{"article":{"id":267749,"heading":"Putin and Assad Address Western Imperialism","author":"Stephen Lendman","created":"2015-03-26 18:08:57","modified":"2015-03-26 18:08:57","last_modified":"Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:08:57","article":"<p>Putin and Assad Address Western Imperialism <br><br> by Stephen Lendman <br><br> US-dominated NATO is humanity's greatest threat. Its rage for war may kill us all. <br><br> Last November, Putin told Tass \"(w)e are strong because we are right.\" <br><br> Russia alone continues going all-out for regional peace and stability. Washington recklessly pursues endless conflicts. <br><br> Yemen exploding in war is the latest example. Obama bears full responsibility for what's happening. <br><br> US-deployed Red Sea warships may join Saudi and other Gulf states' naked aggression, according to CENTCOM. <br><br> Ukraine remains in the eye of the storm. Low intensity war could explode full-force any time at Obama's discretion. <br><br> Continental Europe is threatened. America's rage for dominance risks nuclear war.  <br><br> Never in human history has humanity's fate been more up for grabs than now. <br><br> Putin's commitment for world peace is humanity's best defense against neocon lunatics infesting Washington. <br><br> On March 26, he addressed a Federal Security Service (FSB) board meeting on major issues facing Russia at a time he called \"not an easy one.\" <br><br> \"The world situation has exacerbated,\" he said. \"We witnessed growing tensions in the Middle East and a number of other areas of the world, while a state coup provoked civil war in Ukraine.\" <br><br> \"Russia is making significant efforts to reconcile the parties and normalise the situation.\"  <br><br> \"We have already received and continue receiving thousands, even hundreds of thousands of refugees and are doing all we can to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.\" <br><br> US imperial policy is hugely destructive, destabilizing and lawless.  <br><br> Russia is the world's most important counterweight against policies able to destroy life on earth. <br><br> Sovereign Russian independence and forthright efforts to help people in need \"caus(ed) outright irritation on the part of those we traditionally call our colleagues and partners,\" said Putin. <br><br> \"They are using their entire arsenal of means for the so-called deterrence of Russia: from attempts at political isolation and economic pressure to large-scale information war and special services operations.\"  <br><br> \"As it was recently stated quite openly: those who disagree will have their arms twisted periodically.\"  <br><br> \"However, this does not work with Russia; it never has and never will.\" <br><br> \"Meanwhile, NATO is developing its rapid deployment forces and building up its infrastructure near our borders.\"  <br><br> \"Attempts are being made to violate the existing nuclear parity, European and Asia-Pacific segments of the ABM system are being created at an increased pace.\" <br><br> \"(N)ew weapons systems\" are being developed to wage war from space, he said. <br><br> Attempts to bully, pressure or otherwise push around Russia won't work, he stressed. <br><br> \"We have always had and will have an adequate response to all the domestic and external threats to national security,\" he maintained. <br><br> \"The situation cannot remain like this forever and it will change and I hope for the better, including around this country.\"  <br><br> \"It will change for the better only in case if we become stronger.\" <br><br> Putin thanked FSB and other Russian officials for major accomplishments in the face of great obstacles. <br><br> He applauded their courage to protect Russian security and national interests. <br><br> US-dominated NATO prepares recklessly for greater war.  <br><br> Russia stands resolutely for world peace and stability. Its efforts to prevent catastrophic nuclear war deserve universal support. <br><br> Bashar al-Assad hangs on valiantly as Obama's war on Syria enters its fifth year. <br><br> It continues causing devastating mass slaughter and destruction. It aroused overwhelming popular support for Assad. <br><br> Last June, he was reelected in an independently judged free, open and fair election by a nearly 90% majority. <br><br> The vast majority of Syrians can't imagine anyone else leading them. They want America's dirty hands off their country. <br><br> Assad said US-dominated Western policy in Syria and Ukraine aims to weaken Russia. <br><br> \"There is a connection between the Syrian crisis and what is happening in Ukraine,\" he said.  <br><br> \"Firstly, because both countries are important for Russia. Secondly, because there is a goal in both cases to weaken Russia and create a puppet state.\" <br><br> \"It is clear that the duty of any state is to protect the interests of the people and the country.\"  <br><br> \"And, of course, the role of the government is to implement these interests.\" <br><br> Assad said he \"welcome(s) the expansion of Russian presence in the eastern Mediterranean, especially near our shores and in our ports.\" <br><br> The Tartus facility is used for maintenance and resupplying Russian Mediterranean-based warships. <br><br> Assad awaits concrete evidence of US alleged interest in dialogue after John Kerry suggested readiness for direct talks. <br><br> \"We are still listening to the comments, and we have to wait for the action, and then we'll decide,\" Assad said. <br><br> Longstanding US duplicity gravely harmed Syria. It'll take much more than high-sounding rhetoric to change things. <br><br> \"Any international changes that come about within that framework are something positive, if they are honest and have an effect on the ground,\" Assad said. <br><br> Talks \"on the future of the Syrian president (are) for the Syrian people and all the declarations from outside do not concern us,\" he stressed. <br><br> Kerry's rhetoric days earlier about negotiating with Syria rang hollow. <br><br> \"We'll have to negotiate,\" he said - on US terms alone giving Syrians no say on who'll lead them. <br><br> State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki clarified Kerry's comments. <br><br> She said talks \"would not be, and would never be (with) Assad himself.\" <br><br> Washington wants his independent government toppled. It wants pro-Western stooge governance replacing it. <br><br> It wants an Israeli rival eliminated. It wants Iran isolated. It wants perpetual war and instability. <br><br> US warplanes continue bombing Syria. IS is the pretext. Syrian infrastructure the target. Regime change the objective. <br><br> America's imperial lawless may destroy life on earth. End it or it'll end us. <br><br> Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net\" rel=\"nofollow\">lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net<\/a>.  <br><br> His new book as editor and contributor is titled \"Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.\" <br><br> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html<\/a> <br><br> Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.  <br><br> Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. <br><br> It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. <\/p>\n","contact":"lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net","link":"sjlendman.blogspot.com","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"anti-war","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2015\/03\/267749.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}