by Stephen Lendman

Obama consistently turns truth on its head. On Tuesday, he said America's upholds "the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small…"

No nation bullies, pressures and bludgeons other nations to comply with its wishes more than America. At the same time wrongfully accusing Russia of aggression in Ukraine.

No evidence whatever suggests it. Plenty shows US dirty hands responsible for Ukrainian crisis conditions. Ongoing conflict. Fascism in Europe's heartland.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is a world-class diplomat. A peace champion. Polar opposite his American counterpart.

He addressed journalists attending his annual Moscow press conference forthrightly. Explaining hard truths.

Saying "(t)he Americans have taken the course of confrontation and do not assess their own steps critically at all."

"Yesterday's speech by President Obama shows that at the centre of the (US) philosophy is only one thing: 'We are number one and everyone else should recognise that.' "

"It shows that the United States wants all the same to dominate the world and not merely be first among equals."

Lavrov urges "all countries to adopt the philosophy of cooperation, not diktat."

Attempts to isolate Russia won't work, he said. "Russia will never resort to self-isolation," Putin stressed.

"Relations between Moscow and Washington significantly deteriorated in 2014," said Lavrov.

"We call for resuming effective cooperation at a bilateral and international level. But dialogue is only possible if based on equality and respect for each other’s interests."

US-dominated NATO cut ties with Russia. Choosing confrontation over cooperation.

"NATO made an absolutely politicized decision to halt civil and military cooperation," said Lavrov.

"Almost all projects have been frozen. (Moscow) will not allow a new Cold War," he stressed. It won't play America's dirty game.

It's "aggressive (and) outdated." Accusing Russia of aggression in Ukraine flies in the face of reality.

No proof suggests it, said Lavrov. "I say it every time. If you are so sure in stating that, confirm it with facts."

"But no one can or wants to provide them." Duplicitous hyperbole substitutes.

Russia wants Ukraine's conflict resolved diplomatically. Washington wants war, not peace. So does Kiev's stooge government.

Talking peace. Waging war. Slaughtering defenseless Donbas civilians.

Fighting continues daily. Ukrainian artillery and warplanes attack residential communities. Violating fundamental international law.

Committing grave war crimes. Russia is the world's best hope for peace. Going all out to achieve it.

US belligerence defeats its best efforts. So does Kiev's stooge government beholden to Western interests.

"We are very concerned over the new outbreak of violence in southeastern Ukraine," said Lavrov.

"This was preceded by threatening statements out of Kiev. (Including) Poroshenko’s announcement of new waves of mobilization that will begin with 100,000" recruits.

In recent weeks, "new weapons, new equipment and military contingents have moved toward" Donbas.

Full-scale war followed. Poroshenko's peace rhetoric bought time to regroup.

Rearm with US supplied weapons. Other NATO countries providing more.

Thousands of Ukrainian forces were mobilized. Deployed east. Used against Donbas residents.

"We believe that delivering weapons to conflict zones contradicts all the codes of the European Union and the codes of the OSCE," said Lavrov.

Russian Federation economists disagree with Obama's claims about Russia's isolation. Its economy in tatters.

Reality is polar opposite, they said. Unemployment is low. Agribusiness holding its own.

Basic industries functioning well. Business and commerce making headway seeking new markets.

Dmitry Kamnev is Higher School of Economics deputy public finance chairman.

"It is the people and natural resources, such as oil and gas, that constitute the nation's main potential," he said.

"Russia is exploring new markets for its products in Asia. Contracts with China have been concluded. There are tangible financial reserves."

Presidential academy RENAPA Macroeconomic Studies Center senior fellow Olga Izryadnova called Obama's comments far-fetched.

Saying "reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated…Although the oil price slump and sanctions have had a painful effect on the economy Russia still has a (significant) growth potential."

Russian presidential academy senior lecturer Olga Malikova called Obama's comments fantasies. Polar opposite reality.

Current problems won't last, she said.. Russia's prospects are bright.

RENAPA Associate Professor Vasily Yakimkin called Obama's claims gibberish.

"Even though our economy is not in a very good condition: growth rates are falling, the risk of recession is looming on the horizon, we will go on developing no matter what," he said.

Higher School of Economics senior lecturer Igor Nikolayev denies Russian isolation. Its "current level of involvement in the world economy" can't be reversed, he explained.

Russian upper house Federation Council International Affairs Committee chairman Konstantin Kosachev said:

"We survived the 1990s, when everything was far worse. We have grown stronger. Without outside assistance."

"We shall survive and get stronger again. But only those who support Russia at such a dramatic moment, and not hamstring it, will eventually stand to gain."

Kosachev believes US anti-Russian policy may become its worst strategic error since the end of the Cold War.

"Bombastic rhetoric by the ‘world policeman’ about Russia’s isolation and so on may be good for internal use, but it certainly does not work in the real world," Kosachyov stressed.

"The worst risk is not that of losing the Russian market, which is still large and will certainly recover some day. It is about the loss of credibility and integration perspective."

"The expectations that power in Moscow will change hands and everything will get different are erroneous."

"Russians’ consolidation around their leader indicates that the people regard the current sanctions and other measures towards Russia as targeted against them personally."

"It is not a result of propaganda, but a direct effect of sanctions." Washington, not Putin, is blamed.

Russia's star is rising. America's place in the sun is fading. Arrogance and hubris its undoing. It's just a matter of time.

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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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