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Russian Chinese Ambassadors' Publish Joint Statement, Slam US 'Democracy Summit', Call for 'Democratisation of International Relations' News Topic 352 Russian and Chinese Ambassadors: Respecting People’s Democratic Rights https://nationalinterest.org/feature/russian-and-chinese-ambassadors-respecting-people%E2%80%99s-democratic-rights-197165
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This is an unusual item. A long video commentary on the emerging ideological/philosophical dimension of the rivalry between the Eurasian bloc led by the Sino-Russian tandem and the American-led mainly Western bloc. It's a formulation that highlights how divergent conceptions of democracy internally are now intertwined with conceptions of how the internatioal system should be structured and function. And the practical implications for current tensions.
I suppose very few of you recognize the name Alexander Mercouris - its author. He is an odd character. A British solicitor who practiced in London's Courts of Law for several years, he was the principal in a series of scandals and legal suits leading to his disbarment. Mercouris has resurfaced as a political analyst concentrating on international affairs. (His Greek family long has been actively involved in Greece's political life). That activity has produced, among other things, an impressive series of in-depth commentaries of exceptional quality.
Stumbling across them, I have come to recognize that he is an outstanding mind to be ranked among the handful of commentators worth paying attention to these days. A few traits stand out: 1)he is studious in the extreme and extremely well-informed; 2)he is intellectually honest in the strictest sense ('reborn'); and 3) he is endowed with a finely-honed critical mind that produces penetrating interpretation of trends and events. One might also add that his personal conclusions and views are clearly labelled and expressed in qualified voice; moreover, they are always quite short appendages to the explanatory and analytical tasks that are preeminent.
This piece bears these characteristics; more important, it formulates the emerging competition between the competing blocs with insight and prescience that I have not seen elsewhere.
This long 'promotional' introduction is made necessary by his past and reputation in some quarters. To put that in perspective, let's remind ourselves that millions sit glued to their screens to hear David 'Mosul/Kabul' Petraeus pronunce on the training of 'native' armies - eg. Ukraine; or L.Paul Bremer III of Green Zone fame pontificate about the challenges of nation-building.
Cheers
Michael Brenner
P.S. Mercouris' approach to domestic political matters - in Europe and in the U.S. - are much less persuasive or attractive. They appear on separate platforms and are worth ignoring. So it goes.