Rick Rozoff

Putin warns of missile threat to Russia as U.S. guided-missile destroyers enter Baltic, Black Seas

In comments that got past editors in the Western news media, President Vladimir Putin in a recent Russian television interview accused the West of abusing what were good relations at the time (1999-2004) to expand NATO up to Russia’s borders. And in doing so, he specified, violated verbal pledges made by American officials to then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, adding that the latter is alive and in good health and can confirm what he was told. In a candid assessment of the matter, Putin added:

"I do not want to use harsh words, but they simply spat upon our interests and that’s that.” [Link]

Lengthy excerpts of his comments were published on the English-language site of the government news agency TASS on June 9.

The most significant, and most alarming, aspect of the interview is the Russian president’s warning of Ukraine joining NATO. Contrary to what he acknowledged is a dismissal of that prospect by many experts in Russia and in the West, whom he takes seriously, Putin [is concerned about this], especially in regard to [Ukraine's] membership providing the U.S. and NATO with new missile sites.

Without naming them he mentioned that Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) missile defense (so-called) interceptors in Romania and Poland could strike Moscow in 15 minutes if a warhead was added to them; which, although the West denies its intent to do so, could be easily done. Russia has not been invited to inspect the missiles, for example.

Stephen Lendman

So-called Ukrainian democracy is pure fantasy. Tyranny masquerading as rule by the people. Sunday's snap unicameral Verkhovna Rada (parliamentary) elections reflected post-February coup business as usual. Ukraine is a US-installed fascist dictatorship. Its so-called government has no legitimacy whatever.

A previous article discussed whole families contesting for seats. Future deputies were known in advance. They're relatives of currently serving politicians. Including oligarch president Petro Poroshenko's son, Oleksiy. Running for the same Vinnitsa region's seat his father held previously. Assured of winning before voting began. According to Itar-Tass:

"…Ukraine’s political class is built on the foundation of nepotism and cronyism, as all the political forces display the tradition of nominating candidates on the grounds of kinship." "A closely controlled family affair with no legitimacy. Powerful interests control things Ordinary people have no say."

Stop NATO founder/editor Rick Rozoff calls Ukraine "a Nazi-like victory of US/NATO lawlessness." A US-led takeover of formerly sovereign Ukraine. Planned and executed by neocons and Zbigniew Brzezinski acolytes, says Rozoff. The driving force behind US unipolarity and quest for unchallenged global dominance.

Stephen Lendman

The gun battle was evidence that Ukraine is not reining in gun-
wielding far right extremists, Russia claimed. (AFP/Getty Images)

Unacceptable Kiev-Sponsored Murder

Fascist thugs operate this way. Moscow denounced them. Slavyansk Mayor Vladimir Ponomaryov asked Russia to send peacekeepers for protection. More on this below. A companion article [below] said Kiev putschists pledged no Easter weekend Eastern Ukraine attacks.

Straightaway they occurred. Earlier deployed Right Sector neo-Nazis murdered 4 Slavyansk activists. They did so in cold blood. Other gunmen attacked central city residents. Two victims were injured. They remain hospitalized. Expect more Right Sector initiated violence ahead. They bear full responsibility for Maidan killings. Clear evidence proves it. Ousted President Viktor Yanukovych had nothing to do with what happened.

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet's leaked conversation with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton confirmed it. He visited Kiev. He commented on what he learned. It's polar opposite mainstream propaganda. He explained what's vital to know. Yanukovych was wrongfully blamed, he said.

Stephen Lendman

Obama heads the most recklessly dangerous regime in world history. It's ruthless. It's lawless. It's out-of-control. It's reincarnated Nazism writ large. War on humanity is the new normal. Crazed hegemonic ambitions drive policy.

A potential devastating East/West confrontation looms. Will Ukraine be the flashpoint igniting it? US-supported neo-Nazis usurped power. Anyone opposing them risks arrest, physical harm or death. Democracy is a dead letter. Fascists rule solely by diktats. Elections when held will be farcical.

