by Stephen Lendman

They're polar opposites. They represent good v. evil. They do so at the most perilous time in world history. When global war is possible.

Rasmussen is a convenient US stooge. He heads NATO's killing machine.

He steps down end of September. He won't be missed. He violates inviolable national sovereignty rights. He spurns rule of law principles.

On September 15, Wall Street Journal editors featured his shameless op-ed. More on this below.

Lavrov is a world-class diplomatic. He works tirelessly for peace, stability and security. He deserves Nobel Peace Prize recognition.

It's reserved for war criminals like Obama. Maybe Nobel Committee members intend this year's award for Rasmussen.

On October 10, they'll announce their annual choice. It's reserved for hot warriors. Peacemakers needn't apply.

On September 21, Lavrov and John Kerry spoke. They did so by phone. They exchanged views often. They do often face-to-face and telephonically.

Lavrov stressed "the need for coordinated actions," he said. He urged them without longstanding US-led Western "double standards."

He called for "refrain(ing) from distortion of facts in the Syrian conflict."

He stressed "strictly follow(ing) the UN Charter and norms of international law."

He called for "unconditionally respect(ing) (Syrian sovereignty) when implementing the plans of the coalition formed by the United States, including the forceful operation."

Russia wants Security Council members having sole authority over regional anti-terrorist operations.

It's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin stressed it, saying:

"All other options will be regarded as illegal…(Otherwise they'll) undermin(e) international and regional stability," he said.

Iraqis must agree on what happens going forward. It's their country. "(T)hey('re) responsible for (its) future."

"We are extremely concerned over the voiced intentions to strike ISIS positions in Syria without any discussions with the national government in Damascus," said Churkin.

Doing so is naked aggression. Assad must consent to any US-led operations on Syrian territory.

Washington has no right to act unilaterally. Or with coalition partners, if any.

Or in violation of international law. Or for any reason without legal authority.

Lavrov expressed Moscow's desire for Western countries and allies to cooperate with Assad against terrorism.

Obama intends unilateral action if other countries won't join his anti-Assad coalition.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel repeated the threat, saying:

"US Central Command intends "targeted actions against ISIS safe havens in Syria."

It plans doing so with or without Assad's permission. It won't cooperate with his government.

IS is the pretext. Syria is the target. Regime change is the objective.

It's longstanding US policy. It's why Obama waged proxy war on Syria. It's why he and rogue allies use IS and likeminded groups as shock troops.

Russia remains concerned. It's well aware of US duplicity. It knows America plans regime change.

It previously expressed concern about US airstrikes targeting Syrian forces, facilities and infrastructure.

It invents pretexts when none exist. It does so to attack enemies. John Kerry raised the chemical weapons canard again.

Throughout many months of conflict, Syria abstained from using them. Extremist rebel elements used them numerous times. Assad was wrongfully blamed.

Kerry disgraces the office he holds. He's a serial liar. He wrongfully accused Assad of using chemical weapons many times before.

On September 21, he did again. He claimed an Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) report "strongly points to Syrian regime culpability."

He referred to chlorine gas use. OPCW's report didn't assign blame. Syrian officials categorically denied responsibility. No evidence disproves them.

It doesn't matter. Kerry repeats Big Lies with disturbing regularity. So do other US officials. Repetition gets people to believe them.

Obama wants any pretext to oust Assad. They're invented when none exist. His latest strategy is bombs away.

When follows remains to be seen. And whether he'll act with or without coalition partners.

Rogue states operate extrajudicially. None exceed US lawlessness. Expect Lavrov's warning to go unheeded.

Expect US aggression on Syria to follow. Expect timing at Obama's discretion.

Rasmussen supports it. He's Washington's man in Brussels.

He's militantly anti-Assad. He shamelessly calls Putin an enemy of liberty, democracy, and rule of law.

He lied saying so. He's a serial liar. He's a war criminal multiple times over.

He headlined his WSJ op-ed "The Dual Threats to Western Values."

Big Lies substituted for truth and full disclosure. He didn't surprise.

He named Middle East Islamic State terrorism and nonexistent "Russia(n) aggression against Ukraine" as "Western values" greatest threats.

He lied claiming Western "peace and security…are under threat like never before."

He's mindless about two global wars. And a possible US-led third one. With destructive weapons enough to end all wars. And humanity with it.

Current "challenges will last for years," he said. "(W)e need to face that reality," he added.

US-led NATO is a killing machine. It's an imperial tool. It deplores peace. It wages permanent direct or proxy wars.

Its members and partner states comprise one-third of world nations. It plans exponential expansion.

It wants new members and partners on every continent. It wants global police state powers.

It wants all outliers eliminated. It wants pro-Western vassal states replacing them.

It wants unchallenged control. It's waging permanent wars to achieve it.

It's ravaging humanity in the process. Don't expect Rasmussen to explain.

He lied claiming it "tried long and hard to build a partnership that respects Russia's security concerns…(B)ased on international rules and norms," he claimed.

He turned truth on its head saying Moscow "rejected (its) efforts to engage." Reality is polar opposite.

Russian officials go all-out to deal responsibly with NATO, its member states and all others.

Not according to Rasmussen. He lied claiming "Russia has trampled on all the rules and commitments that have kept peace in Europe and beyond since the end of the Cold War."

"It is now clear that Russia regards the West as an adversary, not a partner."

US-led NATO bears full responsibility for Middle East terrorist threats. Israel and Gulf states share it.

They created IS, Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. They did so to wage regional war. To oust independent governments.

To replace them with friendly stooge ones. To establish unchallenged regional control. To take full advantage of war spoils.

So-called Western values spurn "liberty, freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights."

They're convenient illusions. They're non-starters. They're verboten. US-led NATO thrives on permanent wars and instability.

Peace defeats its agenda. Don't expect Rasmussen to explain. He calls aggressors "free societies."

He blames sovereign independent states for their crimes. He prioritizes naked aggression. He does so to advance "Western values."

He supports Obama's permanent war agenda. His war on humanity.

He calls Europe and North America "core" global community members. Their strength isn't from "military might alone," he claims.

It's from so-called "Western values." They bear full responsibility for wars without end. For destroying one country after another another.

For imperial lawlessness. For eliminating fundamental freedoms. For trashing human and civil rights.

For preventing democracy at all costs. For instituting hardline rule.

For risking potentially humanity ending global war.

Rasmussen represents wealth, power and privilege. He outrageously claimed US-led NATO "brought unprecedented peace, progress and prosperity to billions of people."

He calls it "an historic achievement." Reality is polar opposite. Countries lie in ruin. Millions of corpses attest to US-led NATO's barbarity.

It bears repeating. Today is by far the most perilous time in world history. Washington bears full responsibility.

Rogue NATO partners, Israel, complicit Gulf states and Rasmussen share it. He's complicit in horrendous high crimes against peace.

Russia goes all-out to prevent them. To resolve conflicts responsibly.

Lavrov champions global peace. So does Putin. They're vilified for opposing might = right. For supporting right over wrong.

For opposing US-led NATO's conquest and dominance agenda. Stopping it is another matter entirely.

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

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

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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