Translated “Avante!” article by Jorge Cadima, Member of the PCP International Department

General Milley, the USA Army High Commander-in-Chief, released a threat, during an official statement : “ I intend to be very clear with those who try to oppose the Unites States[…] hamper and smash them in the hardest manner” (in YouTube , and quoted in www.military.com, 2016.10.05). The threat is directed towards Russia, the world second greatest nuclear power. Another threat came from the USA Foreign Office spokesman : “ extremist groups ought to expand their operations, including - doubtlessly – attacks against Russian interests , even against some Russian towns (in NYT, 2016.09.29). A NYT editorial is entitled “ Vladimir Putin’s outlaw state” ( 2016.09.29). Why all this hysteria against capitalist Russia?

The cease-fire agreement in Syria, signed down by Kerry and Lavrov, was buried hours later, before the USA attack, killing almost 100 Syrian soldiers, who defended the city of Deir-ez-Zor, under the ISIL siege. Kerry stated the attack had been a “mistake”, but General Dunford, the USA High Commander –in-Chief, stated a different opinion: “ it is possible, that upon the investigation conclusion […] one ought to repeat what was carried out” (in Reuters, 2016, 09.19). The apparent military insubordination had happened before: the New York Times (2016. 09.13) accounted for (bashfully) a Pentagon press conference, during which the USA military officers refused to promise to accomplish their part in the agreement, signed by Kerry. When nominated, general Dunford stated that” Russia was the USA’s major threat”, referring the following most important threats concerning the USA security, and by order, as China, North Korea and the Islamic State” (in Washington Post, 2015.07.09). Obama’s minister of the Defence agrees: ”Ashton Carter enrolled the USA hierarchy threats, which included China, North Korea, Iran and finally, the fight against terrorism. But its major target was Russia” ( in NYT editorial, 2016. 02.3). In a USA Today article ( 2016. 02.11), entitled “Wesley Clark: in Syria, Russia is the real threat, and the NATO ex-Commander, during the war against Yugoslavia states" one ought to recognize that […] the greatest threat is Russia.”. Stating that “Bashar al-Assad is persuasive ”, and Clark adds : “one cannot allow […] the “good” jihadists, financed by our allies, to become marginalized“. The “struggle against terrorism” fiction drops the mask.

For many years, The USA impose their will, by force Those who refuse to accomplish orders, are victims of economic, “coloured revolutions”, terrorist armies at their orders, invasions and wars. Currently, few are the governments that dare to vote against imperialist powers, within the UN. Russia, besidesits social system or class issues, is object of a more and more visible siege. NATO spreads unto its boarders. The USA servers, provoke unto war (Georgia, in 2008, Ukraine, in 2014, Poland, in 2016). Who ought to be surprised, after having assisted to Yugoslavia , Iraq or Libya’s destinies, and the Russian leaders come to the conclusion that, to confront the USA, is a question of life or death for their own country? To save the government of Syria ( legitimate and recognized by the USA!) and impede the imperialist war monster in Syria, is trying to stop war reach their own country.
For the USA, a defeat of its interposed war against Syria ought to be a deep coup in its hegemonic power. And therefore, General Milley decries against “those who oppose the USA” and threatens to “smash” them.

Russia, on the contrary of previous targets, holds nuclear weapons. The parade is enormous, and dangers frightening. There are no inevitable wars. But there exists a war party, strengthened along the capitalism crisis. Only those who ignore history and imperialism’s nature ought to be at rest. Never the struggle for peace and against the bellicose madness was so urgent.