EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, 2022
On the Danger of Nuclear War: Speak Out, Before It’s Too Late
Dec. 15, 2022 (EIRNS)—The world remains in dangerous and escalating circumstances toward nuclear war. With the range of 2,000 nuclear warheads launch-ready on short notice in North America and Eurasia, the crazed hawk faction in Global NATO is attempting to impose a complete black-out of awareness of this reality, and of any voices sounding the alarm against it. But we can break out of the crisis.
There are emergency initiatives underway. Today, Schiller institute founder and leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche made an emergency statement in her weekly webcast, “On the Danger of Nuclear War: If There Are No Voices Speaking Out, It May Soon Be Too Late!”
Col. Richard H. Black (ret.) recorded the video message Dec. 14, “Will NATO Provoke World War III with Russia?” (Col Richard Black: Will NATO Provoke World War III With Russia? )
On Dec. 17, this Saturday, EIR News Service will host an emergency symposium, “Peace On Earth, or Humanity’s Doom? The Case for Negotiations,” with many strategic thinkers and specialists, conferring on further action.
Today came a significant example of the kind of genuine diplomacy that can pull the world back from the brink of catastrophe. An exchange took place between the Vatican and the nation of Russia, to the mutual benefit of all. The Vatican communicated a formal apology for untoward comments made about Russia in November in an interview, and the Russian government immediately accepted the action.
From Rome: “The Vatican Secretariat of State apologizes to the Russian side. The Holy See has the utmost respect for all peoples of Russia, their dignity, faith and culture, as well as for other countries and peoples of the world.”
From Moscow, in reply, stated Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
“The ability to admit one’s mistakes is increasingly rare in contemporary international communication. This situation shows that behind the Vatican’s calls for dialogue stands the ability to conduct this dialogue and to listen to the interlocutors. I can tell you right now that this approach evokes sincere respect. We think that this incident is over and we hope that we will continue constructive cooperation with the Vatican.”
The Vatican on Dec. 12 reiterated the Pope’s offer to be the host venue for negotiations to end the warfare in Ukraine. Then on Dec. 13, the Vatican office of the Secretariat of State spoke of the need for a return to the “Spirit of Helsinki,” referring to the 1975 Helsinki Accords diplomacy for mechanisms to assure continuing peace.
This is also the essence of the spirit of the 17th-Century Peace of Westphalia in action. Not at all merely an “anti-war” example, the content of this approach—of actively seeking to serve the common interest of humanity—is embodied in the ten principles for dialogue proposed Nov. 22 by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, for discussion everywhere.
That same approach is apparent in the address given today by China President Xi Jinping by video to the opening of the three-day, high-level ministerial meeting for the conclusion of COP15 Biodiversity Summit in Montreal. He overrode the premises of the conference that mankind harms nature, by beginning his short statement with the principle that development of humanity and a “harmonious ecosystem go together.” He said that we can “leverage the Global Development Initiative to give great benefits to all....”
The COP15/Convention on Biodiversity has been a parallel track to COP27/Convention on Climate since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, to promote the neo-colonialist idea that mankind is destroying the Earth by overpopulation and activity. It is long past due for this subversive, anti-scientific outlook to be ended.
If we cause a breakaway in time from the threat of nuclear annihilation, at the same time, we open the way for joint action for unprecedented development for mankind—the basis for peace.
Helga-Zepp LaRouche said in her emergency message today: “If there are no voices speaking in a reasonable way to maintain the chances for existence, it’s a foregone conclusion that sooner or later it will be too late! Right now, we are one step away from annihilation....
So join us on Saturday”—for the emergency EIR Symposium, “Peace on Earth, or Humanity’s Doom. The Case for Negotiations”—“and try to really awaken your neighbors, your friends, your colleagues, because if we don’t succeed in doing that, it may be too late one day very soon.”
