04 September 2014

NATO Redivivus


After the fall of the USSR in 1991 everyone wondered would NATO fall apart? What reason did it have to continue? There was no more Soviet bloc or Warsaw Pact.

The Yugoslav Wars gave a NATO a reason to continue in the 1990s.

Then after 11 September 2001 and the US invasion of Afghanistan NATO had a new reason for being.... this time in Asia.

And now once again as the alliance was stressed by years of war and tension generated by American policy and spying, NATO SecGen Anders Fogh Rasmussen has a reason to be glad. The Ukraine crisis has provided NATO a new raison d'être.

They ought to thank Putin.

Of course the response that we're hearing is a call for the bolstering of NATO, possible expansion and there's still been more talk about the misnamed missile 'defense' system... a system which could potentially paralyze Russia's nuclear deterrent.

The whole reason this crisis has happened is because of American expansion via NATO and the EU.

How far will it go?

I'm not sure anyone knows exactly. Putin may back down. At this point if they can find a way for him to save face, he'll probably pull back. But if they try and bring Ukraine into NATO it will lead to more trouble. If he can't generate it in Eastern Europe he'll find someplace else.

There's always Central Asia... and Latin America. Chavez is gone but there are other venues. Russian troops in Ecuador? They're booting the US out. Bolivia?

Then it will be Monroe Doctrine Redivivus.

And China is already well aware of US desires to 'pivot' toward Asia. The more the US is bogged down in Europe and the Middle East, the less they can do in Asia. They have every reason to do what they can to make trouble.

That kind of troublemaking, stirring the pot is morally reprehensible...

Except when the US does it. They are the masters. You have to hand them that.

It's all madness.

Wars and rumors of wars.

The sad part is the Christian commentary coming out of America is theologically erroneous and does not represent geopolitical and historical realities. It's flawed in every way due to its blind and frankly idolatrous commitments.

Though it offends Christo-American ears... the USA and Russia are moral equivalents. It's just a case of Babylon v. Babylon.

Everything the US accuses Russia of doing they either are doing or have done.

Imagine, going into a country and fostering an artificial and unwanted division and then setting up a puppet government, arming it and eventually sending in troops to back it....

If the US does it in Vietnam it's perfectly moral and right and there's nothing more 'Christian' then celebrating it. Have the Vets stand up and be acknowledged, during Church services no less. Wear your baseball caps celebrating your participation in the deed!

But if someone else does it, they're breaking the rules, bullies, imperialists and immoral. They're a threat to global security.

Putin understandably hates NATO but at a time when NATO's war in Afghanistan is winding down and there are numerous internal tensions, a time when the alliance's reason for being is questioned...

He just gave them a new lease on life.

He just took a bishop but they took his knight. It's a big game.

But people die.