Three recent events, each part of a long series of similar events, has led me to establish the Bailey Award for Comparative International Thuggery (BACT).
- President Vladimir Putin of Russia’s statement that in all likelihood the interference in the US presidential election of 2016 was due to “Russian citizens of Ukrainian, Tatar, Jewish or other origin.”
- Revelations concerning the massive interference by China in Australia’s political system and society through the use of cyber-technologies and social media, as well as a network of agents of influence within Australia, some ethnic Chinese, some not.
- The threat on the part of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to invade Aegean islands belonging to his NATO partner Greece.
We all know of failed states, such as Syria, Libya and Yemen, but we should now establish another category of states: thug states, beginning with two huge thugs – China and Russia, equipped with thousands of nuclear weapons, and one medium-sized thug, Turkey, equipped with a president whose mouth is that country’s equivalent of weapons of mass destruction.
For years, Russia, under Putin’s autocratic rule, has engaged in widespread interference in the internal affairs of other countries, in addition to its use of military display in the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas and in the airspace of its neighbors, as well as direct and indirect warfare victimizing first Georgia and then Ukraine. In northern Syria, Russian military contractors have attacked US forces.
China, under President Xi Jinping, has engaged in direct military threats to many of its neighbors, including rampaging around the East and South China Seas, confronting Indian troops on the Himalayan borders and establishing naval bases in Gwadar (Pakistan) and Djibouti.
Turkish thuggery has included military incursions into Iraq and Syria as well as constant threats against a long list of European and Middle Eastern countries and the US. Turkish thuggery has become so bold that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman included Turkey in his “triangle of evil,” along with Iran and terrorist groups.
The list could be lengthened, of course, to include Iran and North Korea, but those two countries are widely recognized as thugs by the international community (even the United Nations, notorious for mollycoddling thuggish regimes). Russia, China and Turkey, however, are generally treated as respectable countries and even, in the case of Turkey, an ally.
Which is precisely the point. The failure on the part of the so-called Western World to confront thuggish countries and punish their behavior effectively bodes ill for the future. Aside from a good deal of tut-tutting and a minimum of indirect sanctions in the case of Russia (as well as the stationing of some North Atlantic Treaty Organization units in bordering countries) there has been little in the way of preventive or punitive reaction on the part of the West. Indeed, we have seen a good deal of ignoring and even excusing their thuggish behavior.
Turkey should have been at least suspended, if not expelled, from NATO. It is no longer an ally in any meaningful sense but has openly declared itself an enemy.
China should be called to account for its actions in Australia and in the East and South China Seas. At least in the case of Australia, Chinese interference has become so egregious that a political backlash is developing which may hope will result in significant countermeasures.
Finally, Russia simply cannot be allowed to continue its thuggish behavior (now including Putin’s display of anti-Semitism) without being forced to back down or pay a heavy price, targeting its oil and gas exports. Similar measures were successful in the case of Iran, until they were thrown away in then-US president Barack Obama’s infamous “deal” with the thuggatollahs.
The “West” coddled the Nazi thugs from 1936 when Germany reoccupied the Rhineland with no opposition, through British prime minister Neville Chamberlain’s and French prime minister Édouard Daladier’s “Obama moment” in Munich, the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia and the occupation of Austria, until 1939, when it culminated in one of the most horrific wars and genocides in the history of the world.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the first annual Bailey Award. The judgment will not be an easy one, but I am sure the jury will make the right choice.
Also what about the thuggery of Israel?
He’s just a rat of the lowest type exceptional pathetic
The western powers still possess the means to be good at the same time they are the ones who Established the so called "FREEDOM" so the west still can be trusted despite of some evil lurking in The western side dont blame the whole country foe such actions but it is also determine by who ruled by them now that Trump administrations is at Washington the liberals that are among the corruptions and illegal wars in middle east will be answered through time by this manace who already passed on there political era’s case has been filed against them. But Russia and chinas rule by Autocratic and by authoritarian style is duely out of passion but dictatorship ro rule foe morethan 6 years terms than the west leadership is the lack of freedom and morality .the U.S will still remain exceptionalism at all due of his openness in the world despite of any kind of misdeed of the passed leadership it has NO ONE is perfect but there is always a good leaders and individuals that will correct that in time for the past mistakes of there predecessors as q quote said "Sometimes your have to do less evil, To make some Good deeds for others.
Venemus jewish propiganda.
Jews have always led world to destruction which they are leading to 3rd world war.
Their hands are soacked with blood of palestanian children like Bashir al asad .
They can not be made judges for deciding humanity and civilization.
History is witness about wickedness of jews and am sure if west contineu to support them it will lead them to destruction.They are proscuting muslims throughout globe and helping in their genocide by one way or othet.
Their is prophecy this time now Israial will be burned down compeletly and it is evident by their actions.
So beware of Zoonist propiganda.
The author is an idiot. But, after all it’s just Asia Times, there is plenty of them there.
This is just hilarious!
Presently another name is added to the list of terrorist as thuggs state namely China and Russia.Although terrorist states are mainly superpower creating groups by USA in collaboration with western and EU countries like Taleban to drive out the S. Russia so the main terrorist state are USA&UK. on the other side China and Russia are Meddling politically &forcefully to impose its ambition and to impose to fullfil economic demand. Another cat of newly arose military nights are trying to show power like India and Saudi.As a matter of fact that India almost meddling the political situation. Of Bangladesh,Nepal
Sri Lanka,Maldivs Every where he failed and named as unfriendly countries. Due to political situation he is taking full advantage 3 sides landlocked country Bangladesh and forcing to take side in favour of India and threatening to take result like BGB massacre as thought by most of 99percent of Bangladesh I people. Recent pressure on Bangladesh share market also a shame less a signal ttempt to manipulate the power. Recent visit By ex President Pronob Mukherjee has also a signal.In another part ME,
KS A Prince Salman is purchasing bn
bn dollars arms from USA & UK and destroying Yemen wiping out of Yemen civilization in to grounds,killing hundreds thousands of innocence children and women,civilian at all violating human norm being a Muslim country.A tragedy for the whole world.
I disagree with the author who is not fair to call other countries "thugs" and not included the biggest "thug" in the world which is the U.S.
This guy is out of reality. The worse thuggery nation must be the almighty USA. Your propaganda wont wash.
The author has brokered a deal on behalf of west or oblivious of the hegemony of western countries in Iraq,Libya,Israel and Afganistan.He has totally forgotten that ignoring UN decicision USA has several times played the role of global police previously which is unethical and unjustified.This one sided post has upheld the writer as a ludicrous object and mouthpiece of unjudicious views.
How could the West sanction these "thugs" when they need their gas, trade, geopolitical influence and so on? You cannot sanction another and in the process sanction yourself as well. The author wants to be famous.????
How this arrogant could possibly an author ?
You are an evil Yankee peddling Zionist and American hegemonistic imperialism. The first country to developed nuclear weapon was America and she is the only country yo have use.Your thug award is conceived in America and sure the deserving recipient is America.