Month: March 2015

U.S. deploys first of 3,000 troops, 750 vehicles to Baltic states

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From Rick Rozoff

Xinhua News Agency
March 12, 2015
U.S. military unit heads to E. Europe for training

WASHINGTON: The United States will deploy about 3,000 soldiers to Eastern Europe starting next week for training exercises with forces from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to reassure its European allies that are concerned about potential Russian aggression, the Pentagon said Monday.

Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that about 750 U.S. military tanks, helicopters and other military vehicles and equipment arrived in Latvia on Monday, adding that the military equipment was part of a regular armored brigade combat team set.

Warren said the upcoming deployment of the unit from the Georgia-based 3rd Infantry Division would replace the leaving U.S. Army-Europe’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment to continue land forces training mission with its allies within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The U.S. Defense Department has earlier announced plans to trim down its permanent basing in Europe.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military is stepping up short-term deployments across Europe for training purposes.

Warren said the rotation was aimed at demonstrating commitment to NATO allies due to Russia’s aggression in Ukrainian crisis.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/u-s-deploys-first-of-3000-troops-750-vehicles-to-baltic-states/

Polish leaders’ reckless rhetoric increases tension, as they ignore Russian security and guarantees made to Gorbachev

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From Rick Rozoff

Polish Radio
March 11, 2015

MoD Siemoniak: Poland ‘cannot ignore threats’

Atlantic Resolve exercise

Poland’s Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has said that despite the unstable situation in eastern Ukraine, Poles should feel safe.

“However, we cannot ignore any threats and we have to remember that after years of peace, suddenly one country decides to the change the borders of another,” Siemoniak told the public broadcaster TVP on Monday evening.

“[Poland is] a member of EU and NATO and as such we are safe,” Siemoniak maintained, adding that “let us not forget that NATO is much stronger than Russia in military terms”.

Siemoniak underlined that Poland’s security is maintained by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – the founding charter of the military alliance – which calls for mutual defence in case of an attack on one of its members.[Editor: will Ukraine be quickly inducted into NATO so that the civil war becomes the pretext for attacking Russia under Article 5? What about the guarantees made to Gorbachev about NATO boundaries?]

“US forces have been stationed in Latvia precisely for this reason, to underline their presence,” Siemoniak said.

The comment comes as the United States on Monday sent heavy armour to Latvia and also announced that it will send some 3,000 troops to the Baltic states for joint exercises over the coming months.

“The deliveries are intended to “demonstrate resolve to President (Vladimir) Putin and Russia that collectively we can come together,” US Major General John O’Connor told the AFP news agency in the Latvian capital, Riga.

O’Connor added that the equipment would remain there “for as long as required to deter Russian aggression”.

Meanwhile, Minister Siemoniak said that a Polish training mission for Ukrainan army officers and NCOs will be finalised later this month.

“We would like to undertake this mission in Poland, although there an idea to conduct these exercises in Ukraine has also surfaced,” he said. “Our decision will made regardless of what the Russians think, what’s more important is that this cooperation is effective”.

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Polish Radio
March 11, 2015

Kopacz: Europe faces greatest security crisis since Cold War

Prime Minister of Poland Ewa Kopacz has stated that the Ukrainian crisis has triggered an unprecedented security threat to contemporary Europe.

”We have the greatest security crisis in Europe since the Cold War,” she affirmed in an interview with public broadcaster TVP. ”To disregard this would be irresponsible,” she added.

”Yet sending signals that spark anxiety among our citizens would also be too much.

”So we need to have a balanced position,” she said. Kopacz claimed that Poland’s membership of NATO is the country’s guarantee of security.

To date, Poland has been one of the most vigorous defenders of the new Kiev government. ”We need to protect our own interests, but at the same time to fight for something that Ukraine is fighting for today.

”For the first time, blood is actually being shed for the European Union, or for an attempt at integration into the European Union.”

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/invoking-article-5-polish-defense-chief-says-nato-can-defeat-Russia/

Jen Psaki: U.S. agencies to report on sending lethal weapons to Ukraine

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Now’s the time to get fact-based information to the U.S. Senate and House oversight committees, as well as individual officials in Congress. The Quaker website has an action center, including contacting officials. They also have a way to easily send letters to newspapers such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.fclca.org/take-action.html
http://fclca.capwiz.com/fclca/dbq/media/ — News media

The website for the U.S. Congress https://www.congress.gov/

The photo of Jen Psaki and her sign below is just begging for some creative and honest correction.

Ukrinform
March 11, 2015

Psaki says when U.S. government reports on providing weapons to Ukraine

KYIV: The United States plans to submit a report to Congress on possible providing defense lethal assistance to Ukraine, envisaged by the requirements of Ukraine Freedom Support Act “as soon as possible”.

