Dear CCI Readers,
A CCI responder recently wrote that Ambassador Jack Matlock was “trying to offer defense of Russia’s violation of the UN Charter.” Ever ready to clear up misunderstandings, he kindly responded back with the following:
“I am not defending anything. I am trying to explain the psycho-log of the other side, which I consider essential if we are to avoid a catastrophe. I assume you were equally outraged when the U.S. bombed Serbia and detached Kosovo from it, and even more so when the U.S. invaded Iraq, destroyed the entire government, arranged the assassination of its president, and stimulated a rise of ISIS.
Unfortunately, the world has no means of enforcing international law—even if we could agree on what it is—if the most powerful nation in the world ignores it.”
Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives
PS: I wish we all could have the expertise, wisdom and memory Jack continues to exhibit in his 90s!