The Lead

Campaign for the ‘Oasis Plan’; Move Mountains

by Marcia Merry Baker (EIRNS) — Apr. 23, 2024

April 23, 2024 (EIRNS)—New initiatives in Eurasia this week conform in an exciting way with the “Oasis Plan” approach for economic development and security, concerning especially transportation, water, and power. The “Oasis Plan” concept was put forward in the 1970s by Lyndon LaRouche, statesman and economist, and today is the emergency intervention needed in mobilizing to stop the devastation in Palestine-Israel, and other warfare zones, and to stop the plunge into World War III.

The danger of military escalation, going even as far as nuclear annihilation, is shown in the U.S. Senate today, by its stampede to approve the $95 billion funding package, mostly for arms to Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and for other so-called “national security"/Big Brother programs, at home and abroad. The depravity and sheer ignorance among most of the 100 members of the highest legislative chamber in the United States were on dramatic display in the 10 hours of pre-vote speeches. The final vote was 79 in favor, and 18 opposed. Note that the measure contains authorization for more sanctions against Russia, China and Iran, all BRICS members.

In great contrast, the new diplomatic initiatives this week for friendship and infrastructure encompass meetings and commitments from Türkiye through to Pakistan, south to Africa, and very much involve Russia. Two of the principal nations directly involved in the new amity are new BRICS members, Iran and the U.A.E., along with BRICS founding member and host of the 2024 BRICS Summit, Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Iraq yesterday with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and President Abdul Latif Rashid for bilateral talks, during which visit, ministers from the U.A.E. and Qatar joined in for a four-nation commitment to the “Development Road Project.” That will involve building highways, rail connections, and other elements of connectivity, including building up Iraq’s Grand Faw Port, to serve transit of cargo, people, and ideas for a three-continent interface. The intent is to complete key connections by 2030. The leaders of Türkiye and Iraq also signed a strategic accord, under which rubric they signed 24 memoranda of understanding, including for improved sharing of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi went this week to Pakistan for meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and many leaders. This diplomacy overrides the flare-ups of border conflict, and opens up potential joint energy and transportation projects, long blocked by open or covert action from Western networks. For example, there is the prospect for the long-awaited gas pipeline to run from Iran to Pakistan, where fuel is very much needed.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin yesterday hosted a gathering in Moscow, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the start of construction of the Baikal Amur Mainline (BAM) railway. Noting that the new International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is on the same grand scale as the BAM, Putin said it is dedicated “for purposes of expedited economic and social development of Eurasian and Global South countries….” Putin said the INSTC runs from the Northern Sea Route to the Persian Gulf.

Symbolic of positive developments, despite terrible injustice, is the success of the new Afghan cargo train, which left Herat two days ago, bound across Iran, to its destination in Mersin, Türkiye. The Afghanistan Railway Department media release states that this train marks the first export shipment of mineral ore to Türkiye. No such train has run in five years. It is carrying 1,100 metric tons of talc.

These initiatives of connectivity and mutual benefit come from the same vantage point as the development principle behind the “Oasis Plan.” The urgency of campaigning for it is shown in the danger from the frenzied push for more war and blood profits for the military-industrial- financial complex.

Today U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak personally led the charge. He went to Poland, where he proclaimed that Britain will rush another $620 million of military aid to Ukraine. Tomorrow he will be in Berlin, meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. U.K. Defense Minister Grant Shapps gushed about U.K. arms to Ukraine, “This record package of military aid will give President Zelenskyy and his brave nation more of the kit they need to kick Putin out and restore peace and stability in Europe.”

The International Peace Coalition, initiated by Schiller Institute leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche, is playing the critical role, spurring the “Oasis Plan” idea and action for a new world economic and security architecture. The IPC message of invitation to its weekly Friday meeting, sent today, stated, “When we started the weekly IPC meetings nearly a year ago, we did this in order to unite the different elements of the peace movement in all countries, with the idea that as long as the different groups and organizations remain separated, they would not be powerful enough to overcome the escalating war danger. We have made significant progress, by uniting various elements, altogether some 1500 distinct individuals and representatives of institutions, who are active in the fight for peace, but this is clearly not enough. Just recently, the Schiller Institute conducted a very successful online conference presenting the Oasis Plan for a comprehensive economic development perspective for all of Southwest Asia, however, the strategic situation is moving closer to the point of no return….

“We therefore urge you to not only participate in the upcoming meeting this Friday, but to reach out to all your friends, associates and relevant institutions to join us, to deliberate on joint actions in order to overcome the danger of sliding into World War III in the near future. If the peace movement remains divided, we will not be strong enough. If we unite, we can move mountains.”