atlantic)
Belarusian leader’s closer ties to Putin could sway Russia’s calculus on Ukraine — When Russia last invaded Ukraine in 2014, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko cast himself as a neutral mediator. But eight years later, Lukashenko is far more beholden to the Kremlin. (WP)
Is Biden’s Strategy With Putin Working, or Goading Moscow to War? — The Biden administration’s goal is to cut the Russians off at each turn by exposing their plans. But Russian President Vladimir V. Putin says that approach could spark a conflict. (NYT)
VIDEO: Ukraine Does Not Oppose U.S. Plan to Defuse Crisis With Russia
— Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, addressing tensions with Russia. (Reuters)
Turkish president offers to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks (AP)
Erdogan seals pact with Ukraine over trade and drones (Financial Times)
Putin heads to China to bolster ties amid Ukraine tensions (AP)
China: What does it want from the Ukraine crisis with Russia? (BBC)
The National Archives on March 3 will turn over some of former Vice President Mike Pence's records to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump has continued to fight the release of documents to the panel, but has largely failed to stop it. [HuffPost]
America is in Europe to stay — thanks to Putin (Financial Times)
Memo circulated among Trump allies advocated using NSA data in attempt to prove stolen election (WP)
Memos Show Roots of Trump’s Focus on Jan. 6 and Alternate Electors — Just over two weeks after Election Day, lawyers working with the Trump campaign set out a rationale for creating alternate slates of electors as part of an effort to buy time to overturn the results. (NYT)
A Texas butterfly sanctuary on the Mexican border has closed to the public indefinitely following escalating threats from supporters of former President Donald Trump who are promoting a fabricated claim the sanctuary is part of sex-trafficking ring. (Reuters)
Conservative Pundit Warns Just How Unhinged A Second Donald Trump Presidency Could Be (HuffPost)
The Republican megadonor funding the party’s 2022 hopes (Politico)
VIDEO: W.H.O. Cautions Against Countries’ Lifting of Pandemic Measures
— The World Health Organization’s director general said it was premature for any country to “surrender” or “declare victory” over the coronavirus, and urged caution about relaxing restrictions too hastily. (Reuters)
U.S. Covid-19 Hospitalizations Continue Tracking Downward (WSJ)
California colleges are planning for a future in which Covid is endemic (CalMatters)
‘Take back life’: More nations ease coronavirus restrictions (AP)
Google parent company Alphabet advanced nearer to joining peers Apple and Microsoft in the elite $2 trillion market valuation club as the search giant's shares surged more than 8% following a blowout quarterly report.(Reuters)
Facebook's transition to metaverse has eaten into the social media giant's profits (NPR)
America's economic recovery is about to go into reverse (CNN)
Shares in Facebook owner Meta fell 20% in U.S. premarket trade after the social media giant issued a dismal forecast blaming Apple's privacy changes and increased competition. We look at why U.S. President Joe Biden has eased up on Facebook over COVID misinformation, and how Meta's miss creates a Big Tech divide - who's got the data. (Reuters)
Disappointing Meta, PayPal Earnings Send Shudders Through Stock Market (WSJ)
Why the Facebook owner’s shares are in freefall (Guardian)
The party is over for technology start-ups rushing to go public at ever-higher valuations, as volatile U.S. stock markets have dampened investor appetite for high-growth stocks. (Reuters)
Survey shows a glum California (Politico)
Does Biden Have a Second Act? (Atlantic)
Over a Million Flee as Afghanistan’s Economy Collapses — Thousands of Afghans are trying to sneak into Iran and Pakistan each day, as incomes have dried up and life-threatening hunger has become widespread. (NYT)
UN report: Dozens extra-judicially killed by Taliban (NHK)
Australia Hails Discovery of Captain Cook’s Endeavour, but U.S. Researchers Wary (WSJ)
Remains of woolly mammoth found on Devon building site (Guardian)
Fentanyl is a public health crisis. Why it’s so difficult for victims to escape its grip (SFC)
Big millionaire $$ almost entirely funding SF D.A. Boudin recall (48 Hills)
Why teenagers aren't what they used to be (BBC)
Venus Isn’t the Color You Probably Think It Is — And neither is Saturn, or Uranus, or even the sun. (Atlantic)
Race is on to save the Great Salt Lake: Will it be enough? (AP)
Why Dolly Parton Damn Sure Belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Y’all (Rolling Stone)
Ukraine crisis: The teenage rock band finding solace in music (BBC)
Family Can Trace Ancestry Back To Whatever The Hell Grandma Was Talking About (The Onion)
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