By Reginald Johnson
Commentary
It's been 60 years since President John F. Kennedy gave the commencement address at American University in Washington, D.C., calling for peaceful coexistence with Russia. The address has been called one of the most important speeches in US history. Here's a brief excerpt:
"What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children --- not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women --- not merely peace in our time but peace for all time."
We can learn from Kennedy's words today. As tensions surrounding the war between Ukraine and Russia mount, it is critical that we find every possible way to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict, to avoid the unthinkable. The possibility of nuclear war between the US, which backs Ukraine, and Russia, is not out of the question. As Prof. Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia says in an interview about Kennedy's speech and its relevance today, the people who dismiss the possibility of a nuclear war "don't understand the world we live in." Sachs also said that US policies have been "shockingly dangerous" and led to "shocking devastation in Ukraine." Below is the interview with Prof. Sachs:
No comments:
Post a Comment