by Stephen Lendman

The London-based European Leadership Network (ELN) focuses on defense and security issues. Its new report is titled “Preparing for the Worst: Are Russian and NATO Military Exercises Making War in Europe more Likely?”

It warned about war games making a clash between the world’s dominant nuclear powers more likely. “Each exercise is seen as provocative by the other side and feeding a dynamic of distrust and unpredictability,” said ELN’s Ian Kearns. “Everyone is focusing on the deterrent value of big exercises, but there is a downside and that is the risk factor. Politicians have to show political judgment and restraint about when is the right time to scale down what could be a spiraling sequence of exercises.” More on ELN’s report below.

Washington keeps upping the stakes for direct confrontation. Provocative military exercises near Russia’s borders risk the unthinkable. So does America’s empire of bases in areas where it doesn’t belong - notably encircling Russia and China.

US-dominated NATO threatens world peace. Lunatics in Washington intent on regime change up the stakes for possible nuclear war perhaps like never before.

Orwellian Alliance statements like the following on August 12 conceal what going on, saying:

“NATO military exercises are intended to enhance security and stability in Europe. All NATO military activities are proportionate, defensive, and fully in line with our international commitments.”

False! NATO war games near Russia’s borders are provocative - preparing for offense. Moscow holds its exercises defensively on its own territory - threatening no one.

NATO: The Alliance “has made repeatedly clear that we not seek confrontation with Russia. For over two decades, we have tried to build a cooperative relationship with Russia. But Russia has changed borders by force, continues to support separatists in Ukraine and threatens to base nuclear missiles close to Alliance borders.”

False! Washington makes NATO policy. It imposed multiple rounds of lawless sanctions on Russia. It pressured European nations to impose their own - harming their economies.

Hostile actions by US officials show America seeks confrontation, not cooperation. Russia changed no borders by force. It’s gone all-out to resolve conflict in Ukraine. It intends whatever defensive actions are necessary to counter US aggressiveness.

NATO lied saying it “increased its presence in (Eastern Europe) to enhance collective defense.” US-dominated NATO from inception has been an alliance for offense, not defense.

Its aggressiveness represents the greatest threat to world peace. Russia goes all-out to preserve it. Moscow doesn’t threaten or attack other countries.

America wages endless wars of aggression against invented enemies threatening no one. It prioritizes violence and instability. It spends more on militarism and war-making than the rest of the world combined.

ELN’s report absurdly accuses Russia of instigating “dangerous brinkmanship which has resulted in many serious close military encounters between (its forces) and NATO…over the last 15 months.”

Fact: Provocative NATO exercises near Russia’s borders elevate brinksmanship to a dangerously high level. Washington bears full responsibility for heading things toward possible direct confrontation. Russia responsibly readies defensive measures to implement if necessary.

On the one hand, its top priority is maintaining world peace, avoiding war. On the other, it’ll do whatever is necessary to defend its homeland.

ELN is right saying “Nato is preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia.” It’s wrong implying Moscow wants conflict with Alliance countries.

It wants world peace and stability, cooperation among all nations, and none interfering in the internal affairs of others - a US specialty in blatant violation of international law.

Accusations of Russia saber-rattling are polar opposite hard facts. Claims about its military threat are pure fantasy.

America, in contrast, is a global aggressor, a bully of historic proportions - permanently at war in multiple theaters, planning others to advance its imperium, risking global war, possible nuclear confrontation able to end 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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