Foresight of NATO (Europe) Wins Over NATO (US)
How many in the world know that by the end of the last century, there were two NATOs; the host Americans, the major fund contributor (about 22%) and the remaining 28 nations contributing 78% (Parasite Europeans) never fulfilling their obligations. The divide had been glaring by the time of Obama’s second term but he kept mum. He knew that huge US funds were being wasted in the near defunct NATO after the disintegration of the USSR. He also knew that most of the alarms raised by NATO Secretary General were false. They were essentially seeking more and more American dollars. It was the courage of only President Trump who had the guts to call spade a spade; to speak in no uncertain terms about the follies of NATO. He at once put a control on the US flow of funds to NATO and strongly advocated for all stakeholders to contribute proportionately. Just a few years ago (2019), the French President had called NATO a brain-dead child.
In the beginning of the 21st century, NATO was looking for reasons for their relevance (read NATO leaders to define new mission; https://www.npr.org/2010/11/18/131419387/nato-leaders-to-define-a-new-mission) . There came the “War on Terror” in which USA could manage to rope in all their fund beneficiaries within NATO so as to contribute their men and machines in Afghanistan. Then came Kosovo and the carefully crafted fake “Weapon of Mass Destructions (WMD)” narrative in Iraq. As if the destruction of the region was not enough, the quality Oil of Syria attracted Europe and America alike. They were seeking excuses to mount attacks for a suspect Chemical Weapon use by Assad and what followed, is history. What came out in the melee, is a parched and gasping Syria; the territories of which were exploited by many…British, French, Germany, Israel, USA as well as the Russian defence forces…BUT…importantly, Assad survived; unlike Saddam and Gadhafi. It may be worth noting that none of these invasions could justify NATO roles created largely for the US. Following its realisation and military personnel losses in those campaigns, many of the European partners were unhappy and fissure lines were visible in the alliance. UK, France and Germany were long looking forward to creating arbitrary threats from Russian to get US funds but US was more concerned of the Chinese rise on the horizon as a formidable force. This was also evident from Trump’s reconciliation with Russia. The then Den Secretary General of NATO didn’t succeed much.
After creating an uprising in Ukraine in 2014, Europe was creating a security situation in the Russian backyard. It must have been a great foresight of the new Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to re-affirm NATO’s being active in the region. He has been trying to relight the extinguished flame of NATO in Europe. He desperately tried to prove NATO’s relevance to Trump but failed. His perseverance must be lauded that he waited for Trump to go and then try re-ignite the Ukraine flame against Russia. If one has the patience to review the SG’s statements in the last 10 yr, it can be found to be a Russian bogie all through that didn’t cut much ice with Obama 2.0 or Trump. He was somewhat convinced that Biden will bite the bait and he did. He even took a bite to extent that he couldn’t chew and the Americans are paying for Stoltenberg’s trap. Where Trump had refused to pay an additional couple of hundred of million dollars to the NATO, Biden has already been made to cough out more than 33 billion dollars in the last one year. This excludes some contributions by the European members as well. Thanks to Zelenskyy that he is ever demanding aids at all fora; and that even if reluctantly, NATO is obliged to fulfil at least some of his demands.
From the brink of irrelevance just a few years ago, Stoltenberg has manoeuvred NATO in to a lead role at the backyard of Russia with their weapons and Ukrainian men and resources as consumable. Europe has raised a battleground where they are able to effectively counter the Russian war machines at the cost of some of their hardware and Ukrainian lives and assets. Ukraine President Zelenskyy is unable to understand this game and he is sacrificing Ukraine and the Ukrainians in the NATO game plan (read “Zelenskyy Sacrificing Ukraine in NATO’s game plan” https://articles.thecounterviews.com/articles/zelenskyy-sacrificing-ukraine-in-nato-game-plan/). While Zelenskyy’s mirage of joining NATO is eluding, making him foolish, more of Russian neighbours (Finland and Sweden) have moved in their efforts to join the group.
Although the Russian actions in Ukraine cannot be justified…BUT…it is deplorable why NATO has pushed Russia to become so belligerent that they are today. The push is through expanding NATO to the Russian borders despite having an understanding of not doing so, arming Ukraine to confront them, with numerous sanctions, by trying to isolate them on the international platforms, by choking their economy and so on…just to name a few. Are we hearing a distant cry of 3rd World War as reality? Could there be an unpredictable conflagration leading to catastrophic Nuclear arsenals being used? Only the planners in Pentagon will know…but for the Russians…they are only reacting to the NATO designs presently in the hands of European Union led by Norwegian Stoltenberg…with US made to freely cough out huge funds. Congratulations NATO (Europe) for winning over the NATO (USA) and make them dance to your tunes.