“War – this is first the hope that one will be better off, then the expectation that the other will be feeling worse, afterwards the satisfaction that the other isn’t feeling better either, and finally the surprise that it got worse for both”. (Karl Kraus, Austrian Author, 1909)
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In June 1987, two and a half years before the Berlin Wall fell, US President Ronald Reagan said in his speech in Berlin: “Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
One generation later, in June 2022, we are facing the fact, that Russia and Europe are at war again. This war exploded on February 24 this year, when Russia began its “special operation” in Ukraine. But actually this war had started long before.
In fact, this war is about nothing else as about what “Europe” should be. What is “Europe”? Where does it start and where does it end? And who is in charge of “Europe”? Who is entitled to decide about “Europe”?
This question is enormously difficult to answer. It’s nearly impossible to answer it politically, because it has always been complicated historically. And it’s even indecisive geographically.
The only certain fact is, that “Europe” ends at the Atlantic Ocean in the West and at the Mediterranean Sea in the South. But even this is not for sure. What about Greenland, what about the Canary Islands? And it’s getting much more complicated in the East.
Where does “Europe” end? In Cyprus? In Turkey? In Ukraine? And here we are directly approaching the core of our recent conflicts: Who is entitled to decide about “Europe”?
Historically, “Europe” was ruled by many different powers. The history of “Europe” has been the most complicated on Earth. And its fate was always influencing the rest of the world. It’s enormously difficult to follow a clear pattern in the history of “Europe”, but there seems to be one:
Due to the analysis of Swedish scientist Carl Calleman, the fate of “Europe” changed about every four hundred years. European (“Western”) Superpowers were followed by Asian (“Eastern”) Empires. This development can be observed throughout “Europe’s” whole history, starting with the founding of Rome:
If we take a look at the last four hundred years, we can see the domination of “Western” (“European”) powers over the whole world. This era is now coming to an end:
The “West” has been dominating the world for the last four centuries. Had “America” first been colonies of “Europe”, the development has been reversed during the times. At last “Europe” (the European Union) had become a colony of “America” (the United States).
Now we are facing the termination of this process. The “Western Powers” are reaching their limits of expansion. We saw it in Iraq, we saw it in Syria, we saw it in Latin America and we saw it in Afghanistan. We are seeing it in Ukraine and we will see it in Taiwan.
What can we do, if we are aware of this? Either we find a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, or we will have to fight this out. Either Mister Putin and Mister Selenskyj agree on a solution for Ukraine (with its huge Russian minority), or the war will escalate. Either Vladimir and Wolodimir sit down at a table, or we all will be worse off.
By the way, this war was long foreseeable. So is its end. “Russia” will certainly not lose this battle – whatever the cost may be. So, either we make peace in Ukraine, or “Europe” will have come to its end.
“Mister Putin and Mister Selenskyj, tear down this war!”
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philosophic arts 