Panel 2

The Strategic Crisis Facing the Human Race

Harley Schlanger

Opening Remarks

Harley Schlanger serves on the Board of the Schiller Institute. For 20 years he was a national spokesman for Lyndon LaRouche. Mr. Schlanger moderated Panel 2, “The Strategic Crisis Facing the Human Race,” of the Schiller Institute conference, “The World at a Crossroad—Two Months into the Biden Administration.”

Welcome to Panel 2 of the Schiller Institute conference, “The World at a Crossroad: Two Months into the New U.S. Administration.” The topic of the second panel which we’re about to begin, is “The Strategic Crisis Facing the Human Race.” This is extremely timely, given events of the last days, as the issue confronting all of mankind was made abundantly clear. We’re facing a crisis of war or peace; a choice between an anti-human global bankers’ dictatorship, or peaceful cooperation and economic development; and between unilateralism backed by military power to enforce the so-called rules-based order, or a dialogue of civilizations in which the sovereignty of all states is respected by all.

By events of the last couple of days, I’m referring to the first encounter between the top officials in the Biden administration and the People’s Republic of China, which took place in Anchorage, Alaska. It had some moments of tension; it still remains to be seen what comes out of the meeting. But also, the very unfortunate remark by President Biden, in which he appeared to be agreeing with a commentator that President Putin of Russia is a killer. While Putin responded somewhat playfully, he also made a very serious proposal, that there be an immediate dialogue, person-to-person, between President Putin and President Biden.

This goes to what Helga Zepp-LaRouche of the Schiller Institute has been calling for since the beginning of last year; this kind of personal diplomacy of leaders of the great nations. This is in the tradition of the call by Lyndon LaRouche for a Four-Power Agreement between the United States, China, Russia, and India; because these are the four countries that have the economic power and the military power to stand up against the geopolitical maneuvers of the financial empire of the City of London and Wall Street. And at the same time, overcome the effects of neo-liberalism which has put the world financial system in an extremely fragile and dangerous place.

So, it’s absolutely appropriate that our keynote will come from Helga Zepp-LaRouche, who has dedicated many decades to building the idea of a dialogue of cultures as the basis for a New Paradigm.