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.