Ukrainians haven't yet awakened to nightmarish conditions they face. How they'll react remains to be seen. Civil war may erupt. Most eastern and southern Ukrainians favor close ties to Russia. They reject neo-Nazi coup d'état Kiev governance. It has no legitimacy. Conditions remain incendiary.

Obama bears full responsibility for what's ongoing. Corrupt EU partners share it. Neocons run US policy. Unchallenged global dominance ambitions drive them. One war after another is waged.

Stephen Lendman

Ukrainian Protests Continue
Orange Revolution 2.0?

Ukraine matters. It's strategically located. It's in Europe's geographic center. It borders seven countries. In alphabetical order, they include Belarus, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Russia. After Western/Central Russia, it's Europe's largest country territorially. It's resource rich.

Zbigniew Brzezinski once said "without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be an empire, but with Ukraine suborned and then subordinated, Russia automatically becomes an empire." Recently he said if Russia ever reunites with Ukraine, it'll be a Eurasian powerhouse. If Ukraine allies with Western Europe, Moscow will be significantly weakened geopolitically.

The battle for Ukraine continues. Its future is up for grabs. A previous article said street protests are manipulated. Washington's dirty hands are involved. Young militants were recruited. They're street thugs. They're up to no good. They're paid to protest. Radical nationalists joined them. Ukraine's future is at stake.

On Tuesday, mixed reports surfaced. President Viktor Yanukovych was quoted saying: "We cannot talk about the future without talking about restoring trade relations with Russia." He stressed a "future treaty on strategic partnership." — Does he or does he not mean a Customs Union? Agreeing to one rules out an EU alliance. It's one or the other, not both. At the same time, he repeated what he said earlier. He favors European integration.

Stephen Lendman

Western leaders are silent. Media scoundrels ignore what demands headlines. Cold-blooded murder doesn't matter. It's too insignificant to report. Managed news misinformation substitutes. Death squad massacres deserves headlines. Western media point fingers the wrong way. Other times they ignore them.

Syria is America's war. It was planned years ago. Death squads were recruited. Al Qaeda, Al Nusra, and other terrorists are Washington's shock troops. They're well funded, armed, trained and directed. Their mission is mass murder and destruction. They target innocent civilians. They slaughter them in cold blood. Assad's wrongfully blamed for their crimes. US-sponsored aggression is called humanitarian intervention. America's responsibility to protect reflects genocide. Post-9/11, millions died. Mass slaughter continues. Washington bears full responsibility. Syria's being ravaged and destroyed. Tens of thousands died. No end of conflict looms.

On August 6, Itar Tass said "Al-Nusra Front (and/or Jabhat Al-Nusra) militants massacred 450 Kurds in northern Syria." They "butchered" mainly "women and children." Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported the same toll. So did Syria News. It blamed extremist foreign jihadists and Free Syrian Army (FSA) "criminals." Mostly women and children were murdered. On August 6, Itar Tass headlined "Moscow urges Syrian government and opposition to exert efforts to oust terrorists from Syria." Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said militants massacred 450 Kurdish civilians. Over 100 children were included.

Stephen Lendman

Rubble fills Sharia al-Sweiqa, inside the Old City of Aleppo, Syria.

Syria's being systematically destroyed. Washington planned doing so years ago. Sovereign independence isn't tolerated. It's longstanding US policy. Numerous states learned the hard way. Syria is America's latest victim. It's falsely blamed for Washington's war. The pattern by now is familiar. Ravaging the world one country at a time or in multiples is policy. Terrorism is what they do, not us. Reasons for imperial wars are suppressed. Wealth, power, privileged and unchallenged dominance alone matter. Sacrificing human lives and freedoms are small prices to pay.

Regime change is prioritized. False pretexts facilitate intervention. Media propaganda glorifies war. It's done in the name of peace. Propaganda wars precede hot ones. Managed news misinformation enlists public support. Mind manipulation convinces people to back what demands condemnation. Lawless aggression is called humanitarian intervention. Plunder is called economic development. Occupation, exploitation and imperial control are called democracy. Might justifies right. Nations are destroyed for their own good. Humanity's increasingly threatened. Where things end who knows.

