The Russians have exhibited great restraint and diplomatic poise in recent years against the growing anti-Russian hysteria in the United States. Not only has Russia endured sanctions, but also having its aircraft shot down in Syria and a massive NATO build-up on its border. Russian security and sovereignty are being directly threatened for the high crimes of defending its historical geopolitical sphere, attempting to wipe out brutal Islamic terrorists, and rejecting globalism. However, this week has marked a turning point in US-Russian relations. The sanctions the US Congress approved against Russia based not on fact, but on hysteria and massive political propaganda pushed Russia to finally begin to retaliate. The most visible overt action was the expulsion of 755 US diplomats from Russia. However, Russian covert actions have by their nature been less visible, but nonetheless potent and we can expect more to come.
In an ominous warning to the US, it is believed Russia was behind an attack this week that destroyed an munitions depot in Eastern Ukraine. It is estimated that over a billion dollars worth of weapons and ammunition were stored there. The attack is believed to have been conducted by a small commercial off the shelf drone modified to drop a single thermite grenade, which caused a massive amount of damage. Further, it is alleged that much of the weapons and/or their funding were covertly supplied by the CIA and were being staged for a planned offensive against Russian backed forces in the Ukraine. That pinpoint attack is not just a stark warning of how much damage a single drone can inflict (about $1,500 in materials to cause $1,000,000,000+ in damage), but that Russia is able and willing to hit back hard against American interventionism. More undoubtedly will happen around the world if the US persists with its anti-Russian policy.
What is really inexcusable is the fact this entire escalation between Russia and the US has been driven primarily by a false political narrative that the Russians in some way interfered with our election, which caused Hillary Clinton to lose to Donald Trump. The American media and the Democrats have literally created a false narrative to distract from the Republican agenda and take down President Trump. Even more absurd is even as President Trump denies any Russian collusion and no hard evidence has been produced, he is supporting Russian sanctions. One has to wonder why President Trump would be dumb enough to implicitly confirm the political narrative by backing sanctions to “punish” Russia for election meddling while simultaneously denying any collusion. However, addressing the schizophrenic messages from the White House is a topic for another day.
The fact is this is a reckless game that proves why the old “Cold Warriors” need to get the hell out of office and go forever into retirement. Unfortunately for all sides, this is probably just the beginning of heightening tensions and tit-for-tat retaliation. Russia, as an unwilling foe, is prepared to make the US pay a heavy price for its frivolous intervention. The Trump Administration is stupid if it continues the anti-Russian policies of the Obama Administration. Trump was not elected to start a war with Russia. Aside from making weapons contractors wealthier, the US has nothing to gain and everything to lose in this fight. Russia on the other hand is fighting for its survival on its own land and has every reason to fight to the bitter end. If the US insists on a collision course with Russia, it will financially bankrupt America in an interesting reversal of how the Cold War ended. I should hope cooler heads prevail and we can pull back from this escalation before it is too late.
By Guiles Hendrik
August 1, 2017
