Bellicose U.S. narratives about Russia and China only serve to further inflame tensions.
By Jeffrey Sachs, jeffsachs.org
The world is on the edge of nuclear catastrophe in no small part because of the failure of Western political leaders to be forthright about the causes of the escalating global conflicts. The relentless Western narrative that the West is noble while Russia and China are evil is simple-minded and extraordinarily dangerous. It is an attempt to manipulate public opinion, not to deal with very real and pressing diplomacy.

The essential narrative of the West is built into US national security strategy. The core US idea is that China and Russia are implacable foes that are “attempting to erode American security and prosperity.” These countries are, according to the US, “determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence.”
The irony is that since 1980 the US has been in at least 15 overseas wars of choice (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Panama, Serbia, Syria, and Yemen just to name a few), while China has been in none, and Russia only in one (Syria) beyond the former Soviet Union. The US has military bases in 85 countries, China in 3, and Russia in 1 (Syria) beyond the former Soviet Union.
Recent Posts
Nobel Peace Prize Turns Toward Peace in 2026
October 11, 2026
Take Action Now To have finally acknowledged someone whose work in any way addressed the horrors of Zionism is an encouraging sign from the Nobel…
64 Groups to Congress: Start Preparing Tough and Effective Oversight Right Now
October 10, 2026
Take Action Now The question is not whether the public wants accountability, but whether Congress can conduct the meaningful oversight that exposes…
“Abolish ICE”: Protests Erupt in NYC After ICE Agents Shoot Father With 5-Year-Old Son in Car
October 9, 2026
Take Action Now “Candidates should seek support from the AI industry at their own peril.”By Amy Goodman, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Carmen De…
Voters in Key States See AI Campaign Cash as More Politically Toxic Than AIPAC: Poll
October 8, 2026
Take Action Now “Candidates should seek support from the AI industry at their own peril.”By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Polling data released…




