by Stephen Lendman

US-dominated NATO heads increasingly closer to direct confrontation with Russia - reckless imperial madness risking possible nuclear war.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced deployment of US troops and heavy weapons (including nuclear ones) in Eastern European countries closer to Russia's borders than ever before - an unprecedented belligerent act.

A US-dominated NATO 40,000-strong rapid reaction force is being established to counter a nonexistent Russian threat - including falsely claiming it may use intermediate-range nuclear weapons, an outrageous charge officials making it know is blatantly false.

Russia is a leading force for world peace and security. America, its rogue NATO partners and Israel threaten them like never before.

Russia's Foreign Ministry criticized NATO's latest moves as an agenda to achieve "dominance in Europe."

At a time Alliance members face no threats except ones they invent, a statement by its defense ministers said "NATO has increased its readiness and responsiveness to all potential threats…and to any contingency that might arise."

Continued US-led provocative eastward expansion is based on "the false pretext of alleged 'aggressive behavior' by our country," Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

It's accompanied by "unfriendly and malicious" rhetoric. "(S)uch an obvious return by the United States and its allies to the schemes of Cold War is fraught with an escalation of tensions and encourages an arms race."

These actions "poison the atmosphere for a long time on the European continent." They risk the unthinkable.

Former Polish Vice Admiral Marek Toczek expressed concern saying "(e)ither this is saber rattling, or a harbinger of something that can affect the people of Eastern and Central Europe, and not only them - a harbinger of extreme catastrophe of a kind humanity has never known."

"In Poland there are many people - their numbers difficult to estimate in percentage terms, but very likely a majority, who are against these sorts of political decisions."

Putin said forthrightly "(i)f someone threatens our territories, it means that we will have to aim our armed forces accordingly at the territories from where the threat is coming."

"How else could it be? It is NATO that approaching our borders. It’s not like we are moving anywhere."

He notably expressed concern about Washington's so-called missile defense entirely for offense targeting Russia's heartland. Moscow intends boosting its defenses along its Western borders in response to all provocative NATO actions.

June 26 marked the UN Charter's 70th anniversary pledging "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war…"

Fundamental principles were ignored requiring Member States to "settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered."

"All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."

No nation may attack another except in self-defense and only with Security Council authorization. Washington, other NATO belligerents and Israel make their own rules jeopardizing world peace and security. Lunatics in power threaten life on earth.

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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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