Washington,D.C.s Supposed Gift to President Putin by Brian Cloughley!
(2020-08-18 at 13:00:43 )

Washington,D.C.s Supposed Gift to President Putin by Brian Cloughley!

One of the comments made following Donald Trumps decision to relocate some 12,000 troops from Germany was made by retired Admiral James ("Zorba") Stavridis, who in 2009-2013 was United States Supreme Allied Commander Europe (the military commander of Nato). He declared that the action, among other things, "hurts NATO solidarity and is a gift to Putin." This was a most serious pronouncement, which was echoed by Republican Senator Mitt Romney, a rich Republican and Mormon cleric, who said the redeployment was a "gift to Russia." These sentiments were well-reported and endorsed by United States media outlets which continue to be relentlessly anti-Russia.

Mr. Stavridis is the man who wrote that the seven-month bombing and rocketing of Libya by the United States-Nato military grouping in 2011 "has rightly been hailed as a model intervention. The alliance responded rapidly to a deteriorating situation that threatened hundreds of thousands of civilians rebelling against an oppressive regime. It succeeded in protecting those civilians and, ultimately, in providing the time and space necessary for local forces to overthrow Muammar al-Gaddafi."

On June 22 Human Rights Watch noted that "over the past years" in Libya their investigators have "documented systematic and gross human rights and humanitarian law violations by armed groups on all sides, including torture and ill-treatment, rape and other acts of sexual violence, arbitrary arrests and detention, forced displacement, unlawful killings and enforced disappearances." Amnesty Internationals current Report also details the chaos in the shattered country where Nato conducted its "model intervention."

The Libya catastrophe illustrates the desperation of Nato in its continuing search for international situations in which it might be able to intervene, to try to provide some sort of justification for its existence. And the calibre of its leadership can be judged from the pronouncements of such as Mr. Stavridis, who was unsurprisingly considered a possibility for the post of Secretary of State by Donald Trump.

It is not explained how relocation of United States troops from Germany could hurt Natos "solidarity" but Defence Secretary Esper was more revealing about the situation as he sees it, when interviewed by balanced and objective Fox News on August 9. He declared "we basically are moving troops further east, closer to Russias border to deter them. Most of the allies I have either spoken to, heard from or my staff has spoken to, see this as a good move. It will accomplish all of those objectives that have been laid out. And frankly, look, we still have 24,000 plus troops in Germany, so it will still be the largest recipient of United States troops. The bottom line is the border has shifted as the alliance has grown." (It is intriguing that this important policy statement was not covered by United States mainstream media and cannot be found on the Pentagons Newsroom website - the "one-stop shop for Defense Department news and information.")

No matter the spin from the Pentagon and what is now appearing in the United States media, Donald Trumps July 29 decision to move troops from Germany had no basis in strategy. It was not the result of a reappraisal of the regional or wider international situation. And it was not discussed with any of Washington,D.C.s allies, causing Nato Secretary General Stoltenberg to say plaintively that it was "not yet decided how and when this decision will be implemented."

The BBC reported that "President Donald Trump said the move was a response to Germany failing to meet Nato targets on defence spending." Donald Trump was quoted as telling reporters that "We do not want to be the suckers anymore. We are reducing the force because they are not paying their bills; it is very simple." It could not have been made clearer than that. The whole charade is the result of Donald Trumpian petulance and has nothing to do with military strategy, no matter what is belatedly claimed by the Pentagons Mr. Esper.

The German government was not consulted before Donald Trumps contemptuous announcement, and defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer criticised Washington,D.C. saying "Nato is not a trade organisation, and security is not a commodity." But so far as Donald Trump is concerned, security is indeed a commodity that can be traded as he sees fit, irrespective of relevance to national policy or anything other than his ego.

In trying to pick up the pieces following Donald Trumps candid explanation of his orders to "reduce the force" in Germany, the Pentagon has conjured up a jumbled but confrontational plan intended to convince those who are interested (who do not include the German public), that it is all part of a grand scheme to extend the power of the United States-Nato alliance. To this end, Mr. Esper announced he is "confident that the alliance will be all the better and stronger for it," because the redeployment involves reinforcement of the United States military in Poland.

He is moving 200 staff of the armys 5 corps to Krakow where, as reported by Military.com on August 5, "In a ceremony.. Army Chief of Staff General James McConville promoted John Kolasheski, the Armys V Corps commander, to the rank of lieutenant general and officially unfurled the headquarters flag for the first time on Polish soil."

In addition to Washington,D.C.s move of the advance HQ of V Corps to Krakow, there is a agreement that Poland will engage in what the Military Times reports as "a host of construction projects designed to support more United States troops in that country" and Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Tom Campbell said that the Warsaw government "has agreed to fund infrastructure and logistical support to United States forces," which should please the White House.

These initiatives are part of the United States-Poland Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement completed on August 3, which Mr. Esper stated "will enhance deterrence against Russia, strengthen NATO, reassure our Allies, and our forward presence in Poland on NATOs eastern flank will improve our strategic and operational flexibility." Then on August 15 Secretary of State Pompeo visited Poland to formally ink the accord which was warmly welcomed by Polish President Duda who recently visited Donald Trump in Washington,D.C.

Mr. Dudas declaration that "our soldiers are going to stand arm-in-arm" is consistent with the existing situation in Poland, where the Pentagon has other elements already deployed, including in Redzikowo, where a base is being built for Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence systems, and the Air Forces 52nd Fighter Wing detachments at Polish Air Force bases at Lask and Miroslawiec, where there is a unit operating MQ-9 attack drones.

Defence Secretary Esper has emphasised that "the border has shifted as the alliance has grown" - and the border to which he refers is that of United States-Nato as it moves more menacingly eastwards. That is the gift that Donald Trump has given Russia.

Reprinted here from the "Strategic Culture Foundation" provides a platform for exclusive analysis, research and policy comment on Eurasian and global affairs. We are covering political, economic, social and security issues worldwide. Since 2005 our journal has published thousands of analytical briefs and commentaries with the unique perspective of independent contributors. SCF works to broaden and diversify expert discussion by focusing on hidden aspects of international politics and unconventional thinking. Benefiting from the expanding power of the Internet, we work to spread reliable information, critical thought and progressive ideas.