Using a Poisoning as Pretext to Race Back into Crisis

by Eze Eluchie,

Recent events at the global arena has given life to the hypothesis that entrenched interests at the international level feel most uncomfortable with any likelihood of rapprochement between the major military powers, and are perhaps inclined towards a state of upheavals, tension and outbreak of hostilities amongst nations.

The emergence of a US President who publicly pronounces admiration for a Russian leader, and the reality that such admiration is reciprocated with the attendant emerging scenario of an era of amity between the twin major military powers, appeared too good for hawkish elements on both sides of the ideological divide. Right from the very onset of his presidency, these hawkish elements set out besmear and becloud whatsoever positives that could be gained from any good relations between US President, Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladmir Putin.

From as yet unproven allegations of Russian interference in the outcome of the US 2016 Presidential elections to vague accusations of use of chemical warfare in Russian military operations in Syria, those who think they stand to benefit from crisis have always tried to up the ante at building mistrust and enmity at the slightest opportunity.

The poisoning of British under-cover spy who had been embedded in Russian security institutions, Sergi Skripal, and his daughter in Salisbury provided a unique opportunity for varying interest to deepen cracks in already worsening relationships between the US and Russia whilst shoring up waning domestic profiles. The poisoning also provided a catalyst to stoke up the embers of regional strive and tensions. From British Prime minister, Theresa May, who is beset with myriad domestic issues, ranging from BREXIT negotiations that were not going as expected to down turn in British public finance outlooks and was in dire need for distractions and whatsoever would portray her as a ‘world leader’, to war-mongers in NATO who were worried that their livelihood was being threatened with President Trump’s insistence that all must bear a fair share of the burden for providing security in Europe, to leaders of extremist Islamist countries who abhorred the implications of a US-Russia alliance in the war against terror, there simply was a motley crowd willing, ready and able to galvanize support to deepen the divide between the US and Russia.

With full details of the poisoning yet to be ascertained and adequate scientific examinations yet to be conducted, accusing fingers were already being pointed in the directions of Russia, as culprits in the poisoning of former British double-agent. Some analysts claimed that the order for the poisoning came directly from the desk of Russian leader, Putin. In a space of less than 7 days, over 25 Western countries announced the expulsion of over 100 Russian diplomats from their territories. In trying to rationalize their actions, some of the countries concerned, such as Australia, overreached themselves in digging into the past, citing such issues as the Russia’s annexation of Crimea, military interventions in Syria, and involvement in the crisis in Ukraine.

As Russia prepares to roll out its retaliatory expulsion of Diplomats and closure of consulates of the countries which had taken hostile coordinated actions against her on account of the poisoning in , and the very high risk of escalating worsening relationships between Western countries and Russia, the prime beneficiaries of the ensuing crisis would be Theresa May, who would have surreptitiously sneaked her country back into the centre of Western activities and global attention and  international extremist Islamist entities who are gifted a reprieve from unanimity of purpose and action against extremist Islamists by Russia and the US (and by extension the West) whilst the greatest losers will be the international community which will now be saddled with the spectre of yet another descent into a bi-polar world characterized by a Cold War and the ever present likelihood of onset of apocalyptic conflict amongst the super powers.

The timing of the current crisis appears to coincide with the forthcoming World Cup scheduled for Russia in the summer. Right from the award of the monumental global event to Russia, spirited efforts have been made to revoke, cancel or alter the hosting of the 22018 World Cup in Russia – right from the very onset of the ‘poisoning crisis’, there have been calls for a boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Russia calmly swallowed the bitter pills of Olympic sanctions over alleged State sanctioned doping - it is very unlikely that Western boycott of the forthcoming World Cup on account of the current poisoning crisis, would be taken lightly in Moscow – the damage to relationships might be irreparable.

Hopefully, common sense will prevail before the situation deteriorates any further and stop the use of a poisoning in Salisbury as pretext to for a race back into global crisis.

Picture: Spy, Sergi Skripal, at his trial in Russia for espionage related offences.