U.S. State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said this during a daily press briefing on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

“The reports are currently undergoing an interagency review. We’re committed to delivering these reports to Congress as soon as possible,” she said.

According Psaki, the delay in submitting the report is due to the “extremely volatile” situation in Ukraine, which is discussed on a daily basis. “We want to ensure that Congress has the most complete and up-to-date information,” she assured.

The Speaker added that the U.S. President delegated to the State Department certain reporting requirements in the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, but there are several agencies who weigh in on the content.

As reported, one of the sections of Ukraine Freedom Support Act, adopted in mid-December, provides reporting by the President of the United States on possible deliveries of defensive weapons to Ukraine, conducting exercises and training of military personnel. The deadline set by this law passed on February 15.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/jenpsak-u-s-to-report-on-sending-lethal-weapons-to-ukraine/

NATO’s Response Force increased to 30,000 troops, up from 13,000; major NATO exercise planned for autumn with 25,000 troops

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From Rick Rozoff

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
March 11, 2015
Secretary General discusses security challenges with top NATO military commanders
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Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed security challenges with NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove, and participated in a conference of senior military commanders during a visit to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe on Wednesday (11 March 2015). The Secretary General thanked the commanders for the remarkable work of Allied forces in the face of a highly complex and uncertain security environment…

The Secretary General warned that Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine have undermined the post-Cold War security order in Europe…

In response to challenges both to the east and the south, NATO is implementing the strongest reinforcement of its collective defence since the end of the Cold War, Mr. Stoltenberg said. “We are doubling the size of the NATO Response Force from 13,000 to 30,000 troops” and “setting up a new 5,000-strong quick reaction Spearhead Force, with some units ready to move within as little as 48 hours.” He added that NATO is establishing six command and control centres in the Baltic States and three other eastern Allies, in order to coordinate training and exercises, and facilitate rapid reinforcements.

The Secretary General said the Alliance would “keep up the momentum”, noting a current exercise of NATO ships in the Black Sea, a major U.S. deployment to the Baltic region for training, and an upcoming exercise in the autumn – expected to be the Alliance’s largest in many years – with over 25,000 troops participating. “These measures are defensive, proportionate, and in line with our international commitments,” Mr. Stoltenberg said, adding: “these Headquarters and our Supreme Commander Europe, General Breedlove, play a key role in these efforts.”

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/east-and-south-nato-chief-commanders-expand-rapid-strike-forces/

Polish PM on Ukraine war: “Blood being shed for the European Union”

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Is there a madness that has taken over many leaders in Europe?

From Rick Rozoff

Interfax-Ukraine
March 11, 2015

Kopacz: Europe faces greatest security crisis since Cold War

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Eastern Partnership: The West’s Final Assault On the Former Soviet Union

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The Prime Minister of Poland Ewa Kopacz has said that the Ukrainian conflict has triggered an unprecedented security crisis in Europe.

”We have the greatest security crisis in Europe since the Cold War,” she said in an interview with Polish media, adding that it would be irresponsible to disregard this threat.

According to Kopacz, for the first time “blood is actually being shed for the European Union, or for an attempt at integration into the European Union.”

”We need to protect our own interests, but at the same time fight for something that Ukraine is fighting for today,” she said, adding that Europe should condemn those who don’t respect Ukraine’s desire for European integration.

On March 11, Warsaw will host the annual conference of Poland’s military leadership. The main topics will include the conflict in Ukraine and preparations for the 2016 NATO summit in Warsaw.

Last night, Polish National Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said that the conference will undoubtedly will be guided by the events in eastern Ukraine.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/polish-prime-minister-on-ukraine-war-for-first-time-blood-being-shed-for-european-union/

U.S. military moves to Russian borders for first time ever

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From Rick Rozoff

[In the “frontline’ states of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania. And also in Azerbaijan, Finland, Georgia, Norway and Ukraine.]

