Last week, in the Baltic Sea off the coast of NATO-member Poland, two Russian fighter jets “buzzed” a United States destroyer, the USS Donald Cook.
And not just “buzzed” in a convivial, welcoming manner, but in an aggressive, in-your-face style. In fact, they flew so close to the ship that the jets’ airflow caused wakes in the water.
The week previously, a Russian fighter jet aggressively challenged an American RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. It flew within mere yards of the aircraft, performing barrel rolls over the RC-135.
Now, it’s not so unusual for one nation’s forces to encounter or challenge another’s forces when they are approaching its airspace or coastal boundaries. But it is usually done in a “we know you are here and we are watching you” manner. And it is done when the aircraft or ship approaches the nation’s borders.
These Russian aircraft challenged the American vessels in international waters and airspace off the coasts of other nations, i.e., Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. And they did it in an aggressive, bullying manner. Of course, no shots were fired or evasive maneuvers taken. But the intent was calculated and threatening.
Debate is now raging as to “why” Russia is behaving so aggressively. Opinions vary. Some believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is exerting his dominance by “punking” lame-duck President Obama, convinced he will not retaliate.
It gives Putin the opportunity to look strong while making the American President appear weak.
Others believe it goes further and is a message to the former Soviet Republics who are attempting to ally themselves with the west. Putin is saying, “Don’t trust the U.S. They won’t even defend themselves, why do you think they will defend you?”
And he makes a pretty good case.
A few years ago, the west and a newly-liberated Russia convinced Ukraine to surrender the huge pile of nuclear weapons it harbored from the Soviet era. The United Kingdom, The United States, and Russia each guaranteed that they would protect and secure the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine against all aggressors.
Ukraine surrendered the weapons.
In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and stole the province of Crimea and its critical seaport on the Black Sea. The West objected and gave up a collective yawn.
Last year, Russia began a slow-motion invasion of eastern Ukraine. Putin’s explanation echoed Hitler’s explanation for entering the Sudetenland prior to World War 2. He has noted that most of the people in eastern Ukraine are Russian and speak Russian and love Russia, so he wants to make sure they are protected from the lovers of the West who run the government in Kiev.
Of course, he only chose to do this after his puppet president in Kiev was run out of office by the Ukrainians in what has become known as the “Euromaiden” revolution.
Once again, from the West, Ukrainians are hearing a collective yawn. Those in east Ukraine are being held hostage by Russia. They have no help and little hope.
Meanwhile, even though the mainstream media has been featuring reports of Russia’s impending withdrawal from Syria, we know otherwise. And how do we know? Russia has told us.
Russian government-owned Sputnik News recently reported about the Russian forces who remain in Syria. According to Sputnik, the remaining task force has several goals: “…fighting terrorism, supporting President Bashar al-Assad, and control over the region.”
Did you catch that? Russia is remaining in Syria in order to continue exerting its “control over the region.”
We already know that Iran is increasing its control over portions of that region almost exponentially — especially since the United States granted it a clear path to nuclear weapons and supplied the money to fund it.
So now the two dominant outside forces in the most volatile region of the world are Iran and Russia. Persia and Magog.
from the Hal Lindsey Report – April 22, 2016
