On The Threshold of War

Guest Post by Paul Craig Roberts

UPDATE

There is no longer any doubt that the criminally insane government in Washington is driving the world to the last war.

https://www.rt.com/news/423634-unsc-security-threats-syria-chemical/

https://www.rt.com/news/423627-russian-military-checks-chemical-douma/

UPDATE:

As Americans we must face the possibility that we have a criminally insane government in Washington that is leading the world to destruction.

A Russian Government Press Release:

False information is being planted about the alleged use of chlorine and other toxic agents by the Syrian government forces. The latest fake news about a chemical attack on Douma was reported yesterday. These reports are again referenced to the notorious White Helmets, which have been proved more than once to be working hand in glove with the terrorists, as well as to other pseudo-humanitarian organisations headquartered in the UK and the US.

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We recently warned of the possibility of such dangerous provocations. The goal of these absolutely unsubstantiated lies is to protect the terrorists and the irreconcilable radical opposition that has rejected a political settlement, as well as to justify the possible use of force by external actors.
We have to say once again that military interference in Syria, where Russian forces have been deployed at the request of the legitimate government, under contrived and false pretexts is absolutely unacceptable and can lead to very grave consequences.

http://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/3155552?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw&_101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw_languageId=en_GB

This is John Helmer’s interpretation of the warning:

“WHEN THE RULE OF LAW WAS DESTROYED IN SALISBURY, LONDON AND THE HAGUE, AND THE RULE OF FRAUD DECLARED IN WASHINGTON, THAT LEAVES ONLY THE RULE OF FORCE IN THE WORLD. THE STAVKA [the high command of the Russian armed forces] MET IN MOSCOW ON GOOD FRIDAY AND IS READY. THE FOREIGN MINISTRY ANNOUNCED ON SUNDAY “THE GRAVEST CONSEQUENCES”. THIS MEANS ONE AMERICAN SHOT AT A RUSSIAN SOLDIER, THEN WE ARE AT WAR. NOT INFOWAR, NOT CYBERWAR, NOT ECONOMIC WAR, NOT PROXY WAR. WORLD WAR.”

http://johnhelmer.org/?p=17680

I hope that the situation is not this severe.

On The Threshold of War

Paul Craig Roberts

“The Russian view is simple: the West is ruled by a gang of thugs supported by an infinitely lying and hypocritical media while the general public in the West has been hopelessly zombified.” — The Saker

https://russia-insider.com/en/russia-ready-war-mood-prime-time-tv-grim/ri23019

“The US generals, unlike the US politicians and media and US administration, are risk-averse if the outcome may be catastrophic.” — Gilbert Doctorow

https://russia-insider.com/en/were-not-going-war-not-yet-last-nights-russian-tv-analysis/ri23024

Above are two of the three most intelligent and reliable Russian experts. The third is Professor Stephen Cohen, who worries, as I do, that an arrogant Washington drowning in hubris is provoking Russia to war.

The Saker has concluded that the Russians have concluded that it has been a mistake to put up with Washington’s lies, insults, and orchestrated events and have decided that if the dumbshit Americans attack Syria, Russia is going to take out the US forces involved.

Doctorow has concluded that as dumbshit as Washington is, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff have more sense and will not go along with an attack on a Russian ally.

I hope that Doctorow is correct. However, with that crazed demented warmonger John Bolton sitting in the White House next to Trump, who enjoys the role of tough guy, I am more scared by The Saker’s reading than I am reasured by Doctorow’s.

There are reports, the validity of which I cannot confirm at this time, that the entirety of the Russian military has been put on high alert, not merely the Russian forces in Syria. See for example: http://defence-blog.com/news/russia-suddenly-puts-troops-alert.html

Nikki Haley’s threats against Russia today in the UN do not support Doctorow’s hopes that reason will prevail in Washington. The crazed bitch said that the US will act against the “monster” Assad with or without the UN.

Tough man Trump, sitting next to the crazed warmonger Bolton, declared that the alleged chemical attack in Syria “will be met and it will be met forcefully. We can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed… we can’t let that happen in our world, especially because of the power of the US, we are able to stop it.”

