Instead of citing the reasons of withdrawal, Trump just accused Russia for his decision and move on…
Russian side patiently waited for the Moscow visit of a special envoy John “Chickenhawk” Bolton to end. They never react to media hype. But after the talks with Lavrov and Putin, Bolton confirmed that US will withdraw from the INF Treaty.
First official reaction of Moscow was that withdrawal is a serious mistake of the US side.
The first obvious consequence, which Trump actually pointed out, will be a new arms race. Like it is not enough that US can destroy the planet 10+ times over, now it is necessary to destroy it in hypersonic speed. Trump evolved from “Make America Great Again” in the campaign, to “Make Nukes Great Again”. And just a week after Trumps initial announcement, we got the news about the largest ammunition shipment to Europe since bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 delivered at the US air base Rammstein in Germany…
In addition, NATO has organized the largest military drills since the end of a cold war, almost three decades ago — “Trident Juncture” in Norway, only 200km from the Russian border…
Bolton flashed his “intellectual capabilities” again, saying that withdrawal will not have any detrimental consequences, just as withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty or ABMT, 1972—2002) under George W. Bush didn’t have any. Dead wrong. This is the second obvious consequence: Russia wouldn’t develop a whole range of new strategic weapons if the ABM treaty was still in force. Thanks to Bolton’s “smarts”, Putin in February announced a wide set of weapons that can’t be defended.
Now, after the confirmed intentions, Russia has hinted reactivation of their Cuban military bases from the USSR period.
And furthermore: Since the bombing of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, during bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, China has enlarged its military budget by 20% every year, also developing ABM’s in expectation of a new military conflict with the US.
On Thursday, Oct. 25th, Chinese president openly instructed its military to be war ready:
We have to step up combat readiness exercises, joint exercises and confrontational exercises to enhance servicemen's capabilities and preparation for war.
— Xi Jinping, President of China
This is most unusual, since China always did such things quietly.
No consequences at all… Really?
Third, and the most unsettling consequence… There are all signs that US actually prepares a battleground for another war chaos — and this time it is Europe. The most ominous statement was made by former US commander in Europe Lieutenant-General Ben Hodges (retired), who last week spoke at the Warsaw Security Forum. He urged European countries to do more for their own security, explaining that Washington has “to deal with the Chinese threat” in the Pacific…
Bolton’s idea is not welcomed in Europe, because the INF Treaty was signed with the aim of securing Europe. Without intermediate-range nuclear missiles deployed, Europe was safe of possible destruction at its territory. Now NATO will deploy everything it can under the pretext of “Russian threat”, and EU effectively becomes a battleground. Just like US have risen into global power after the WWII, we cannot overlook a plan for the US to rise again on the death and destruction of Europe. Trump is destroying UN and International Law just as Hitler and Mussolini did it withdrawing from the League of Nations (with Japan, Spain and other fascists regimes of that time) in preparations for the great war.
That’s the reason European leaders did not react favorably (except Gavin Williamson, of course) to this decision, and they expressed great concern. Germany, as the most important EU country, for example:
We regret the withdrawal announced by the US. We see this treaty as a very important instrument of arms control, and an element that serves also the European interest, therefore also the German interest.
— Steffen Seibert, a spokesperson of the German government.
At the same time, in Oslo there were a big protests against NATO drills… But, who asks people, right? Well, RT does, for what is worth:
