The oft-repeated Russophobic “truism”—that the West must sacrifice all for a military mobilization because Russia is committed to conquer all of Ukraine and invade other parts of Europe—was openly called out by U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Dec. 20, with radiating effects. The occasion was the report by the U.K.’s Reuters news service: “U.S. intelligence reports continue to warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to capture all of Ukraine and reclaim parts of Europe that belonged to the former Soviet empire.” Reuters claimed no fewer than six unnamed sources as saying that U.S. intel is in synch with the views of European leaders and intelligence agencies. Finally, Reuters quoted House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee (HPSCI) member Rep. Mike Quigley, who stated: “The intelligence has always been that Putin wants more. The Europeans are convinced of it. The Poles are absolutely convinced of it. The Baltics think they’re first.”
Gabbard’s full response to a posting by Reuters’ Erin Banco began: “No, this is a lie and propaganda. @Reuters is willingly pushing on behalf of warmongers who want to undermine President Trump’s tireless efforts to end this bloody war that has resulted in more than a million casualties on both sides. Dangerously, you are promoting this false narrative to block President Trump’s peace effort, and fomenting hysteria and fear among the people to get them to support the escalation of war, which is what NATO and the EU really want in order to pull the United States military directly into war with Russia.”
Then she addressed Reuters’ citation of Quigley: “The truth is the U.S. intelligence community has briefed policymakers, including the Democrat HPSCI member quoted by Reuters, that U.S. Intelligence assesses that Russia seeks to avoid a larger war with NATO.” She ended: “It also assesses that, as the last few years have shown, Russia’s battlefield performance indicates it does not currently have the capability to conquer and occupy all of Ukraine, let alone Europe.”