There was NO chemical attack by Syria. I know that for an absolute 100% fact. I would bet my life on it. Yet here is the US president declaring a total non-fact to be something “we all witnssed.” Little wonder that the Russians have concluded that the West is ruled by a gang of thugs supported by an infinitely lying and hypocritical media while the general public in the West has been hopelessly zombified.

If Doctorow is not correct that a sane US Joint Chiefs of Staff will prevail over the crazed President and his National Security Adviser, we are headed for war.

It is a war that the US will not win.

Notice, dear readers, that there is no mention of this pending crisis in the Western media. Instead the media whether CNN or the BBC has as the lead news story the FBI’s raid on Trump’s lawyer:

https://www.cnn.com

http://www.bbc.com/news
Insouciant Americans is too mild, isn’t it. Clueless is the correct word.

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39 Comments
Bilco
Bilco
April 10, 2018 7:27 am

Tough guy Trump, and Bolton,and that clown Graham. If they are so intent on war. Why don’t they lead by example,and pick up a weapon.

wholy1
wholy1
April 10, 2018 7:36 am

I would like to think that the “carnival-barking Trumpster” is still having to “play to the CRIMINAL State” operatives still in key positions because he has yet to “solidify” enough power/control to “take them out” without himself/family being “taken out”. Whatever, I think that a huge pile of reeking dog-doo is about to get sucked in to the ventilation system of the whole “United SNAKES CORP, D[e]C[eit]” complex for all of everybody’s “senses” to “experience”.
I have absolutely no idea of the outcome, but . . . a big-ass WAR has been the int’l financial [D]elites/PTB (Psychopaths That Bugger) ultimate/final historical method of DISTRACTION to [quietly] “exit, stage left” to their remote digs from which they fund ALL the belligerents and . . . then the REBUILD with fiat currencies – “FUNDED” into circulation on the “AUTHORized sigs of the pleb borrowers while the coupon/interest amt remains UNfunded, of course.

Stucky
Stucky
  wholy1
April 10, 2018 12:15 pm

“I would like to think that the “carnival-barking Trumpster” is still having to “play to the CRIMINAL State” operatives still in key positions because he has yet to “solidify” enough power/control to “take them out” without himself/family being “taken out”.”

Of course, that excuse is getting old, dontchyathink?

The midterms are coming in 7 months. It is highly likely the Repubs will lose even more seats in the House and Senate. In other words, Trump will have even less power than he has today.

But, I’ll play along. WHEN do you think he will have — “enough power/control to “take them out”?

Anonymous
Anonymous
April 10, 2018 8:06 am

Keep predicting it and eventually something will happen. That old thing about a broken clock.

But maybe we should become more like Mexico, they seem to manage to stay our of wars and remain a primary world power and economy in spite of it.

Fleabaggs
Fleabaggs
  Anonymous
April 10, 2018 3:55 pm

A Primary World Power???.
They haven’t had a fighting army since Pancho Villa and I can only guess what their Air force and Navy look like.

Gunner451
Gunner451
April 10, 2018 8:23 am

A good rule of thumb is to never attack unless you have a 3 to 1 advantage. Russia’s Putin knows that the Russians in Syria don’t have the numerical advantage here and so has been doing his best to make things as difficult as possible for the US or any one else that wants to attack. Getting Turkey on their side was one of those things. If the US/NATO cabal can’t use Turkey as their base of operations or use their airspace to transit to Syria then they are left with Jordan or carrier based operations (Israel is obviously out since that would enrage the Muslim hordes).

I’m not sure Jordan wants to be used as a base for a US invasion more than they already have in Southern Syria so my bet would be the sea. That gives the US limited options since they don’t want to put very expensive assets like carriers into harms way. looking at from that stand point would assume that ship/sub based tomahawk missiles will be used again with about as much effect as before and maybe some long range stealth bombers/fighters. They will probably target Assad this time and his base of support in hopes of getting rid of him and throwing the country back into chaos.

I doubt that the Russians will shoot back unless directly attacked and have to say that their restraint is amazing so far. Also don’t forget the Iranians who have (or are about to have) Russian S400 anti-Aircraft systems that are top of the line. If they move those into Syria it would be game over for this exercise in saber rattling. If I was Russia though I’d use this as an opportunity to expand in Ukraine as a way to distract the war mongers from Syria as they have the strength there to go head to head with the US/NATO as well as the nuclear threat to keep them at bay.

