Several developments are now changing the course of history. Today, the three-day Munich Security Conference has opened, which has led to much frenzy and outrage from the Atlanticist faction of war hawks and oligarchs in Global NATO who wish to deny the reality of Russia’s defeat of Ukraine on the battlefield. The opening of the Munich Security Conference was addressed by the U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who said among many good and bad things, that democracy and free speech are being suppressed in Europe, citing the canceling of the Romanian elections as an example. The Romanian opposition candidate, Calin Georgescu, who had won the first round of elections and has made clear his opposition to NATO’s escalation of the war in Ukraine, was blatantly barred from participating in the second round by the Supreme Court, under faulty pretenses of Russian “election interference.”

On Feb. 12, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone, with their discussion addressing the state of the current Ukraine conflict. Trump had stated before that he believed Ukraine entering NATO was “impractical,” and then went beyond to acknowledge that Russia had legitimate security interests in the region.

What’s important, however, is not to focus on Trump’s actions, which are clearly producing reverberations throughout the world. But, there is a 500-year process of colonialism which is clearly coming to an end, and a new quality of thinking is required, as Schiller Institute Chairwoman Helga Zepp-LaRouche has proposed in her “Ten Principles for A New Security and Development Architecture.” That statesmen-like quality of thinking was expressed by South African leader Dr. Naledi Pandor in her remarks to the 89th weekly meeting of the International Peace Coalition. She expressed support for Lyndon LaRouche’s Oasis Plan as a constructive solution to the conflict in Southwest Asia, and emphasized the spirit of South Africa’s resilience to apartheid as a reference point for bringing together all nations and peoples in the common interest of the future. By bringing together the “adults in the room,” an international Council of Reason can shape a responsible, mature transition to a new security and development architecture, based on economic development for all as the basis for peace.

The main problem to be confronted by people is their habitual practice of spectating on global developments and not taking responsibility to change the course of history. Lyndon LaRouche and the organization he founded over 50 years ago demonstrated that thinking citizens could influence policy-making institutions.

Today’s Manhattan Town Hall Program will feature Harley Schlanger, TLO Spokesman; Mike Robinson, UK Column editor; and Cliff Kiracofe, former Senior Professional Staff Member of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and President of the Washington Institute for Peace and Development.