United States European Command
March 10, 2015

3rd Infantry Division arrives to support Operation Atlantic Resolve
By Media Operations Division
United States European Command

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RIGA, Latvia: Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division offload an M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank from the transportation vessel “Liberty Promise” March 9 at the Riga Universal Terminal docks. More than 100 pieces of equipment, including the tanks, M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and assorted military cargo, will move on to sites in other areas of Latvia as well as Estonia and Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Approximately 750 U.S. Army and military vehicles and equipment, including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery pieces and helicopters from the 3rd Infantry Division arrived in Riga, Latvia, on Monday by ship to support Operation Atlantic Resolve and planned Army-Europe multinational training exercises in that region. This equipment will be used for training of NATO allies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

First Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Rock of the Marne, is assuming responsibility as the land-force training mission from Army-Europe’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment, who will depart in March. First Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, is based in Fort Stewart, Georgia, and they are the Army’s current regionally aligned force for Europe. They will follow in on their equipment beginning next week, and are expected to remain in the region for approximately 90 days.

https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/u-s-military-moves-to-russian-borders-for-first-time-ever/

Reports link Islamic State recruiter to Canadian Embassy in Jordan

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Global Research, March 15, 2015

Ottawa Citizen
Jason Fekete, Lee Berthiaume, and Ian Macleod

Canada’s embassy in Jordan, which is run by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s handpicked ambassador and former top bodyguard, is being linked in news reports to an unfolding international terrorism and spy scandal.

The federal government refused to comment Friday on multiple Turkish media reports that a foreign spy allegedly working for Canadian intelligence – and arrested in Turkey for helping three young British girls travel to Syria to join Islamic State militants – was working for the Canadian embassy in Amman, Jordan.

Reports also say the suspect has confessed to working for Canadian intelligence and was doing so in order to obtain Canadian citizenship. The man previously travelled to Canada with the embassy’s approval, said one report.

Canada’s ambassador to Jordan is Bruno Saccomani, the former RCMP officer who was in charge of Harper’s security detail until the prime minister appointed him almost two years ago as the envoy to Amman, with dual responsibility for Iraq.

The suspect in custody is a Syrian intelligence operative named Mohammed Mehmet Rashid – dubbed Doctor Mehmet Rashid – who helped the three London schoolgirls travel to Syria upon their arrival in Turkey, according to Yeni Safak, a conservative and Islamist Turkish newspaper known for its strong support of the government.

Other Turkish news outlets identified the man with slightly different spellings: Mohammed al Rashid or Mohammad Al Rashed.

Police arrested Rashid more than a week ago in a province near Turkey’s border with Syria, multiple news agencies reported.

The initial police report says Rashid confessed he was working for the Canadian intelligence agency and that he has flown to Jordan to share intelligence with other agents working for the Canadian Embassy in Amman, various news outlets reported.

To Read the complete Ottawa Citizen article

jfekete@ottawacitizen.com    http://twitter.com/jasonfekete

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.globalresearch.ca/reports-link-islamic-state-recruiter-to-canadian-embassy-in-jordan/5436724

 

Jewish homeland proposal for Crimea – Stalin and the “Crimea California” project

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Read Kristina Russ’ comments at the end.

From Fort Russ, March 14, 2015
Translated by Kristina Rus

 Crimean California
Sergey GORBACHEV
Originally published in “Ostrov Krym”  (“Crimea Island”) in September, 1999

1948. Returning from Sevastopol to his summer house, Stalin recalls everything that was recently associated with Crimea. As the main theorist in the field of ethnic issues, it was obvious to him: if the problems on the Peninsula are not properly addressed, these problems will turn into a time bomb of a tremendous destructive power in the future. In recent decades, the ethnic question, along with the victorious pace of its antipode – the ideas of proletarian internationalism, was the basis and the driving force behind processes on a global scale. It, of course, is not comparable with the power of the Marxist-Leninist ideology in general. But…

 The Crimean peninsula usually either contained several small municipal entities, or the entire Crimea or a part of it was part of other states. Therefore none of the historical events in Crimea should be considered in isolation, without regard to the fate of not only the Northern Black Sea region, but also Europe, and most importantly – the Soviet Union (Russia).

 – But… – Stalin mused, – now Crimea is just a region in RSFSR.

 Crimea is Russian, as it should be, for it is a historically predetermined fact. Only Russian, otherwise there will be a lot of hunters for this land. Take, for example, the project to create “Crimean California”…

These facts are little known today to the general public. Unavailability of archives raises a lot of conflicting rumors and speculation, but the secret is securely hidden…
Continue reading →

Syrian war started March 2011. Who was behind the protest movement? Fabricating a pretext for a US-NATO “humanitarian intervention”

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Snipers firing on police and protestors. Repeating themes.

Global Research, Re-posted March 15, 2015
By Prof Michel Chossudovsky
Originally posted May 3, 2011

Four Years Ago, March 17, 2011:

SYRIA: Who is Behind The Protest Movement? Fabricating a Pretext for a US-NATO "Humanitarian Intervention"

Was it a Protest movement or an Armed insurrection integrated by US-Israeli supported death squads?

This article first published in May 2011 recounts the events of March 17-18, 2011 in Daraa, a small border town with Jordan.

