by Stephen Lendman

Longstanding US plans call for regime change in Russia. Targeting its sovereign independent government. Its main Eurasian rival.

Washington wants pro-Western stooge governance installed. By color revolution or war. US hegemonic ambitions threaten world peace.

Things are more dangerous today than any time since events preceding WW II. Russian economist/political analyst Mikhail Delyagin expects a major anti-Russian provocation.

Expressing his views on Pravda radio. Saying "things and information of a unique character…threaten us all very much."

Ukraine is a pretext. A US-led NATO platform. A dysfunctional, criminal Washington installed neo-Nazi regime.

Economically bankrupt. With no legitimacy whatever. Dependent on outside support for survival. America's newest colony.

Controlling policy. Calling the shots. What Washington says goes. Kiev's stooge regime salutes and obeys. Otherwise it's replaced. Color revolution 3.0 installing another.

"Why did the Ukrainian crisis happen," Delyagin asked? "What is the fundamental reason? Why did the Americans get into it so deep(ly)?"

Because Washington, China and the EU are the "three (major) global players," says Delyagin. Destroying "EU cooperation with Russia eliminates it as an independent participant in global competition, which is what we see now."

Leaving America and China the two remaining dominant world players. A "real cold war" exists.

Hot war in Ukraine. EU/Russian trade is important. European sentiment favors "retor(ing) relations," Delyagin believes.

Washington wants Russia "rip(ped)" from Europe. Unsuccessful so far. The MH17 false flag provocation failed.

Russia had nothing to do with it. Nor Donbas freedom fighters. Ukrainian Sukhoi-25 warplane cannon fire was responsible.

Verifiable satellite/radar data showed its aircraft tailing MH17 before idestruction. Fuselage penetration holes were consistent with cannon rounds.

"The sequel is coming," said Delyagin. "There will be another provocation…We got some information. (I)ndirectly confirm(ed) from the West."

Saying Ukraine's army "goes on (a fake) offensive. (I)t pretends to attack. (S)oldiers carry out a massive artillery preparation."

Then "a tactical nuclear warhead explodes in the zone of the offensive of the Ukrainian army."

Russia is blamed. Unjustifiably. Perhaps to no avail. America alone ever used nuclear weapons. Doing it again "is not so difficult," said Delyagin.

Estonia's Paldiski port has warehouse stored radioactive waste. US-led NATO "reportedly delivered (radioactive) cargo." Not "waste to be disposed of."

The scheme goes like this, said Delyagin. Unable to blame Russia for MH17, "we will explain to everyone that the damned Russian barbarians had used nuclear weapons against the defenseless Ukrainian army."

Putin gets blamed. No one in Russia "can deploy a tactical nuclear weapon without the direct order from the Supreme Commander."

At issue is destroying EU/Russian relations. Disrupt trade. Sever normal political ties. Perhaps block Russian media in Western countries and Japan.

"Given the infinite cynicism of our American, as many say, "colleagues." Nothing too outrageous is beyond their scheming.

Even detonating a nuclear device. False flag criminality blaming Russia. 9/11 on steroids. Too grave to ignore.

With no evidence to photograph for forensic examination. Unlike MH17. "(T)o prove it's not us."

Attempts so far to blame Russia for Ukrainian crisis conditions failed. Evidence, or lack of it, debunked Western claims.

Nuclear detonation is different, said Delyagin. Leaving no fingerprints. Perhaps before Christmas. For holy day shock value.

Delyagin predicted Ukraine's coup. Expected it last February. On Sochi's winter Olympics first day. It came at the end. Two weeks later. On February 22.

Whether he's right or wrong about a nuclear false flag remains to be seen. Lunatics in Washington make anything possible.

The unthinkable could follow mass nuclear casualties. Perhaps successfully isolating Russia. Then direct East/West confrontation.

Conflict launching nuclear war. What decades of MAD (mutually assured destruction) prevented. Perhaps no longer.

It remains to be seen. Not for long if Delyagin's before Christmas scenario proves right.

On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met John Kerry in Rome. Their 17th meeting this year.

Resolving nothing. Washington entirely to blame for Ukrainian and most other world conflict conditions.

A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said:

"When discussing bilateral relations Lavrov stressed that their development is possible only on the basis of equality and mutual interests, while any attempts to pressure Russia have no prospect,"

Lavrov and Kerry discussed Ukraine. The Russian diplomat stressing the importance of observing Geneva and Minsk agreements.

Ones Kiev spurned. Violated straightaway. On orders from Washington. Showing no credible signs of observing now. Conflict conditions remain. Lavrov hopes otherwise saying:

"In the context of the situation in southeastern Ukraine, the consistent implementation of the Minsk agreements is paramount, as well as the convening of a contact group for this purpose as early as possible."

Illegitimate oligarch president Petro Poroshenko is Washington's man in Ukraine. A convenient stooge. Obeying orders. On command.

Intending more war. His phony "regime of silence" is head-fake deception.

Saying it helps him regroup. Build troop strength. Rearm. Restore combat readiness. Prepare for more conflict. On orders from Washington.

Current conditions reflect the calm before the storm. Whether by nuclear false flag deception, another US/Kiev provocation, or other pretext remains to be seen.

It bears repeating. Washington wants pro-Western stooge governance replacing sovereign Russian independence.

Its master plan calls for world conquest. Perhaps using nuclear confrontation to achieve aims. Madness by any standard.

A Final Comment

Russia Today interviewed Mikhail Gorbahev. Soviet Russia's last leader. Now aged 83.

Saying America needs Perestroika reforms. Restructuring. Politically. Economically. Militarily.

"They can call it any name they want," said Gorbachev. "(I)t's not easy for them. (W)ith the society they have."

Creating nonexistent enemies. Stoking tensions. Creating instability. Bullying other nations. Shifting responsibility.

"Whenever tensions are high, whenever there's instability in a certain country or throughout the region, it’s an opportunity for (Washington) to intervene," said Gorbachev.

"I am quite familiar with this policy from my own experience," he explained. It's up to Europe to prevent a new Cold War, he believes.

One potentially much more dangerous. Deescalation is vital. When things risk spinning out of control. Sparking more serious confrontation.

Risks too dangerous to permit. Washington bears full responsibility. Fueling anti-Russian sentiment is unacceptable.

Gorbachev believes time remains to change things. At the same time, knowing what Russia faces.

Washington needs enemies, said Gorbachev. To exert "pressure. They can't live without it. They are still enslaved by their old policy."

Ukraine is America's pretext for whatever follows. For its anything goes policy.

For sparking East/West confrontation. What no responsible government would permit. What Washington prioritizes.

Furthering its hegemonic aims. It bears repeating. Madness by any standard.

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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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