RAY'S VIEWS ONLINE

John Mearsheimer, a Professor at Chicago University, is a political scientist and international relations scholar who has developed a theory of “offensive realism”. The suggestion is that interaction between the world’s great powers is basically governed by a determination, in an unstable international system, to gain and maintain the security provided by regional dominance. It follows from this that each of these powers will seek, by overt and/or covert undermining, to limit or even prevent any achievement of such regional dominance by the others.

The Russia/USA confrontation in the Ukraine arguably provides a case in point. In the attached video, from China Global Television Network, Professor Mearsheimer offers his current interpretation and future anticipation. At a time when a dose of “realism” is arguably called for, it may be that some of the Professor’s views will be considered “offensive” by some people, as is the fact that he’s speaking on CGTN.

For myself, it’s what’s being said that’s of primary importance, and I find his analysis thought provoking. To what extent he’s right I can’t say, but I do think that what he says, if at times disturbing, is certainly worthy of attention …