The Daraa “protest movement” on March 17-18 had all the appearances of a staged event involving covert support to Islamic terrorists by Mossad and/or Western intelligence.

Government sources pointed to the role of radical Salafist groups (supported by Israel).

In chorus, the Western media described the events in Daraa as a protest movement against Bashar Al Assad.

In a bitter irony, the deaths of policemen were higher than those of “demonstrators”.

In Daraa, roof top snipers were targeting both police and demonstrators.

Reading between the lines of Israeli and Lebanese news reports (which acknowledge the police deaths) a clearer picture of what happened in Daraa on March 17-18 had emerged. The Israel National News Report (which can not have be accused of being biased in favor of Bashar al Assad) confirmed that:

“Seven police officers and at least four demonstrators in Syria have been killed in continuing violent clashes that erupted in the southern town of Daraa last Thursday. … and the Baath Party Headquarters and courthouse were torched, in renewed violence on Sunday. (Gavriel Queenann, Syria: Seven Police Killed, Buildings Torched in Protests, Israel National News, Arutz Sheva, March 21, 2011, emphasis added)

The Lebanese news report also acknowledged the killings of seven policemen in Daraa.

[They were killed] “during clashes between the security forces and protesters… They got killed trying to drive away protesters during demonstration in Dara’a”

The Lebanese Ya Libnan report quoting Al Jazeera also acknowledged that protesters had “burned the headquarters of the Baath Party and the court house in Dara’a” (emphasis added)

These news reports of the events in Daraa confirmed that from the very outset this was not a “peaceful protest” as claimed by the Western media. There was evidence of acts of arson directed government buildings as well sniper firing from rooftops, shooting at police and demonstrators, similar to what occurred in late February 2014 in Maidan square. Moreover, from an assessment of the initial casualty figures (Israel News), there were more policemen than demonstrators who were killed.

This is significant because it suggests that the police force may have initially been outnumbered by a well organized armed gang of professional killers.

What was clear from these initial reports is that many of the demonstrators were not demonstrators but terrorists involved in premeditated acts of killing and arson.

The title of the Israeli news report summarized what happened: Syria: Seven Police Killed, Buildings Torched in Protest

The US-NATO-Israel agenda consisted in supporting an Al Qaeda affiliated insurgency integrated by death squads. President Bashar al Assad was then to be blamed for killing his own people.

Does it Sound familiar?

The same “false flag” strategy of killing innocent civilians was used during the Ukraine Maidan protest movement. 

A year ago, on February 20th, 2014, professional snipers were shooting at both demonstrators and policemen with a view to accusing president Viktor Yanukovych of “mass murder.”

It was subsequently revealed that these snipers were controlled by the opponents of president Yanukovych, who are now part of the coalition government. 

The “humanitarian mandate” of the US and its allies is sustained by diabolical “false flag” attacks which consist in killing civilians with a view to breaking the legitimacy of governments which refuse to abide by the diktats of Washington and its allies.

Michel Chossudovsky, March 15, 2015

SYRIA: Who is Behind The Protest Movement? Fabricating a Pretext for a US-NATO “Humanitarian Intervention

by Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research, May 3, 2011

There is evidence of gross media manipulation and falsification from the outset of the protest movement in southern Syria on March 17th [2011].

The Western media has presented the events in Syria as part of the broader Arab pro-democracy protest movement, spreading spontaneously from Tunisia, to Egypt, and from Libya to Syria.

Media coverage has focussed on the Syrian police and armed forces, which are accused of indiscriminately shooting and killing unarmed “pro-democracy” demonstrators. While these police shootings did indeed occur, what the media failed to mention is that among the demonstrators there were armed gunmen as well as snipers who were shooting at both the security forces and the protesters.

The death figures presented in the reports are often unsubstantiated. Many of the reports are “according to witnesses”. The images and video footages aired on Al Jazeera and CNN do not always correspond to the events which are being covered by the news reports.

Alawite Map

There is certainly cause for social unrest and mass protest in Syria: unemployment has increased in recent year, social conditions have deteriorated, particularly since the adoption in 2006 of sweeping economic reforms under IMF guidance. The IMF’s “economic medicine” includes austerity measures, a freeze on wages, the deregulation of the financial system, trade reform and privatization. (See IMF  Syrian Arab Republic — IMF Article IV Consultation Mission’s Concluding Statement, http://www.imf.org/external/np/ms/2006/051406.htm, 2006)

With a government dominated by the minority Alawite (an offshoot of Shia Islam), Syria is no “model society” with regard to civil rights and freedom of expression. It nonetheless constitutes the only (remaining) independent secular state in the Arab world. Its populist, anti-Imperialist and secular base is inherited from the dominant Baath party, which integrates Muslims, Christians and Druze. Continue reading →

“US-NATO military operations aimed at Russia” — a declaration of war

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It is astounding that America has had any positive reputation in the world.  Any admiration it still receives is a tribute to the massive public relations campaigns the government and industry wage.

