Stephen Lendman: US Recklessly Provoking Russia. The Unthinkable Could Happen by Accident or Design – #WW3

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Instead of fulfilling a campaign promise to improve bilateral relations, Trump so far continues acting provocatively.

He’s pursuing the same reckless agenda as Obama, pushing the envelope toward possible direct confrontation with Russia.

Despite neither country wanting war, unfolding events may cause the unthinkable to happen by accident or design.

Among major powers, Russia is the world’s leading peace and stability champion – America just the opposite.

It’s recklessly waging wars in multiple theaters, threatening conflicts against North Korea, Iran, and perhaps Russia the way things are going.

Madness defines US policy, state terror on a global scale, naked aggression its main expression, controlling planet earth, its resources and people its objective – risking potentially life-destroying nuclear war.

Last week, Senate members near unanimously imposed new illegal sanctions on Russia, including on its energy sector. House action awaits.

On Monday, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it “reinforced existing sanctions on Russia by designating or identifying a range of individuals and entities involved in the ongoing conflict under four Executive orders (EOs) related to Russia and Ukraine,” adding:

“US sanctions on Russia related to the situation in eastern Ukraine will remain in place until Russia fully honors its obligations under the Minsk Agreements.”

“US sanctions related to Crimea will not be lifted until Russia ends its occupation of the peninsula.”

Fact: Russia wages peace, not war. Alone it’s gone all-out to resolve things in Ukraine diplomatically, its good faith efforts sabotaged by Washington.

Fact: Crimea is Russian territory, its newest republic, supporting the will of its people, correcting a historic error.

Fact: The territory won’t be handed back to US-installed putschists running Ukraine. Its people won’t be betrayed for Washington or anyone else.

Russia and America are world’s apart on Syria. Moscow seeks diplomatic conflict resolution, the country’s sovereignty respected, its territorial integrity preserved.

Washington wants endless conflict, puppet governance it controls replacing overwhelmingly popular Assad, reelected president in June 2014 by an 89% majority.

International observers called the process open, free and fair despite ongoing war, creating enormous hardships for its people. They want no one else leading them.

They want their sovereign independence respected. They reject foreign meddling in their affairs – especially by America, NATO, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and their rogue allies.

On Wednesday morning, a NATO F-16 warplane, likely a US one, provocatively tried following closely behind Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s aircraft over Baltic Sea international waters while en route to Kaliningrad.

Russian Su-27 fleet fighters escorted his plane. As the likely US warplane approached, a Russian Su-27 maneuvered between both aircraft, waving its wings, displaying its arms, sending a clear message to back off or risk being downed.

The F-16 few off, ending the provocation, avoiding a possible serious incident. An unacceptable NATO statement said the alliance “can confirm that three Russian aircraft, including two fighters, were tracked over the Baltic Sea earlier today (21 June 2017).”

“As the aircraft did not identify themselves or respond to air traffic control, NATO fighter jets scrambled to identify them, according to standard procedures.”

“NATO has no information as to who was on board. We assess the Russian pilots’ behavior as safe and professional.”

Several Russian Su-34 aircraft escorted Shoigu’s return flight from Kaliningrad, NATO warplanes, likely US ones, following from a distance.

Baltic Sea provocations by US warplanes with Russian aircraft increased in recent weeks – risking possible direct confrontation if they continue.

America’s rage for unchallenged global dominance risks unthinkable nuclear war, its recklessness threatening humanity’s survival.