Latest news with #post-ColdWar
2 days ago
- Politics
Former Montana US Rep Pat Williams, who won a liberal- conservative showdown, dies at 87
HELENA, Mont. -- Pat Williams, a New Deal-style Democrat who won Montana's great liberal-conservative showdown of 1992 to become the state's lone voice in the U.S. House of Representatives, died Wednesday. He was 87. Williams died in Missoula of natural causes, family spokesperson Matt McKenna said Thursday. John Patrick Williams represented the western half Montana from 1979 to 1997. When the 1990 census eliminated one of two House seats the state held since 1912, Williams captured the new statewide district in a bruising race against the longtime eastern-district representative, Republican Ron Marlenee. The 51% majority was the slimmest of Williams' congressional career — and the first election defeat in Marlenee's 16-year career. The matchup was billed as a classic liberal-conservative confrontation and a microcosm of political battles being waged throughout the West over control of the land and its resources. It was a bitter, hard-fought contest — each man spent more than $1 million — and Williams said quickly after his victory that he would work to bring the state together. Williams first tried for the congressional seat in 1974, but he lost to fellow Democrat Max Baucus. Williams was elected to the post in 1978 when Baucus moved to the U.S. Senate. By the time of the face-off with Marlenee, Williams was a deputy whip in the House. He was an unabashed liberal, a staunch advocate for organized labor and a believer in the potential of government to help people. That won him the enmity of conservative groups such as Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. Williams defended the National Endowment for the Arts against pornography charges and opposed proposed constitutional amendments to outlaw abortion and flag desecration and to require a balanced budget. He opposed U.S. military intervention in the 1991 Gulf War and wanted post-Cold War defense savings to be used for public works projects. Williams tried to take a middle road in one of Montana's most divisive issues, wilderness, and environmental groups generally gave him strong support. He said the argument of jobs versus the environment presented a false choice because the state could not have one without the other. 'A clean environment ... has been and will be an absolute cash register for this state,' he said in 1992. His family said in a statement that Williams spent his life protecting wild lands and defending the working poor, arts, Native people and children with disabilities. 'He believed government could be a force for good, and that culture, wilderness, and education were not luxuries — but rights,' the statement said. After he left the House in 1997, Williams started teaching at the University of Montana, including courses in environmental studies, history and political science. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte recalled Williams as a 'dedicated public servant.' 'As Montana's longest-serving congressman, Pat championed Montana's interests, working to find common ground for nearly 20 years in Washington,' Gianforte said. Williams' wife, Carol, was the first woman to become minority leader in the state Senate. They have a son Griff, and two daughters, Erin and Whitney. Williams' cousin was daredevil Evel Knievel. Williams received a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver and a teaching degree from Western Montana College. Born Oct. 30, 1937, in Helena, Williams grew up in the mining city of Butte, and its traditionally Democratic unionized workforce was a major element of his power base. He taught in the Butte public schools for seven years, and the combination earned him a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee. Williams served in the Montana House in the 1967 and 1969 sessions. In 1968 he headed the Montana presidential campaign for Hubert Humphrey. He did the same in 1976 for Jimmy Carter. Williams got a firsthand look at Washington, D.C., from 1969 to 1971 when he worked as executive assistant to Montana Democratic U.S. Rep. John Melcher. Williams returned to Montana in 1971 and spent seven years as state head of the federally funded Montana Family Education Program, a career program for disadvantaged people. Williams will lie in state at the Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday and Thursday.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
From bunker bombs to Nobel dreams: Trumps war for peace
Choosing a military solution over a negotiated one in dealing with Iran is is a throwback to US unilateralism and regime change policies The US seems to have learned no lessons from the post-Cold War phase of its unilateralism and regime-change policies in the Middle East. Instead of a new peaceful and stable order being established under Washington's tutelage, it ended in the collapse of countries - not merely regimes - chaos, civil war, and the rise of Islamic extremism and terrorism. It is not clear what legitimate US core interests were served by its military interventions to re-order the political forces in the region. If the objective was also to remove regimes that were a threat to Israel's security and erode Russian influence in the region, some success may have been achieved in Iraq and Syria, though in a divided Libya Moscow seems to have gained ground. Giving Israel a freer hand in Lebanon and Syria, and a