Obama in Europe

by Stephen Lendman

Wherever he goes, trouble follows. He's the latest in a long line of rogue US leaders.

Contempt for rule of law principles, duplicity and moral cowardice define them. Pretense otherwise doesn't wash.

Obama exceeds the worst of his predecessors. He's guilty of high crimes too grave to ignore.

Millions worldwide call America a pariah one. They do so for good reason. Its imperial agenda targets fundamental freedoms for elimination.

Obama went all-out to destroy them on his watch. He did so at home and abroad. He made planet earth unsafe to live on.

More than any of his predecessors. He waged political, economic and hot wars on humanity. They rage out-of-control.

He left Monday. He spent two days in Poland.

Ostensibly for Polish Freedom Day. Marking its liberation from Soviet Russia's control.

He met with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Then with Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian and Slovakian officials.

He met one-on-one with Ukrainian President-elect Petro Poroshenko. He pledged full US support. Political, economic and military.

To harden fascist governance. To crush Eastern Ukrainian freedom fighters. To head Ukraine for NATO membership.

To establish US bases on Russia's borders. To encroach on its entire Western flank. To target its heartland.

To weaken and isolate a major rival. To replace it with pro-Western vassal govenance if all goes as planned.

On June 4 and 5, he was at NATO headquarters in Brussels. He met with other G-7 leaders. It's no longer G-8. Russia is excluded.

Obama came to pressure European allies for stiffer sanctions. He'll get little more than already imposed.

Germany, France, Britain and other EU nations value strong political and economic ties.

They won't sacrifice what's too important to preserve. They'll maintain confrontation with Russia over Ukraine.

On June 6, Obama headed for France to commemorate D-Day's 70th anniversary. His agenda prioritizes bashing Russia.

It's enlisting greater support for Kiev putschists. A Fact Sheet on his trip headlined "European Reassurance Initiative and Other US Efforts in Support of NATO Allies and Partners," saying:

Washington "act(ed), both bilaterally and through NATO, to reassure allies of our solemn commitment to their security and territorial integrity as members of the NATO Alliance."

It calls a "persistent US (regional) presence…especially in Central and Eastern Europe…" vital to support allies "robustly."

It lied about "Russia's occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea and other provocative actions in Ukraine."

Washington "stands by its allies…We will continue to take actions that increase the capability, readiness, and responsiveness of NATO forces to address any threat and that aid in deterring further destabilizing activities."  

"That is why the President today called on Congress to support a European Reassurance Initiative of up to billion." It's for bolstering America's presence. It targets Russia.

National Security Advisor Susan Rice explained. "The United States, working with our European partners, has rallied to isolate and pressure Russia for its activities in Ukraine," she said.

"That's the kind of leadership that only the world's greatest power can bring to bear."

Obama plans greater commitment to NATO allies. With "support of Congress, the United States will preposition more equipment (and US forces) in (Eastern) Europe," he said.

"Given the situation in Ukraine right now, we have also increased our American presence."

"We've begun rotating additional ground troops and F-16 aircraft into Poland…to help our forces support NATO air missions."

He called NATO "the cornerstone of our own security." It's a dagger at humanity's heart.

It's an imperial tool. It's a global killing machine. It prioritizes war. It deplores peace. It threatens humanity's survival.

Ahead of scheduled meetings, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen explained the Alliance's position.

He's a convenient US stooge. He turned truth on its head doing so. He substituted Big Lies for NATO's real agenda.

"All (Alliance) allies made clear that we condemn the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea and Allies will not recognize it," he said.

"We commend the people of Ukraine for holding free and fair elections largely in line with international standards."

"They clearly voted for a united Ukraine. Their choice must be respected and we urge Russia to engage constructively with the newly elected President."

"We call on Russia to withdraw its troops fully and verifiably from Ukraine's border, with additional international inspections."

"To stop the flow of arms and fighters into Ukraine. To condemn armed separatists…"

To challenge "Russia's illegal aggression against Ukraine."

Rasmussen praised Ukraine's sham election.

"Despite criminal violence, intimidation and provocation by pro-Russian armed gangs, the Ukrainian people have made their voice heard," he said.

And (it) must be respected. So we look forward to working with the new president of Ukraine."

"We stand firm in our support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity."

We do not and will not recognize Russia's armed annexation of Crimea."

"And we strongly support Ukraine's right to choose its own path for the future."

"We have made unprecedented pledges imposing restraint on our military posture, and we have kept them."

"…Russia has not kept its pledges. (It) threatened its neighbours, and used force against them."  

"It has not respected the territorial integrity or political independence of other countries."

All NATO measures "are defensive, moderate, proportionate, transparent, and fully compliant with our international commitments, including the Founding Act."

"They are not a threat to Russia. It "must show (it's) prepared to play by the same rules as everybody else."

It bears repeating. NATO is an imperial tool. It's a global killing machine. It targets humanity. It ravages one country after another. It threatens world peace.

Russia is polar opposite. It deplores war and instability. It goes all-out for peaceful conflict resolution.

It affirms UN Charter and other rule of law principles. It believes nation-state sovereignty is inviolable.

It challenges US hegemonic ambitions. It does so responsibly. It's proud and re-assertive. It's not about to roll over for Washington.

It's on the right side of history. Its agenda is the best hope for world peace. It's more than ever needed now. Humanity's fate hangs in the balance.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour