Even as the resistance to the Anglo-American war hysteria grows, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley continue to retail the fairy tale of an innocent Ukraine facing a malevolent Russia which could invade and conquer it at any time unless the West threatens it with economic destruction. Their remarks at a Pentagon press briefing yesterday continued this fantasy with a focus on the 100,000 troops that Vladimir Putin has arrayed around Ukraine ahead of the alleged imminent invasion.
“While we don’t believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has that capability and there are multiple options available to him, including the seizure of cities and significant territories, but also, coercive acts or provocative political acts like the recognition of breakaway territories,” Austin said during his opening remarks. “Indeed, we’re seeing Russian state media spouting off now about alleged activities in the eastern Ukraine. Now, this is straight out of the Russian playbook, and they’re not fooling us. We remain focused on Russian disinformation, including the potential creation of pretext for further invasion or strikes on Donbass, and any Russian attack or further incursion into Ukraine would not only ignite conflict, it would also violate the bedrock principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and self-determination.”
Milley did his part in retailing the fantasy. “It’s the policy of the United States government to continue to support an independent Ukraine and their goals, and we are continuing our effort to enhance their ability to protect themselves,” he said. “We strongly encourage Russia to stand down and to pursue a resolution through diplomacy. Armed force should always be the last resort. Success here is through dialogue.”