Stephen Lendman

Kim Jong Un waves at military officers after inspecting the
Wolnae Islet Defense Detachment, North Korea, near the
western sea border with South Korea. (AP/nydailynews.com)

For decades, North Korea's wanted normalized relations with Washington. It's been repeatedly rebuffed. Promises made were broken. America needs enemies. North Korea is straight from central casting. Media scoundrels take full advantage.

On April 2, Washington Post editors headlined "Answer North Korea with financial sanctions," saying:

Kim Jong Un "managed to concoct a fresh provocative announcement aimed at Washington." He declared both Koreas "were back to a 'state of war.' " "Could this untested, 30-year-old dictator be preparing to start a war with the United States or South Korea? The worrying reality is that it is virtually impossible for outsiders to know for sure." Most likely he's "rally(ing) support behind the regime and to pressure the United States and its allies into opening negotiations." "As previous US administrations have learned the hard way, answering provocations with diplomacy will not lead to concessions by North Korea - only to another round of provocations."

Hit 'em again harder, urge Post editors. Pile new sanctions on current ones. Escalate tensions higher. Play the blame game. Denounce Pyongyang for Washington's bellicosity and provocations. Point fingers the wrong way.

Stephen Lendman

It shouldn't surprise. Washington and Israel are longstanding imperial partners. Significant regional operations are jointly planned. It's done well in advance. It's for strategic advantage. Operations are part of a greater regional agenda.

On February 1, TIME magazine headlined "The Fallout from the Air Raid on Syria: Why Israel is Concerned," saying:

"Israeli warplanes struck several targets inside Syria overnight Tuesday, including a biological weapons research center that was reportedly flattened out of concern that it might fall into the hands of Islamist extremists fighting to topple the government of Syrian president Bashar Assad, Western intelligence officials tell TIME." "(O)nly two airstrikes" were publicly reported.

One alleged Israeli warplanes targeted a weapons and munitions convoy heading for Lebanon. Previous articles discussed what happened. They asked why would Assad send vitally needed weapons and munitions to Lebanon? He needs all he can get. If reports were accurate, evidence would have corroborated them. None was forthcoming. What's Israel up to? Is something else going on? Is it trying to provoke Syria to retaliate? Does it want to entrap it in all-out war?

Doing so would mean Syria's demise. Attacking Iran might follow. So could regional and global war potentially.

Stephen Lendman

A previous article discussed Israel's Wednesday attack on Lebanon. Reports suggested Syrian weapons and munitions heading cross border were struck. It asked why would Assad send vitally needed weapons and munitions to Lebanon? He needs all he can get. Assad's got all he can handle. He's contesting Washington's proxy war.

What's Israel up to? Is something else going on? Is it trying to provoke Syria to retaliate? Does it want to entrap it in all-out war? Doing so would involve Washington and NATO. It would mean Syria's undoing. It would ignite regional conflict. Potentially it could morph into global war.

Assad's got hostile neighbors. Turkey and Jordan are threatening. Israel attacked before. Naked aggression is longstanding Israeli policy. In June 1967, it attacked Syria preemptively. It was long-planned. Israel wasn't threatened. Former Prime Minister Menachem Begin later admitted it. "We must be honest with ourselves, he said. "We decided to attack." Israeli Air Force Commander General Mordechai Hod said "(s)ixteen years of planning had gone into those initial 80 minutes. We lived with the plan. We slept on the plan. We ate the plan. Constantly we perfected it." IDF Commander General Haim Barlev said "(w)e were not threatened with genocide on the eve of the Six Day War, and we had never thought of such a possibility."

Other Israeli military and government officials voiced similar sentiments. Israel wages wars of choice. So are separate premeditated attacks. Some precede larger conflicts. Others serve specific purposes. Netanyahu wages war without declaring it. Gaza is bombed, shelled, and invaded regularly. Targeted assassinations are commonplace. So are cyber attacks, deadly explosions, other sabotage, as well as various covert and overt acts.