� AP Photo/ Evgeniy Maloletka[/caption]The longer and bigger the war in Ukraine becomes, the more lucrative it becomes for US politicians and big business, says Alexandr Khrolenko, a columnist for the Rossiya Segodnya information agency.
MOSCOW, February 2 (Sputnik)�� The pro-independence militia in�the Donbas are in�the process of�liberating new territories. The encirclement of�a large group of�Ukrainian forces numbering in�the thousands is taking place around�the city of�Debaltseve; a narrow gap in�the front there is soon set to�be eliminated. And nevertheless the war will continue, and for�a long time, because even in�the limited Donbas format, it will result in�profits for�American corporations.
The West Will Help Arms Companies
Over the course of�two weeks, according to�data released by�the hacker organization 'CyberBerkut,' the Ukrainian armed forces suffered over�1,000 fatalities and more than�100 of�their tanks were destroyed, with�dozens of�soldiers and officers surrendering to�the militia. These days, the US needs Ukrainian casualties.
Kiev is being forced into�a war. On January 24, US Vice President Joe Biden discussed the situation in�Donbas with�Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The pair condemned the violence and expressed their conviction that "the costs for�Russia will continue to�rise" for�its alleged aggressive actions against�Ukraine.
The possible [new] victims and the idea of�Ukraine being responsible for�the conflict are not even being considered; Poroshenko was given a carte blanche and an indulgence. Shortly thereafter, the Verkhovna Rada officially declared that Russia is an aggressor nation, as�if this was another step toward�the direction of�a peaceful resolution of�the conflict.
Ukraine and the European Union serve as�subordinate instruments of�US foreign policy. The Europeans are being pushed headfirst toward�war. On January 28 in�Washington, US Assistant Secretary for�European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland urged NATO to�deploy command posts and to�create rapid-reaction forces to�its eastern members. "We must install command and control centers in�all six frontline states as�soon as�possible," Nuland noted. She explained that "NATO is a defensive alliance," and that "our goal is deterrence of�aggression," but "if that fails we have to�be ready." In other words, she's asking NATO to�be ready to�stage preemptive attacks. Europeans are being convinced of�the need for�war with�Russia, setting them up�for the next advance on�Moscow and beyond.
Last Week, US Deputy Secretary of�Defense Robert Wark said that the NATO alliance has come face to�face with�several potential enemies at�once (Russia, China, North Korea and Iran) and called for�an increase in�defense spending to�two percent of�GDP by�NATO countries. First and foremost, this is a form of�direct lobbying of�the interests of�the American corporations which manufacture weapons to�NATO standards. Moreover, it was announced that the already considerable defense spending of�the United States would be increased once more in�2016.
Against the background of�substantial guaranteed profits, American officials constantly forget to�read up�on their history, underestimating their potential enemy. How many thousands or millions of�European citizens must once again lay down�their lives on�the battlefield out�of the political short-sightedness and greed of�a few politicians? From the Ukrainian events of�2013-2015, only a small number of�Americans have come to�reach the right conclusions.
Some American Analysts Reach the Right Conclusions
New York University Professor of�Global Affairs Mark Galeotti noted in�Business New York recently that that Kiev presently lacks a fighting spirit and a meaningful strategy, as�if they ever had either. Jumping up�and down�on Maidan Square for�American cookies is easier than�defending American interests under�the bullets of�the militia in�Donbas.
Andrew Weiss, Vice President for�Studies at�the Carnegie Endowment, and former National Security Council director during�the Clinton Administration, noted in�Politico recently that "the West�s position of�strength is not as�strong as�it appears. The reformist government in�Ukraine is simply too fragile to�survive a protracted, full-scale confrontation with�Moscow.� For all its current difficulties, Putin�s Russia is not going to�be brought to�its knees by�the existing array of�sanctions and diplomatic pressure. Yet Western officials are still implicitly assuming, at�best, that Putin one day will cry uncle or, at�worst, that the Ukraine crisis can be left to�simmer on�the back burner."
And when all is said and done, time is not on�Poroshenko's side. In the military confrontation Kiev will never be able to�achieve victory. Russia, with�all its international influence, will not allow for�a genocide against�Russians in�Donbas, and Ukrainian conscripts will not stop running away from�mobilization in�droves, even if Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk and Turchynov personally stand in�the blocking detachments.
We have seen how large scale military defeats have forced Ukraine to�the peace talks table [in Minsk], following�which Kiev saves up�its strength, and once again throws its troops into�the Donbas region. This can continue on�for a long time.
However, the lack of�fighting spirit and the degradation of�the Ukrainian economy will sooner or later have the potential to�turn thousands of�Ukrainian radicals, now with�combat experience, toward�a new Maidan. At that point, Poroshenko can be saved only by�the direct (military) intervention of�the European Union and the United States. In the heart of�Europe, on�the borderline separating two worlds, each of�them nuclear-armed, the flames of�war continue to�grow.
Onward Towards A Hundred Years of�War
Having overcome the inertia in�their perception of�reality, now even serious foreign analysts are calling the conflict in�Ukraine a war, and are attempting to�predict its duration. Foreign aid to�Kiev is growing. For example, Poland is ready to�provide boots on�the ground within�an international mandate, along�with any kind of�weapons �all for�a fee of�course. The USA too is also no longer hiding its involvement.
The first evidence of�the presence of�foreign professionals in�the conflict zone was revealed in�the summer of�2014, while the protagonist in�the recent TV story from�Mariupol, combat-equipped native English-speaking Chris Garrett, explained that he was a 'volunteer' servicing in�a volunteer battalion and carrying out�a highly voluntary mission.
Gradually being drawn into�the Ukrainian conflict via�rations, sleeping bags and combat capability, the West will not help Kiev wipe Donbas from�the political map. The conflict of�geopolitical interests and the team of�Western stooges in�Kiev doom Ukraine to�a long and hopeless armed confrontation. Drawing on�the resources of�the EU and NATO, the war may continue on�indefinitely.
In a way, the present draw in�the fighting suits the West. In this way, the US and NATO do not lose face, receive reasons for�increasing their military budgets, and justify their presence in�Europe. Ukraine maintains pseudo-statehood status. And the Donetsk and Lugansk republics demonstrate their independence, becoming de-facto geopolitical subjects. Donbas can grind the superior forces of�the enemy for�years. For the US, the death of�the local indigenes in�conflicts is a familiar and even traditional affair.
Perhaps the war in�Ukraine can carry on�for ten years, after�which the Americans will call it a mistake, like�they did with�Iraq. In any case, the conceptual re-division of�the spheres of�influence in�the world will not stop. If the conflict in�Ukraine is extinguished, it is easy to�predict the development of�a new epicenter of�conflict in�the post-Soviet space, since�it is profitable for�the United States.
By Sputnik News
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