Sunday, July 5, 2015

Dazed and Confused: Pentagon Sees Future as 'War, War and More War'

US soldiers use AT-4 anti-tank rocket launchers during a military exercise

© AP Photo/ Katsumi Kasahara
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The United States is determined to "unilaterally pursue [its national] interests through extreme violence," Mike Whitney wrote in an opinion piece on the Pentagon's 2015 National Military Strategy (NMS) in the left-leaning website Counterpunch.
Whitney claims the document is surely more subtle in language than its predecessors but quite precise in its gruesome message. Washington will try "to maintain its tenuous grip on global power by maximizing the use of its greatest asset; its military," Whitney observed, adding that anyone deemed to be a threat to US national interests is viewed as an adversary.
To borrow the formula from the Washington's anti-Islamic State playbook, the ultimate goal is to "degrade and destroy" any country that challenges US global dominance, including those states that pose no danger to the world or their neighbors.
As for the consequences of such a military strategy, "readers will not find even a hint of remorse in the NMS for the vast destruction and loss of life the US caused in countries that posed not the slightest threat to US national security," Whitney said.
What is the US vision of the future?
In Whitney's opinion, it is war. He believes the US has no vision of a bright future and seems to be unable to offer a constructive agenda.
"Unlike Russia or China which have a plan for an integrated EU-Asia free trade zone (Silk Road) that will increase employment, improve vital infrastructure, and raise living standards, the US sees only death and destruction ahead," Whitney observed.
Who's the enemy?
The 2015 NMS addresses China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. Although the document clearly states that neither country wants to engage in a direct military conflict with the US or its allies, they all somehow "pose serious security concerns." Whitney believes, this is code-speak for the US contemplating a military engagement, which in the eyes of Washington is justified because these countries are rich in resources, possess large or potentially large industrial capacity or happen to occupy a territory that interests the US geopolitically.
Another reason amounts to nothing less than a heinous offense in the eyes of Washington: some countries "simply want to maintain their own sovereign independence which, of course, is a crime," Whitney said.
All Washington's eyes are on Russia
The journalist calls Russia "Washington's flavor-of-the-month enemy," which must be punished for its audacity to defend its own security interests.
"Russia is an evildoer because Russia refused to stand by while the US toppled the Ukrainian government, installed a US stooge in Kiev, precipitated a civil war between the various factions, elevated neo Nazis to positions of power in the security services, plunged the economy into insolvency and ruin, and opened a CIA headquarters in the Capital to run the whole shooting match," Whitney said.
The journalist comes to the disturbing conclusion that Washington is considering waging a war on Russia.
"It sounds to me like the Washington honchos have already made up their minds. Russia is the enemy, therefore, Russia must be defeated," he noted.
To that end, the 2015 National Military Strategy serves a specific goal. The document is meant to sell an idea that "whatever the US does is okay, because it's the US." One can only hope that at least some will refuse to buy into it.

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