Russian Tough Talk with Teeth?

by Stephen Lendman

Time and again, I stressed that toughness is the only language hegemon USA understands.

Diplomatic outreach to its ruling regimes achieves nothing.

Whatever they agree to isn't worth the paper it's written on.

US promises are repeatedly breached at their discretion at a time of their choosing.

Hegemons don't negotiate. They demand.

They bully and bludgeon nations unable to respond with equal force.

At the same time, they shun confrontation risking war with others able to give as much as they take.

Vladimir Putin is patient to a fault.

Has his patience finally worn thin on what relates to the US-dominated West?

He warned that "(i)n case of clearly aggressive policy by (the US/West), we will take adequate military-technical measures and respond toughly," adding:

Russia has "full right" to protect its security and sovereignty.

"Russia stands for equal and indivisible security in the entire Eurasian space."

Hegemon USA and its European vassal states bear full responsibility for cold war with Russia without end, as well as hot wars against nonbelligerent, nonthreatening nations — invented enemies, not real ones.

Throughout the post-WW II period, the US raped and destroyed one country after another, massacring millions of people, accountability never forthcoming for its highest of high crimes.

"The buildup of US and NATO military forces directly on Russia's borders, as well as by the holding of large-scale exercises, including unplanned ones, cause serious concern," Putin stressed, adding:

"We are extremely concerned about the deployment of elements of the US global missile defense system near Russia."

If US and NATO missile systems are installed in Ukraine, "their flight time to Moscow will be reduced to 7-10 minutes, and with the deployment of hypersonic weapons — to five" minutes. 

If Putin believes that "legally binding agreements" with the US will achieve what "verbal assurances, words and promises" cannot, has he forgotten or simply ignored how often its ruling regimes breach the UN Charter, other international laws, and its own constitution.

On whether Russia is willing to discuss alleged US concerns (sic), Sergey Lavrov stressed that Moscow is "ready to discuss everything" forthrightly in stark contrast to how Washington operates.

On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko addressed Russia's concerns about how unacceptably the US-dominated West operates, saying:

If its concerns "are disregarded and NATO countries are not ready to show military restraint, we will have to use the response instruments at our disposal." 

"There is no other option." 

"If the other side decides to project, let alone use force, that is, if it applies its defense capability as a means of economic or political pressure, this will be unacceptable to Russia, and we will find methods to neutralize these threats."

"For example, if strike systems capable of reaching our command centers within a matter of minutes are deployed in the territory of NATO countries, we will have to create an appropriate situation for (countering) them."

"The time of undertones and taking words on trust is over."

Expanding NATO to Russia's borders is an unacceptable red line it'll counter to protect its security from the threat this action would pose.

The US/West and their MSM press agents are apoplectic about Russian forces in their own territory. 

Falsely claiming that they threaten Ukraine with invasion ignored that "they are deployed a thousand kilometers away…"

US-dominated NATO expansion transformed the once peaceful Baltic region into a hotbed of militarism that threatens Russia.

Moscow's message to the West is clear.

"We expect a substantive dialogue with the US."

A Russian "team is willing to start talking as soon as the Americans are ready."

The Biden regime hasn't officially responded to Russia's outreach so far.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu warned that with escalating tensions on Russia's borders, the international situation is deteriorating further, adding:

US private military contractors (PMCs) planned provocations in Eastern Ukraine along Russia's border.

"Tanks with unidentified chemical components have been delivered to the cities of Avdeevka and Krasny Liman to commit provocations."

US PMCs are training and directing Ukrainian forces, as well as "radical military groups" for escalated aggression on Donbass.

Separately, Shoigu said the Pentagon increased its military presence along Russia's borders.

Military exercises with NATO countries include "options to use coalition groups against Russia."

"The US and NATO are purposefully increasing the scale and intensity of troop training activities near Russia."

"They increasingly involve strategic aviation, carrying out simulated launches of nuclear missiles on our facilities." 

"The number of their flights near Russia's borders has more than doubled."

Separately, the state department said US citizens with possible plans to visit Ukraine should reconsider because of (fake news) reports about Russian plans for "significant military action against" the country that don't exist.

No offensive by Moscow is planned against any nation. No evidence suggests otherwise.

Russia did warn of an appropriate military response if its red lines are crossed by advancing NATO's presence unacceptably close to its borders.

All nations may legally protect their security against foreign threats.

If attacked, responding defensively is permitted by the UN Charter.

Hegemon US-dominated NATO threatens all nations free from their control.

Their rage for smashing other nations preemptively since the 1990s is evidence of the menace they pose to world peace.