NATO Heading for War with Russia?

by Stephen Lendman

US-dominated NATO is the greatest threat to world peace, stability and security. Washington wants regime change in Russia.

Economic and political wars rage. Ineffective in achieving America's aims. Russia is strong and resilient.

Putin is a master chess player. Obama is buffoon-like in comparison. His neocon infested administration threatens world peace.

Lunatics influencing policies promote permanent wars. Challenge Moscow irresponsibly.

Use Kiev's military as a proxy US force against Russia. Getting battered in the process. More on this below.

Deputy NATO Secretary-General/former US Defense Secretary for International Affairs Alexander Vershbow effectively runs the organization.

He played a major role in expanding NATO. Including outside Europe. Establishing new bases in Central Asia. Surrounding Russia with US military strength.

He calls the Russian Federation "more of an adversary than a partner." Vows "NATO enlargement will continue."

Lied saying its "core task is collective defense. We're taking legitimate steps to deal with instability created by Russia's illegal actions."

Asked earlier about deploying US forces to Eastern European states close to or bordering Russia, he said "I would not write off contributions from any nation."

NATO defense ministers agreed to strengthen the Alliance's Eastern European presence. Setting up a network of command centers to counter nonexistent "threats from Russia."

US ambassador to NATO, Douglas Lute, said Alliance flags will fly over its command centers in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.

Will new US regional bases provocatively follow close to Russia's border? Raising the specter of Cold War turning Hot.

On February 2, Vershbow highlighted nonexistent "threats pressing in on us from the East and from the South."

"To the East, Russia has torn up the international rule book," he absurdly claimed.

"It has returned to a strategy of power politics. It threatens not just Ukraine, but European and global security more generally."

Moscow threatens no one. Putin is committed to regional peace and stability. He's gone all-out for it throughout months of conflict. Thwarted by Washington's rage for war.

No Russian aggression exists. Not now or earlier. Not according to Vershbow.

Turning truth on its head saying its "aggression against Ukraine is not an isolated incident, but a game-changer in European security."  

"It reflects an evolving pattern of behavior that has been emerging for several years, despite our efforts to reach out to Russia and build a cooperative European security system with Russia."

Washington deplores peace. Wages permanent wars. Plans new ones. Challenges Russia irresponsibly. Goes all-out to subvert cooperative relations.

Vershbow repeated familiar Big Lies. Russia destabilizes Europe, he said. "(U)sed force to alter legally recognized borders…"

"(A)ctively subvert(s) the government of a neighboring state…(U)ndermine(s) (Ukraine's right) to choose (its) own future."

Putin "detach(ed) (Russia) from Europe." His "raison d'etre…is defined by opposition to the West."

"Russia's narrative - a false narrative, let me stress - is one of a country humiliated by a West that has tried to take advantage of its weakness since the end of the Cold War."

Its "current policy (is) confrontation with the West (and) unprovoked aggression against its neighbors."

Verhsbow has it backwards. Russia is the world's greatest force for peace and stability. US-dominated NATO policy is polar opposite.

Waging war on humanity. Naked aggression against one country after another. Risking direct confrontation with Russia.

Provocatively heading this way. Vershbow lied claiming "more Russian pressure against its neighbors" ahead.

"NATO (will) have no option but to respond," he said. Barely stopping short of declaring war.

Direct confrontation with Russia ahead looms increasingly possible. The unthinkable may become reality.

Especially given conditions in Ukraine. Its military battered. In disarray.

Facing increasing numbers of desertions. Mobilization stalled. Thousands of youths ignore conscription notices. Flee to Russia and other neighboring states.

Newsweek reported women aged 20 - 50 conscripted for war in Donbas. Maybe the lame, halt and blind are next.

The anti-regime hacktivist CyberBerkut group published Ukrainian Judge Advocate General documents Kiev wants suppressed.

Showing rebel forces routing its military. Inflicting devastating losses.

In the past two weeks alone, at least 1,100 Ukrainian troops were killed. Many more wounded.

Large numbers surrendered to rebel forces. Kiev lost over 100 tanks and armored vehicles.

So-called barrier squads fire on their own troops to prevent retreats. According to Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Defense Ministry spokesman Eduard Basurin:

"Ukrainian troops are demoralized, which is proven by an unprecedented incident…" A captured Kiev soldier said "anti-retreat units from territorial defense battalions were used against Ukrainian troops."

Poorly trained reserves are being rushed to the front. Making up for huge combat losses, mass desertions and defections.

Commanders are switching sides. Leaving subordinates to run things. RT International said "(t)he zone along the frontline is full of prowling deserters and bloodthirsty psychopaths dressed up in Ukrainian uniforms."

Citing CyberBerkut as its source. Saying "(w)e're CyberBerkut. We don't forget. We don't forgive."

Promising more information on "criminal organizations" responsible for starting "civil war in Ukraine."

John Kerry and outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel flew to Europe to discuss Ukraine and related issues.

Joe Biden will follow "in the next day or so," according to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

On Thursday, Kerry arrived in Kiev. He'll meet with regime officials. Discussing war on Donbas. Washington supplying more heavy weapons.

Getting more directly involved. Perhaps heading toward US boots on the ground. A provocative escalation if initiated. A game-changer.

Kiev's military is a spent force. Unable to defeat Donbas self-defense forces on their own. Washington didn't initiate war to quit.

It wants total control over its newest colony. A dagger used to target Russia. What's next remains to be seen.

Polls show Ukrainians strongly oppose war. Kiev's junta and Washington deplore peace. Plan conflict without end.

Manufacture threats justifying the unjustifiable. Perhaps a major false flag coming.

A previous article discussed a possible coup with hardcore Nazis assuming full power.

At a time war without end rages. Despite devastating regime losses. Ukraine's economy deteriorating toward collapse.

Extreme poverty and human misery increasing nationwide. How long will ordinary Ukrainians put up with regime policies destroying their welfare and futures?

Is Maidan 2.0 likely? This time grassroots, not Western planned and implemented.

Ukraine is a hotbed of fascist extremism, state terror, war without end and instability. What's ongoing should scare everyone.

Anything ahead is possible. From revolutionary change to WW III.

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.

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