RiNS
RiNS
  Gunner451
April 10, 2018 10:28 am

Gunner

First off the Iranians didn’t buy the Cadillac S-400 they bought the Chevrolet S-300. Still capable but not top of the line.. Russians don’t like giving away their sharpest swords to someone who might become an enemy..

You best be hitting that bong and smoke your hopium. Cuz what the fuck are you talking about Willis. The Russians already have the S400 in Syria. And ask yourself this, I am assuming with a moniker such as yours, you might know something about AA capabilities. In regards to the Israeli F-15 shot down while back.

Do you really think that was done with an S-200 system. Just lookie at pictures and details.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-200_%28missile%29

Tech from the 60’s

Do you really think that. Methinks that ole evil Assad had lets just say a bit of help and gentle push.

The Russians are in perfect spot. They have their A-Game on the ground with their S-400’s and Pantsir in Syria.

Either way they don’t care.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-400_missile_system

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantsir-S1

Brand new and right out of the box.

Yeah brilliant. And when planes start falling out of the sky, Putin can say, what me! I didn’t do anything. No Sir. It was that Evil Dumbfuck Assad and his highly capable S200 AA that brought down those planes. Meanwhile on the ground the Tiger Forces and Republican Guard can sharpen their teeth on those shitstain dumbfuck jihadis that Governments in the West bought and paid for to destabilize this whole mess in the first place.

Those folks at pentagon are dumb as fucken rocks. They are flying F-22s and F-35s in that airspace. The gift that keeps giving. Now the Russians have plenty of time to practice figuring out which Microwave Bands work best to detect those aircraft. And another Trillion or so on arms development gets flushed down the drain. So much for stealth but not surprising really. The West has been a bull in China Shop non-stop since that wall fell in Berlin almost 30 years ago. And So much for trying to implement their Project For A New American Century.

Cuz that plan is on hold. Short of full scale invasion the USA has lost in Syria. Permanently!

And one more thing. What does it matter if those Expensive Carrier Battle Groups are far flung and away from that coast. You are assuming that because only the Donald Cook is there that that Boat is only one that will be allowed to be sunk. Did the Joint Chiefs send the Russians and Iranians a memo or something to play fair and only sink that ship. Because reasons and war is supposed to be fair…

First rule in war is there are no rules.

Gunner451
Gunner451
  RiNS
April 10, 2018 10:46 am

Yes, my bad. It was Turkey that was getting the S400 system. But even the S300 is a cause for concern, the Israelis certainly thought so when they blew up Assads S300 before it could be fielded.

RiNS
RiNS
  Gunner451
April 10, 2018 11:30 am

[imgcomment image[/img]

Yeah and now they have S400 to deal with so their plans have backfired big time. The Israelis are playing a dangerous game if they figure that as long as their bombs only land in the rubble of Syria that they won’t get attacked in return. Wishful thinking if you ask me. Sooner or later the real show is going to start near Golan when those pockets southwest of Capital are liquidated.

What will Israel do then when Assad’s best divisions are staring across the barb wire at an enemy sitting on illegally occupied of their land. One stray bullet and show time.

Probably won’t happen but a fella just never knows…..

Stucky
Stucky
  RiNS
April 10, 2018 12:34 pm

You’re on F-I-R-E!! Herr RiNS.

In addition to the formidable weapons you mentioned, there are those we don’t know much or anything about. The Russkies are not the pussies Trump-ton-nik (the Trump, Bolton, Nikki trinity of evil) think they are.

I agree with nickel below …. it’ll only be lots of cruise missiles.

What would be funny as hell is if the Russkies made even more improvements in their jamming capabilities. So, Trumptonnik sends 100 cruise missiles to Syria, and every single one of them slams into the side of a mountain. heh heh

Can’t imagine we’d send actual airplanes into that airspace. Even the chickenshit Israelis fired their missiles while OUTSIDE of Syrian airspace. Then again, the combined IQ of Trumptonnic is Below 52 (B52) …. and we lost a ton of them to old MIGs in Vietnam, and the F35 can’t shoot down a fucken Cessna without difficulties, so Trumpies braggadocio about our “greatest military force on earth” is probably forcing the Russkies to shit their pants with laughter, and thus WWIII is averted … cuz of da shits. That’s my best military analysis I have right now.

