01.06.2019, Washington.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Kathryn Wheelbarger called Russia a source of chaos in the Middle East during her speech at the Atlantic Council on May 30.
First, the US Defense Department official noted that Russia has strengthened in the Middle East largely due to the fact that partner states began to perceive the US as an unreliable partner. Then, she attacked our country with accusation that Russian foreign policy seeks to “exploit chaos” and “aims to spread chaos” around the world in order to ”revise the world order and reject the international system”.
Russia has become more attractive to many countries because it was able to “buttress the Assad regime“, in contrast to “what is perceived as the US’ abandonment of its ally in Egypt at a similarly tenuous time”, meaning the overthrow of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak by radical Islamists during the so-called “Arab Spring”.
According to the Assistant Secretary, the US differs from Russia because it identifies “who is our friend, and who is our enemy“, which makes the US a “more reliable ally”.
The “Arab Spring” and the events that followed have led to increasing chaos in the Middle East and surrounding regions. These events are a direct consequence of changes to the US foreign policy strategy first pursued at the end of George W. Bush’s administration and later further developed under the Barack Obama administrations. In essence, it meant abandoning the idea of building the “new world order” based on military-political force and reliance on traditional allies. The “new world disorder” strategy model is offered instead. It is based on the theory of chaos, and it relies on support and cooperation with forces previously considered hostile to the US, including radical Islamists.
Editorial comment
It is notable that in her criticism of Russia’s role in the Middle East and the world as a whole, the high-ranking Pentagon official is, essentially, directly projecting the US’ behavior and strategy on the international stage on Russia, is now referred to as a “strategic competitor” in the US expert community.
The US hopes to scare its junior partner states, which became disillusioned with US global leadership away from Russia. Its ardent rhetoric in defense of global stability is a disguise for blatant actions aimed at exporting instability and undermining the foundations of the international order established after the WWII.
However, as Americans themselves like to say — actions speak louder than words.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
