«It is striking how easily and quickly the powerful military-industrial complex and hubris devour American presidents, even those with good intentions. Joe Biden is the latest example.
When the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, it froze the country's international deposits of 7 billion $ as the occupying power. In the summer of 2021, US troops left without a hitch after finishing off Afghanistan, which is now on the verge of famine. But the Biden administration has announced that it is permanently confiscating the 7 billion that Afghanistan desperately needs. And it will give half of it... to the American relatives of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
Even relatives of the victims reacted, as did MP Ilhan Omar, from the left wing of the Democratic Party. «There was not a single Afghan among the hijackers of the attack,» Omar said. «While the US gives billions to the governments of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, despite their direct links to the September 11 terrorists.».
Now on the Ukraine issue, Biden has given his change, if there is an appropriate expression for the downward spiral of American presidents. The belligerent atmosphere that has been created is reminiscent of that of the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, when nuclear war between the US and the Soviet Union was about to break out. The difference is that Washington is not willing to send a single soldier to Ukraine. It is waging a propaganda war.
The US government called on American citizens to leave the country, along with non-essential diplomatic personnel, warning of an imminent Russian invasion that is considered a foregone conclusion. «It could start before the end of the Olympics on February 20,» Biden's national security adviser tells Washington.
Faithful as marines when called to serve under the flag, the American media, instead of providing information, are making war cries: according to their analyses, Russian troops will even take Kiev and overthrow the elected president of the country, causing a massive exodus of refugees to neighbouring countries (from one to five million), not to mention tens of thousands of victims.
President Biden knows Ukraine well. He was in charge of overseeing it when he was vice-president in the Obama administration, even placing his son in a Ukrainian state company, with a meagre salary (50 thousand $ per month). So he knows that Putin is not crazy to take over a country of 40 million people (the US is constantly breaking its back with smaller populations).
Not only that, the infliction of tens of thousands of casualties among Ukrainians is neither easily understood nor justified by Russian public opinion, which maintains close cultural, family and friendly ties with its Ukrainian «cousins». Even the pro-American government in Kiev said that this constant war propaganda «causes unjustified fear».
The US authorities do not give any concrete evidence that an invasion is being prepared, arguing that they do not want to endanger their resources. The same is true of the «revelations» of the American media - most recently the necessary British stooges have been added - which cite no evidence or sources for their reports. The basic journalistic principle of the 5 questions (where, how, how, who, when, why) has been completely trampled on. As if the American reporters came to Athens this summer for a journalism seminar..
«The madness and intimidation continue,» the Russian ambassador to the UN said. «It's like saying that the US will take over London in a week, causing 300,000 casualties. We are relying on our information, which we cannot disclose.».
I have explained in this column that the crisis was triggered by leaks from the US government to willing US media (Washington Post, December 3) that Russia is PLANNING to mass troops on the Ukrainian border for a possible invasion.
As has often happened in history, this fake information has created real situations, because both sides have an interest in the escalation. The US to keep EU-Russia relations tense and to sell its own gas to Europe. Putin to increase his bargaining power with NATO, as he knows that no Western country will send a single soldier to Ukraine.
The grotesque thing in the whole propaganda battle is the «invisible video»: the White House leaked to the press that the Russians have made a fake video of Ukrainian atrocities, which they will use as a pretext for the invasion. On 3 February, to prevent it, a government spokesman presents the case to journalists, «pre-empting» the Russians.
He doesn't want to reveal the source of the information so as not to expose it. And he can't show the video, because where would he find it?The Russians are engineering it. But an Associated Press reporter doesn't buy the story and persistently asks for proof. You can see at the end of the article the confrontation, which goes on for over three minutes.
The basic argument of the representative is that if he says it himself, it must be so. After all, he said it days ago, so the fact that he is repeating it now is proof positive! In the end he also gives his change to the journalist who wants to do his job: «If you doubt the credibility of the US government, the British government, other governments and feel good about the information the Russians are publishing...».
Somehow gas prices have gone through the roof in Europe and the Americans are what they call win-win, win-win. If there is an invasion, they will say they predicted it. If it doesn't happen, that they prevented it by publicizing Russian moves. In any case, the western democracies will win, the US president's national security adviser assured us:
«Under the Biden administration, the United States has confidence in itself and in the West. We represent more than 50% of global GDP; China and Russia, less than 20%. We have innovation. We have the entrepreneurial spirit. We have freedom.».
And if we also steal the deposits of Afghanistan, we have more money...»
By Stelios Kouloglou