RiNS
RiNS
  Stucky
April 10, 2018 4:50 pm

Thanks man. I am a bit fired up cuz it is hard to believe how stupid this all is. Too many folks are falling hook, line and stinker for the exact same false flag used just one year ago.

The West is Run by idiots who elect themselves.

Reminds of a saying

“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

― George W. Bush

Zarathustra
Zarathustra
  RiNS
April 10, 2018 4:49 pm

Assad can barely re-conquer his own territory much less take on the Israelis. On the other hand, if he had air support from the Russians, he could probably pull it off.

kokoda the Deplorable Raccoon and I-LUV-CO2
kokoda the Deplorable Raccoon and I-LUV-CO2
  RiNS
April 10, 2018 1:00 pm

Yes, S-200’s are old and outdated, but they can be effective, at times. It was this year that the Syrian S-200 took out an Israeli F-16

Zarathustra
Zarathustra

That old radar may work better against stealth than the new stuff, at least I’ve read something to that effect. Vacuum tubes, ftw!

Mark H
Mark H
  RiNS
April 10, 2018 3:30 pm

Agree with Stucky – Top post RiNS. Just one point. I thought S500 was current state of the art? (Though reserved strictly for home soil).

I wonder how far away US naval assets have to be before they are safely out of range? What would happen if Russia suddenly decided that it was all or nothing and that every ship in the fleet was a fair target?

I have NO idea how credible the claims are about Russia’s hypersonic missiles, but if they had the chance in one strike to wipe out 70% of the entire US fleet what would happen next?

RiNS
RiNS
  Mark H
April 10, 2018 5:14 pm

Correct the S500 is the top shelf as far as AA. But according to experts it is still in development. So we are being told. Moar than likely that the system is already deployed as special surprise just in case. Just not outside Russia. Or not..

The Russians will let the bombs fly as long as those bombs aren’t aimed at them. Reason being that they have time as a friend and their side is winning where it counts. On the ground.

As for being safely out of range it is no longer possible. The kalibr cruise missile has effective range of 2000km or so. The aircraft on carriers have range of far less. Even John Bolton should be able to do the math and see the problem…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/3M-54_Kalibr

Fleabaggs
Fleabaggs
  Gunner451
April 10, 2018 4:03 pm

Gunner.
I don’t think Jordan has had a say in how they are used since the 1st Gulf War. The only reason they still exist is because their King grovels and worships Israel even better than we do.

Zarathustra
Zarathustra
April 10, 2018 9:35 am

“It is a war that the US will not win.”

It is a war the US must NOT win. It’s time for some high ranking US military officers, perhaps a rear admiral or something, to invoke his oath of commission and refuse to carry out insane and treasonous orders.

Anonymous
Anonymous
  Zarathustra
April 10, 2018 9:43 am

As much as you must hate them, it’s a war that will be in accordance fulfilling the prophecies if it happens.

Russia is going to be inextricably drawn back into the ME and its conflicts, America will be a minor player -if a player at all- in them when that time comes.

Read the back of the book and you’ll know wins and who loses when it finally happens.

NickelthroweR
NickelthroweR
April 10, 2018 11:29 am

Greetings,
I suspect it would go something like this:

1. Missiles, missiles, missiles! While the USA spent gobs of cash on hard assets like aircraft carriers & F35’s, the Russians have spent their money on anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. The US has paraded these assets around the world such that belligerents have all the info necessary to take them out when the time comes. To paraphrase Napoleon: Don’t fight the same enemy too many times or you’ll give away all your secrets.

It will most certainly be difficult to maintain our 800 military bases worldwide when no ship dares leave the protection of our coast. Our fleet, minus the subs, would be bottled up no differently than the German fleet was bottled up in WWI with sailors ready to mutiny if told they are going out in the open ocean. This will also be true of our slow moving transport fleet of aircraft.

2. Land War! Once it isn’t possible to sail or fly around anymore, our isolated servicemen will find themselves facing off against Russia’s tank force consisting of 22,000+ battle tanks. Perhaps our allies do have better tanks but they have few of them. Take, for example, Great Britain. Great Britain has 230. France and Italy have fewer than 500. If nothing can fly because of advanced missile technology then Europe will have to face the Russians at a severe disadvantage in armor. Given that they’ve had unlimited immigration from places that hate them, Great Britain would probably need that armor at home. 5th Column anyone???