virtual carte blanche in Gaza and in the West Bank too, may have in the short term given it an upper hand in security terms but longer term the answer to Israel's security dilemmas may not lie in asserting its regional hegemony with the backing of the US. Israel has long viewed its core security challenge as emanating from a nuclear-armed Iran. It has worked hard over the years to mobilize US and European opinion against Iran's nuclear program. That this program has been subject to stringent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards has not reduced the virulence of Israel's campaign against it. Israel has for years raised the specter of Iran becoming nuclear within months or even weeks even though no proof is produced to support this belief. The IAEA has not backed Israel's allegations. These Israeli claims have resonated in the pro-Israel lobbies in the US to the point that President Donald Trump in his first term repudiated the nuclear agreement signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the UK and US) plus Germany. Under this agreement, Iran had accepted severe and even humiliating curbs on its nuclear program as a sovereign country, which included highly intrusive monitoring by the IAEA. In his second term, Trump sought to negotiate a new, much tougher, nuclear agreement with Iran that would deny it even some rights it had under the first one. A couple of rounds of talks took place, and the date for another round had been slated. These talks were being held under the shadow of timelines and intimidating ultimatums by Trump. It is not improbable that the US was engaged in a show of negotiations while actually preparing for an aerial strike against Iran. With Hamas and Hezbollah decimated and regime change having been carried out in Syria, Iran's hand was greatly weakened vis-à-vis Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu evidently calculated that this was the most opportune moment to do the unthinkable - attack Iran militarily and open the door to US military intervention in support of Israel. In other words, for Israel the objective would be to prevent any possible negotiated agreement between the US and Iran, and for Trump to seize the opportunity to eliminate Iran's nuclear capability by force, in particular its underground facilities with the use of B2s armed with bunker-busting bombs. Peace Prize path That Trump has chosen a military solution over a negotiated one is a throwback to US unilateralism and regime-change policies. The US attack on Iran is a gross violation of international law. It infringes the UN Charter. The US had no mandate from the UN Security Council to act against Iran. There is no provision in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that would allow the recognized nuclear powers to eliminate a suspected nuclear program of a non-nuclear state in violation of the Treaty. The US attack also cannot be justified as a pre-emptive one as Iran was not threatening to attack the US. The rhetoric of a rules-based international order has been exposed for what it is. The irony is that Trump's election rhetoric was against the US getting involved in wars abroad, which he believed had drained America's resources. His MAGA base wanted the US to focus on domestic priorities. Trump projected himself as against wars as such, as someone who would work to end conflicts. His position on the Ukraine conflict reflected this. His unfounded claim that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, as well as his offer to mediate between the two countries on Kashmir, is part of how he projects himself as a peacemaker. He now claims to have brokered an agreement between Rwanda and Congo and between Egypt and Ethiopia, among others. His efforts should, as he says, entitle him to four or five Nobel Peace Prizes. Pakistan tried to capitalize on Trump's obsession with a Nobel Prize by officially nominating him for one after his unprecedented invitation to a foreign military chief (the Pakistani field marshal) to lunch with him at the White House. This sycophantic ploy recoiled on Pakistan when virtually the next day Trump attacked Iran militarily. Trump believes that now summoning Israel and Iran to a ceasefire shows his commitment to peace. Unsurprisingly, his supporters in the US Congress have nominated him for the Nobel Prize. While Netanyahu publicly speaking of killing Ali Khamenei, Iran's spiritual leader, is one thing, Trump visualizing the possibility of assassinating him at an opportune moment on his social media account is egregious. Such talk of political assassination are being normalized in diplomatic discourse. Trump has also not ruled out regime change in Iran, potentially causing chaos in a country of over 90 million. A pause in a long-term conflict A ceasefire between Israel and Iran, even if it holds, is simply a pause. The underlying issues remain unresolved. Iran needs to give up its rhetoric that Israel has no right to exist. It is most unlikely that Iran will give up its nuclear program and its rights under the NPT. Iran has decided to end the monitoring of its program by the IAEA. Iran has accused the agency head of leaking information about its nuclear scientists to the US and Israelis and facilitating their assassination. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Iran's highly enriched uranium are not known. There are also some doubts about the extent of damage caused to Iranian nuclear sites by the US bombers, and therefore the assessment is that Iran's program could be revived quickly enough. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has questioned the integrity of IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi for pressuring Iran to allow renewed access to its nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, the US attack has exposed the inability of Moscow and Beijing to give protection to Iran during the conflict. Russia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Iran in January 2025. Iran is a member of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), two organizations in which both Russia and China play dominant roles. Putin has explained that Russia had offered to help build up Iran's air defenses but Tehran declined as it wanted to rely on its own capacities. The Iranian foreign minister went to Moscow and met Russian President Vladimir Putin, but whatever help is now given to Iran will be diplomatic - as well as potential assistance in building up its air defenses if Iran has learned the right lessons about its vulnerabilities. China, which signed a 25-year strategic accord with Iran and is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, has stood aloof from the conflict in practical terms although, unlike in the case of Russia, its rhetoric against Israel is harsh. Russia itself is involved in a major conflict and would want to avoid alienating Trump. China too has major stakes in managing its tense ties with the US. Iran has suffered and so has Israel. The story is not yet over. (
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Former Montana US representative Pat Williams, who won a liberal-conservative showdown, dies at 87
The 51% majority was the slimmest of Williams' congressional career — and the first election defeat in Marlenee's 16-year career. The matchup was billed as a classic liberal-conservative confrontation and a microcosm of political battles being waged throughout the West over control of the land and its resources. Advertisement It was a bitter, hard-fought contest — each man spent more than $1 million — and Williams said quickly after his victory that he would work to bring the state together. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Williams first tried for the congressional seat in 1974, but he lost to fellow Democrat Max Baucus. Williams was elected to the post in 1978 when Baucus moved to the U.S. Senate. By the time of the face-off with Marlenee, Williams was a deputy whip in the House. He was an unabashed liberal, a staunch advocate for organized labor and a believer in the potential of government to help people. That won him the enmity of conservative groups such as Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. Williams defended the National Endowment for the Arts against pornography charges and opposed proposed constitutional amendments to outlaw abortion and flag desecration and to require a balanced budget. He opposed U.S. military intervention in the 1991 Gulf War and wanted post-Cold War defense savings to be used for public works projects. Advertisement Williams tried to take a middle road in one of Montana's most divisive issues, wilderness, and environmental groups generally gave him strong support. He said the argument of jobs versus the environment presented a false choice because the state could not have one without the other. 'A clean environment ... has been and will be an absolute cash register for this state,' he said in 1992. His family said in a statement that Williams spent his life protecting wild lands and defending the working poor, arts, Native people and children with disabilities. 'He believed government could be a force for good, and that culture, wilderness, and education were not luxuries — but rights,' the statement said. After he left the House in 1997, Williams started teaching at the University of Montana, including courses in environmental studies, history and political science. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte recalled Williams as a 'dedicated public servant.' 'As Montana's longest-serving congressman, Pat championed Montana's interests, working to find common ground for nearly 20 years in Washington,' Gianforte said. Williams' wife, Carol, was the first woman to become minority leader in the state Senate. They have a son Griff, and two daughters, Erin and Whitney. Williams' cousin was daredevil Evel Knievel. Williams received a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver and a teaching degree from Western Montana College. Born Oct. 30, 1937, in Helena, Williams grew up in the mining city of Butte, and its traditionally Democratic unionized workforce was a major element of his power base. He taught in the Butte public schools for seven years, and the combination earned him a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee. Advertisement Williams served in the Montana House in the 1967 and 1969 sessions. In 1968 he headed the Montana presidential campaign for Hubert Humphrey. He did the same in 1976 for Jimmy Carter. Williams got a firsthand look at Washington, D.C., from 1969 to 1971 when he worked as executive assistant to Montana Democratic U.S. Rep. John Melcher. Williams returned to Montana in 1971 and spent seven years as state head of the federally funded Montana Family Education Program, a career program for disadvantaged people. Williams will lie in state at the Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday and Thursday.
Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
UK to Acquire F-35A Jets to Reinforce Nuclear Deterrent
The United Kingdom has announced plans to purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets from the United States-aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The move marks the most significant expansion of Britain's nuclear capabilities in a generation, as the country prepares to diversify its deterrent beyond its longstanding reliance on nuclear-armed submarines. At present, the UK's nuclear posture is based solely on its fleet of four Vanguard-class submarines. With the new acquisition, for the first time since the post-Cold War defence cutbacks of the 1990s, the Royal Air Force will once again play a direct role in the nation's nuclear strategy. The announcement was timed to coincide with the NATO summit held in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Keir Starmer framed the decision as a dual message: an enhancement of national security, and a reaffirmation of the UK's steadfast role in NATO at a time when nuclear risks are on the rise. ?In a time of growing global instability, we must recognize that peace can no longer be taken for granted,? Starmer said. ?This investment reflects my government's clear commitment to our national defence.? He underscored the UK's unwavering loyalty to the NATO alliance and its shared responsibility to safeguard the Euro-Atlantic region in the years ahead. The F-35A aircraft are part of NATO's dual-capable aircraft (DCA) programme, designed to support the deployment of US nuclear bombs in Europe. Only a handful of alliance members-such as Germany and Belgium-currently possess the necessary jets and trained crews to fulfill this role. Britain's decision to join their ranks significantly strengthens NATO's collective deterrence. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte offered a warm endorsement of the plan, calling it a ?robust and welcome? contribution from the UK. While the exact timeline for delivery of the F-35As has yet to be confirmed, the British government has stated that the aircraft will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk-already a hub for the UK's existing fleet of F-35B stealth fighters. This development also comes amid a broader push by European NATO members to ramp up defence budgets. Concerns over Russian aggression, paired with uncertainty surrounding the long-term US military commitment to Europe, have accelerated discussions about self-reliance within the alliance. A key point on the summit's agenda was a proposed pledge for NATO members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, a target promoted in part to satisfy US President Donald Trump's repeated demands for greater European burden-sharing. Though widely supported by some members, the proposal has met resistance. Spain has criticized the goal as unrealistic, while Belgium has indicated it is unlikely to meet the threshold. Against this backdrop, Britain's commitment to acquiring nuclear-capable aircraft is not just about hardware-it signals a broader strategic shift and a determination to maintain a strong and flexible deterrent in a more dangerous world.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Montana US Rep Pat Williams, who won a liberal- conservative showdown, dies at 87
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Pat Williams, a New Deal-style Democrat who won Montana's great liberal-conservative showdown of 1992 to become the state's lone voice in the U.S. House of Representatives, died Wednesday. He was 87. Williams died in Missoula of natural causes, family spokesperson Matt McKenna said Thursday. John Patrick Williams represented the western half Montana from 1979 to 1997. When the 1990 census eliminated one of two House seats the state held since 1912, Williams captured the new statewide district in a bruising race against the longtime eastern-district representative, Republican Ron Marlenee. The 51% majority was the slimmest of Williams' congressional career — and the first election defeat in Marlenee's 16-year career. The matchup was billed as a classic liberal-conservative confrontation and a microcosm of political battles being waged throughout the West over control of the land and its resources. It was a bitter, hard-fought contest — each man spent more than $1 million — and Williams said quickly after his victory that he would work to bring the state together. Williams first tried for the congressional seat in 1974, but he lost to fellow Democrat Max Baucus. Williams was elected to the post in 1978 when Baucus moved to the U.S. Senate. By the time of the face-off with Marlenee, Williams was a deputy whip in the House. He was an unabashed liberal, a staunch advocate for organized labor and a believer in the potential of government to help people. That won him the enmity of conservative groups such as Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. Williams defended the National Endowment for the Arts against pornography charges and opposed proposed constitutional amendments to outlaw abortion and flag desecration and to require a balanced budget. He opposed U.S. military intervention in the 1991 Gulf War and wanted post-Cold War defense savings to be used for public works projects. Williams tried to take a middle road in one of Montana's most divisive issues, wilderness, and environmental groups generally gave him strong support. He said the argument of jobs versus the environment presented a false choice because the state could not have one without the other. 'A clean environment ... has been and will be an absolute cash register for this state,' he said in 1992. His family said in a statement that Williams spent his life protecting wild lands and defending the working poor, arts, Native people and children with disabilities. 'He believed government could be a force for good, and that culture, wilderness, and education were not luxuries — but rights,' the statement said. After he left the House in 1997, Williams started teaching at the University of Montana, including courses in environmental studies, history and political science. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte recalled Williams as a 'dedicated public servant.' 'As Montana's longest-serving congressman, Pat championed Montana's interests, working to find common ground for nearly 20 years in Washington,' Gianforte said. Williams' wife, Carol, was the first woman to become minority leader in the state Senate. They have a son, John G., and two daughters, Erin and Whitney. Williams received a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver and did graduate work at Montana State University. Born Oct. 30, 1937, in Helena, Williams grew up in the mining city of Butte, and its traditionally Democratic unionized workforce was a major element of his power base. He taught in the Butte public schools for seven years, and the combination earned him a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee. Williams served in the Montana House in the 1967 and 1969 sessions. In 1968 he headed the Montana presidential campaign for Hubert Humphrey. He did the same in 1976 for Jimmy Carter. Williams got a firsthand look at Washington, D.C., from 1969 to 1971 when he worked as executive assistant to Montana Democratic U.S. Rep. John Melcher. Williams returned to Montana in 1971 and spent seven years as state head of the federally funded Montana Family Education Program, a career program for disadvantaged people. Williams will lie in state at the Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday and Thursday.