One point of disagreement with this article: there is no evidence that Washington and Kiev “allowed” the self-defense forces in East Ukraine to win this latest round. Reading the accounts, the situation in Kiev and with their military and volunteer forces is volatile and chaotic. By contrast, those who defended their homes were disciplined, showed remarkable restraint, and took all necessary action.

There is a great deal to be said for actions and discipline springing from deep love of land and family and self-preservation. This is in contrast to propaganda-fed, conscripted (often unwilling), poorly trained, and inexperienced soldiers, working together with fanatical and violent racist punisher militias, led by undependable commanders, with incompetent and racist politicians in Kiev who frequently lied about the real battle situation. How could Kiev win?

By Bruce Gagnon
Originally posted on Space4Peace

At times I feel completely overwhelmed by the current US-NATO military operations aimed at Russia.  It’s growing rapidly – one can’t help but wonder if the recent ‘victory’ of the self-defensive forces in eastern Ukraine wasn’t allowed by Washington and Kiev as a way to get public opinion behind the already well established plans for even more NATO escalation.

It’s all just far too neat and tidy to be seen otherwise.  This is not a conspiracy but a well designed military plan to take down Moscow.  They are playing with fire. In some respects the ‘project’ is now impossible to stop.  The question for the moment is how long will this attack on Russia go on and what level of conflict will result?  Will it go nuclear?  If so the world is fucked.

The Pentagon role now is to send legions of NATO trainers into Ukraine to “push Kiev’s [reluctant] troops forward” in order to “deter Russian aggression.”  It’s a long term military operation that is going to be exceedingly expensive.  It’s got to be sold to the American people and folks throughout Europe.  In order to make this public relations campaign successful the perpetrators have to flip the switch – turn the story ass backwards – blame the other side for doing what US-NATO are in fact doing.

The source of the aggression is quite clear to me.  US-NATO are all over Russia’s border.  I learned today that the current right-wing EstonianPresident Toomas Hendrik Ilves grew up in New Jersey and went to Columbia University.  It’s funny how the US is able to continually put their agents into office in key nations around the world.

Go back to post WW II and note how fascist Syngman Rhee lived in the US and was then put in power in South Korea to ensure Washington’s control.  Recall the many fascist dictators that the US repeatedly put in place in Vietnam, Iran, Indonesia and throughout Latin America and the African continent.  It’s called good corporate planning.

More recently in 2008 we saw Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (also trained in the US at George Washington University) launch an attack on Russian speaking republics South Ossetia and Abkhazia along Russia’s border.  Russia responded to the Georgian military strike against the  people there by counter-attacking Georgia.  The fighting took place in the strategically important Transcaucasia region which borders the Middle East.

I’ll never forget watching the first US politician to arrive in Georgia after the 2008 shooting war subsided.  It was then Sen. Joe Biden who made that visit, just months before being selected as Obama’s running mate. Biden came back slinging much anti-Russian rhetoric and most importantly threatened Russia with dire consequences if it did not do as instructed by Washington and Brussels.   Biden of course also led the effort in the Senate to send more weapons and US military ‘trainers’ to Georgia.  So this is all a familiar story.

Just this morning NPR (National Public Radio) had an interview with a Russian woman who ‘fingered’ Putin as the one who called for the killing of Boris Nemtsov this past weekend in Moscow.  It’s all so damn convenient – the pieces just keep tumbling into place as the case is made for war with Russia in order to contain the ‘evil Putin’.  Can you see Manuel Noriega (Panama), Saddam Hussein (Iraq), and Muammar Qaddafi (Libya) all over again?  It’s a tried and true twisting of the truth in order to set up supposed ‘obstacles’ for take down.  It’s always sold though as the mighty super-moral US swooping in to protect ‘freedom and democracy’.  Walt Disney couldn’t have done this any better.

The US-NATO expansion of the conflict in Ukraine is indeed a declaration of war against Russia.  And from what I can make out the Russian people see the writing on the wall – they can hear the train coming.  Sadly the American people have no clue what is going on nor do most of those in Europe.

This project has been set up with criminal precision.  After all the CIA and the Pentagon have had alot of practice over the years.  This is what Washington does best.

http://space4peace.blogspot.ca/2015/03/this-is-declaration-of-war.html

http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-nato-military-operations-aimed-at-russia-this-is-a-declaration-of-war/5436339