John Chuckman
COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE BY DR PAUL KINDLON IN RUSSIA INSIDER
“70 Years of European Peace... Not Counting Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, etc”
“Progressives claim that the existence of the EU is justified by virtue of the fact that there has been peace on the continent for more than 70 years”.
For the most part, a good brief statement.
However, it contains a fundamental flaw, and that is the connection between American imperialism and the EU.
The accurate statement, I believe, is the connection between American imperialism and NATO.
It is, at least in theory, entirely possible for the EU to remain intact and end its subservience to the United States, doing that by ending its connection with NATO.
A viable and robust European military force needs to be created. In that, Merkel and Macron are right, although I must say that it is one of the only matters on which I can agree with the disagreeable Macron.
The huge expansion in recent years of both NATO and the EU, including many insignificant and relatively poor states, was a mistake, but a mistake encouraged by America who uses that new reality as a lever of power.
Those small and less significant states feel beholden to America for their elevation and in effect serve as "poison pills" inside the organizations.
The fundamental problem is the occupation of Europe by America, still, three-quarters of a century after WWII. It literally makes no sense, unless your viewpoint is Washington’s.
Of course, the occupation enables the United States to minimize Europe's impact on the world. By rights, Europe should become one of the major powers in an emerging multi-polar world.
But that is an outcome the United States' power establishment finds unacceptable. Hence, it does everything it can to avoid it. And what could be more effective in working against it than having your potential, serious competitor accept occupation voluntarily, even helping to pay for the privilege of being occupied?
With that occupation come many forms of American interference in Europe’s internal affairs - from intelligence and security matters to industry and politics – all working towards continued dominance.
The final, decisive role America has for NATO is to prevent one of the American establishment’s most feared possible outcomes in world affairs, the development of a close relationship - even an alliance, but certainly a tight economic relationship - between the major European countries, especially Germany, and Russia.
As even a glance at a map will tell you, that is the natural order of things, not NATO, stretching, as it does, across thousands of miles of ocean. Russia and Europe have an immensely long shared history and many common interests, and Russia today is keen to do business as never before.
The United States and Europe really do not have such history and common interests. Distance and cultural differences plus the huge impediment of America's insistence in always regarding itself as undisputed leader conspire against the unnatural regime of NATO.
By the way, Trump's godawful rude statements and awkward actions only further emphasize that last point, just one of the reasons I've called him the most American of Presidents, and that is not intended as a compliment.
It is, however, something working its way into the consciousness of European leaders, and it is bound to have an effect on Europe's future status.
One last thought. The rise of right-wing, anti-EU forces in Europe quite possibly is being covertly assisted by American intelligence with money flows and propaganda assistance. That is not certain, but the fact that it is plausible tells us something about current arrangements.
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https://chuckmanwordsincomments.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/john-chuckman-comment-trump-walk-away-from-nato-why-it-will-not-happen-even-if-he-has-the-authority-which-is-not-clear-natos-changed-purposes-serve-american-interests-so-why-shouldnt-it-pay/
