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NATO's Provocative Anti-Russia Buildup

NATO's Provocative Anti-Russia Buildup 

by Stephen Lendman

Washington largely determines NATO policy. It remains provocatively anti-Russia based on policies it's pursuing.

In December at an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Hamburg, Germany, Sergey Lavrov accused NATO of "creat(ing) a new military reality," provocatively building up forces near Russia's borders.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is comprised of Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

At yearend, it Secretary-General Nikolay Bordyuzha said "(w)e must clearly grasp what is happening around our borders, why NATO is building up arms and infrastructure." 

"It deploys four additional battalions to alliance member states in Eastern Europe. Why are they doing it?" 

"We cannot remain silent and do nothing, looking at how countries around us are being crammed with weapons, and troops being moved" close to our borders.

NATO's Black Sea buildup adds more cause for concern. US-installed NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance will continue enhancing its regional military capabilities, including its naval presence.

Former Russian Black Sea commander Vladimir Komoyedov explained NATO actions violate the 1936 Montreux Convention, restricting how much time foreign warships may patrol its waters.

It's limited to 21 days. America routinely violates international agreements and laws unaccountably. Russia will take "all necessary measures" to protect its national security, its envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko stressed.

He said increased military budgets among alliance member states could spark a new arms race. Cold War history proved it, a counterproductive policy instead of focusing on improved relations.

Anti-Russia policies don't promote bilateral cooperation. In April 2014, NATO suspended it with Russia following Washington's February coup in Kiev, ousting its democratically elected government, replacing it with Nazi-infested putschists.

Meeting in Warsaw last July, Stoltenberg said "(w)e will deploy four robust, multinational battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. I welcome Canada's recent announcement that it will lead one of these four battalions."

"We will also agree to develop a tailored presence in the southeast, based on a multinational brigade in Romania."

Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu warned about NATO "more than doubl(ing)" 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.

At the time, Putin stressed a national commitment to "be ready to respond quickly and adequately to any potential threats…provocation(s) (or) aggressive actions."

US-dominated NATO threatens world peace and stability. As long as the alliance exists, imperial wars will continue, Russia a likely eventual target.

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: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.


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