Putin’s Hour Is At Hand
Paul Craig Roberts
Vladimir Putin is the most
impressive leader on the world stage. He survived and arose from a
Russia corrupted by Washington and Israel during the Yeltsin years and
reestablished Russia as a world power. He dealt successfully with
American/Israeli aggression against South Ossetia and against Ukraine,
incorporating at Crimea’s request the Russian province back into Mother Russia. He
has tolerated endless insults and provocations from Washington and its empire
without responding in kind. He is conciliatory and a peacemaker from
a position of strength.
He knows that the American
empire based as it is on arrogance and lies is failing economically, socially,
politically, and militarily. He understands that war serves no
Russian interest.
Washington’s murder of Qasem
Soleimani, a great Iranian leader, indeed, one of the rare leaders in world
history, has dimmed Trump’s leadership and placed the limelight on Putin. The
stage is set for Putin and Russia to assume the leadership of the world.
Washington’s murder of
Soleimani is a criminal act that could start World War 3 just as the Serbian
murder of the Austrian Archduke set World War 1 in motion. Only
Putin and Russia with China’s help can stop this war that Washington has set in
motion.
Putin understood that the
Washington/Israeli intended destabilization of Syria was aimed at Russia. Without
warning Russia intervened, defeated the Washington financed and armed proxy
forces, and restored stability to Syria.
Defeated, Washington and
Israel have decided to bypass Syria and take the attack on Russia directly to
Iran. The destabilization of Iran serves both Washington and Israel. For
Israel Iran’s demise stops support for Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that has
twice defeated Israel’s army and prevented Israel’s occupation of southern
Lebanon. For Washington Iran’s demise allows CIA-supported jihadists
to bring instability into the Russian Federation.
Unless Putin submits to
American and Israeli will, he has no choice but to block any Washington/Israeli
attack on Iran.
The easiest and cleanest way
for Putin to do this is to announce that Iran is under Russia’s protection. This
protection should be formalized in a mutual defense treaty between Russia,
China, and Iran, with perhaps India and Turkey as members. This is hard for
Putin to do, because incompetent historians have convinced Putin that alliances
are the cause of war. But an alliance such as this would prevent
war. Not even the insane criminal Netanyahu and the crazed American
neoconservatives would, even when completely drunk or deluded, declare war on
Iran, Russia, China, and if included in the alliance India and
Turkey. It would mean the death of America, Israel and any European
country sufficiently stupid to participate.
If Putin is unable to free
himself from the influence of incompetent historians, who in effect are serving
Washington, not Russian, interests, he has other options. He can
calm down Iran by giving Iran the best Russian air defense systems with Russian
crews to train the Iranians and whose presence serve as a warning to Washington
and Israel that an attack on Russian forces is an attack on Russia.
This done, Putin can
then, not offer, but insist on mediating. This is Putin’s role as
there is no other with the power, influence and objectivity to mediate.
Putin’s job is not so much
to rescue Iran as to get Trump out of a losing war that would destroy Trump.
Putin could set his own price. For example, Putin’s price can be the
revival of the INF/START treaty, the anti-ballistic missile treaty, the removal
of NATO from Russian borders. In effect, Putin is positioned to
demand whatever he wants.
Iranian missiles can sink
any American vessels anywhere near Iran. Chinese missiles can sink
any American fleets anywhere near China. Russian missiles can sink
American fleets anywhere in the world. The ability of Washington to
project power in the Middle East now that everyone, Shia and Sunni and
Washington’s former proxies such as ISIS, hates Americans with a passion is
zero. The State Department has had to order Americans out of the
Middle East. How does Washingon count as a force in the Middle East when
no American is safe there?
Of course Washington is
stupid in its arrogance, and Putin, China, and Iran must take this into
consideration. A stupid government is capable of bringing ruin not
only on itself but on others.
So there are risks for
Putin. But there are also risks for Putin failing to take charge. If
Washington and Israel attack Iran, which Israel will try to provoke by some
false flag event as sinking an American warship and blaming Iran, Russia will
be at war anyway. Better for the initiative to be in Putin’s hands. And
better for the world and life on Earth for Russia to be in charge.
