Russia: America's Sworn Adversary

by Stephen Lendman

It's no secret. Longstanding US plans call for regime change, wanting Russian sovereign independence eliminated, hegemonic US control replacing it.

Recklessly dangerous US provocations seem heading things inevitably toward confrontation, especially worrisome if neocon Hillary Clinton succeeds Obama, a longstanding Russia/Putin hater, favoring belligerence over diplomacy - likely to be more aggressive than troubling current administration policy.

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, US-dominated NATO "more than doubled" its provocative actions near Russia's border - deploy(ing about 1,200 pieces of military equipment, including 30 combat jets, as well as more than 1,000 soldiers on the territories of the Eastern European countries on a rotational basis."

"US navy ships as well as military vessels of other NATO members regularly enter the Baltic and Black Seas," threatening Russian security.

So-called missile defense systems in Romania, Poland to come, are solely for offense, targeting Russia's heartland, potentially with nuclear weapons.

Thousands more US-led NATO combat troops intended for Eastern Europe heighten the risk for war, Russia forced to take counter-measures, Putin explaining:

"A modern and well-equipped army and navy are a guarantee of the Motherland's sovereignty and independence, as well as of our citizens' security."

He stressed a national commitment to "be ready to respond quickly and adequately to any potential threats…provocation(s) (or) aggressive actions" - well aware of the danger Washington poses.

According to Russia's Defense Ministry, its latest provocation involved the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Gravely, breaching international navigation safety rules and bilateral agreements, coming dangerously close to Russia's Yaroslav Mudry frigate in the eastern Mediterranean.

"The Russian warship was in international waters, cruising steadily and without making any dangerous maneuvers towards the US ship," a ministry statement said. It violated International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS).

The Pentagon "constantly accus(es) Russian pilots and sailors of the lack of professionalism."

"(T)his incident concerning the dangerous maneuvering of the guided missile destroyer Gravely has shown that US Navy sailors allow themselves to forget about the fundamental principles of navigation security and ignore the consequences dangerous maneuvering can cause in heavy shipping areas."

The Gravely provocatively came within 180 meters of the Yaroslav Mudry in international waters. It violated IRPCS Rule 13, requiring "an overtaking vessel (to) keep out of the way of the" ship it's approaching.

Rule 15 was breached, stipulating that approaching another vessel on its starboard side requires yielding it right-of-way passage.

Repeated US provocations risk direct confrontation. Is eventual war inevitable?

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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