3. Cyber War! Most of us wont know anything about what is coming because we will be sitting in the dark. Everyone now has their cyber armies so we’d probably lose electricity and banking for a brief period of time. Of course, 98% of internet traffic is carried on cables and I can only imagine that the transatlantic cables that carry data would all be cut further isolating us from any news outside of the official story. Get to know a Ham operator if ya wanna know what is going on.

4. In the end, a warlike man will turn on himself. The most dangerous animal is a wounded animal and there is no telling what Uncle Sam would do once he could no longer lash out at people 10,000 miles away. The best case scenario I can imagine is that we end up like Cuba with the worst case being the reincarnation of Pol Pot. There are other scenarios possible but people would become very preoccupied trying to keep what they already have working once the Asian supply chain is lost.

Mary Christine
Mary Christine
  NickelthroweR
April 10, 2018 12:14 pm

” Get to know a Ham operator if ya wanna know what is going on.”

I was thinking that before I got down to that sentence. If you just have a receiver and no way to broadcast, will it still be useful for getting info on what is going on?

Might the ham radios be outlawed if (they) do not want us getting any useful info?

Sorry my thoughts will be jumbled for a while. Had more surgery yesterday and my brain fog is worse than usual.

Zarathustra
Zarathustra
  Mary Christine
April 10, 2018 4:52 pm

Do people even use short wave frequencies anymore?

Trumpeter
Trumpeter
  Zarathustra
April 10, 2018 8:22 pm

Well Nellie Ohr communicated with Christopher Steel that way. But it was just to avoid NSA recording.

digitalpennmedia
digitalpennmedia
  Zarathustra
April 10, 2018 10:28 pm

yes.. got my tech class two years back and the class was full, about 40 people. Before I had the class there was a full room of participants doing HAM training to assist with natural disaster communication. Granted most were of the 40 plus age range but there were still a good hand full of 20 somethings. But if it got to a WW3 point the license isnt going to matter and it also doesnt matter if you just want to scan the airwaves.
The small handhelds are inexpensive and work just fine for local comms and definitely worth having for any scenario.

Anonymous
Anonymous
April 10, 2018 11:48 am

The entire Syria campaign (the USA involvement) is immoral and in all
other ways wrong. Paid mercs are doing all the heavy lifting, yet the everyday
people are experiencing the flack.

The asset strippers want chaos at every turn because chaos covers the true plan.
It is like gang activity….thugs will kill to protect territory; regardless the territory
is owned by others. USA, GB, and Israel work together. Maybe add the Saudis to
the list. Godless bullies.

Mary Christine
Mary Christine
April 10, 2018 12:30 pm

I am posting this John B Wells interview with Senator Richard H Black. It’s about a hour and a half long and it’s 4 months old but I think the information is still timely. You can just listen and do other things, no need to watch it. He pulls no punches regarding our involvement over there.
“In this edition we have a long talk with Senator Richard H. Black about the Syrian and Middle Eastern regime change, an agenda President Trump has said the US would abandon; the question is: when?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3fkF4tp8rQ

kokoda the Deplorable Raccoon and I-LUV-CO2
kokoda the Deplorable Raccoon and I-LUV-CO2
  Mary Christine
April 10, 2018 2:13 pm

Thank you Mary – this is the reason I have been verbally supporting Syria for last 2-3 years.

TC
TC
April 10, 2018 12:57 pm
Zarathustra
Zarathustra
  TC
April 10, 2018 6:29 pm

I like that guy.

RiNS
RiNS
April 10, 2018 1:51 pm
Mark H
Mark H
April 10, 2018 3:40 pm

The Unz Review recently posted an article suggesting that the tide may be turning in the US about the attitude to Israel (from for to against). Is this wish fulfillment or does this resonate with anyone?
http://www.unz.com/article/israel-just-lost-american-jews/

Francis Marion
Francis Marion
April 10, 2018 6:49 pm

“There is no longer any doubt that the criminally insane government in Washington is driving the world to the last war.”

Jesus. I don’t have enough ammo.

Seriously though. Sometimes I think PCR rewrites the same article but with slightly different names about once every other month. It’s nice work if you can find it, problem is if he’s ever right he’s out of a job.