Over the years I've come to fear the influence of Brzezinski even more than that of Kissinger. The good Dr. always/usually appeared as a realist to my eye. A monster surely, but a realistic one, Brzezinski however, in my opinion, always seemed an ideologue more fixated on doing ill to Russia than doing good for America.
Brzezinski still thinks Putin is playing chess. Kissinger has long been aware that Go is the name of the game, and that Anglophones are just no good at playing Go. You didn't need to be a Chess Master or a Go Dan to recognise which game was being played out in Ukraine, or to notice that only one side was marching their troops into one encirclement after another. No brash rook advances or rapier like thrusts by bishops could overcome the strategic positionings of the necessary stones to end the liberty of the opposition.
Watch as things become clearer in Syria. Encircle, starve the enemy of ammunition, fuel, then open the door and entice more into the trap. Repeat as needed until the enemy's will is broken.
This is not the heroic capture of a king, rather the strategic placement of forces that cause the enemy to react in foreseeable ways. Ways that seem logical to the neophyte.
"Tell me how, given the outlooks guiding the American elite, we have any real world chance of implementing the kinds of social changes required to deal with the existential problems we face."
The answer of course is that as long as the "American Elite" remain in power, no solution is possible.
I am NOT advocating a coup,rebellion, or war to remove them. Any attempt strong enough to have any chance of success would be met with such resistance that the horrors of climate change would pale in comparison.
The American version of democracy won't allow even an aroused electorate to do the job & the elite media would never allow such an arousal.
The time to act was during Carter's presidency. If the American public hadn't been taken in by Reagan's "October Surprize". And of course if Carter could have seen through Brzezinski's war mongering advice, it's just possible that we would not be sitting on this climatic powder keg that is blowing up as we look on in amazement.
Sorry for straying so far from the topic.
We're cooked.
Terry