[D66] German politicians question US-led campaign against Russia

[A.O.]

Wanneer krijgt Rutte eens een helder moment?

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/03/29/russ-m29.html

German politicians question US-led campaign against Russia
By Johannes Stern
29 March 2018

While London and Washington continue to further incite tensions with
Russia over the Skripal case, criticism is mounting within the European
Union over the aggressive stance towards Moscow. In Germany in
particular, leading politicians have spoken out in recent days against
the accusations made by the British government and warned of the danger
of an escalation of the situation up to and including a war.

On Wednesday, the former vice-president of the EU Commission, Günter
Verheugen (Social Democrats, SPD), spoke during an interview with ZDF of
“the beginning of a serious international crisis,” a crisis which he is
unsure “can be kept under control.” And that is “really the last thing
we need just now,” he added.

The crisis is not being set into motion on the basis of “secure
knowledge and secure insights,” but “rather on the basis of a chain of
evidence resting on one assumption after another.” This is not proof, he
added, and stated that he thinks “such action in a democratic society is
not possible.”

Asked by ZDF moderator Mitri Sirin about alleged Russian “misdeeds,”
including “the annexation of Crimea,” the “war in Syria,” and
“cyberattacks,” Verheugen answered, “In reality, there are no shortage
of accusations that can be directed at the Russian side.” It is
necessary “to be aware of the fact, however, that accusations can also
be levelled at the West.”

It is “not so long ago that the British and American governments lied to
the entire world: intentionally and consciously lied to justify the
attack on Iraq.” And Britain’s Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, who is
now “blowing so much hot air...lied so much during the Brexit campaign
in Britain that it’s hard to keep up with him.” Verheugen added that
“this is not particularly credible.”

Verheugen stated that he would have “wished a better start” for new
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD), who immediately upon coming to office
gave his full backing to Britain. While one has to “live with the
situation for now,” it is also necessary to remember “that we previously
had a different kind of cooperation with Russia.” As someone who “spoke
directly” with President Putin about the eastward expansion of the EU,
Verheugen commented that he knew that “constructive engagement and
cooperation are possible.” It is necessary to “back away from this
confrontation and return to a situation where cooperation is possible.”

Leading representatives of various parties in parliament spoke along
similar lines and criticised the government’s position. “The expulsion
of four Russian diplomats with an intelligence background was premature
and is not justified by the political criteria that should be applied in
the Skripal case,” said SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Rolf
Mützenich to Die Welt. Obviously, not “every European government
participated in this step.”

Left Party European policy spokesman Andrej Hunko thanked on Twitter
“the EU-States Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Luxemburg, Malta,
Austria, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Cyprus” for “not
following the irresponsible course of expelling Russian ambassadors
without evidence.”

Left Party parliamentary group leader Sahra Wagenknecht wrote, “It is
not solidarity to suspend constitutional principles and further escalate
the already tense situation with Russia, but a lack of understanding.”

The far-right Alternative for Germany, which enjoys close ties to
Russian nationalists, was also angered by the government’s move. Party
leader Alexander Gaulland described it as “inappropriate to resort to
such serious sanctions in the absence of hard facts and denounce the
accused for not disproving the allegations.” The British government’s
assertions that Russia was responsible for the attack are “yet to be
proved.”

AfD deputy Hansjörg Müller, who sits on the parliamentary committee for
economy and energy, described Maas as a “foreign policy dilettante,” who
ought to be brought “before a court” for his decision.

The sharp reactions from certain quarters demonstrate that,
notwithstanding the declaration of solidarity with Britain and the
expulsion of four Russian diplomats, a faction exists within the ruling
class that considers Russia to be a partner in the pursuit of the
geostrategic and economic interests of German imperialism.

Former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD), who repeatedly criticised
the United States’ foreign policy during his time in office and
advocated a lifting of sanctions on Russia, has continued to promote
this approach after handing his position over to Maas.

Gabriel held his first foreign policy speech as ex-foreign minister at
an event for the 25th anniversary of the German-Russian Forum, which
since its founding in 1993 has pushed for closer political, economic and
cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Gabriel declared that “in these times bravery” is required “to advocate
for good German-Russian relations.” He added that he knew that “the
Russian interpretation” of the conflict in Ukraine is “entirely
different” from “the German and Western European standpoint.” But it has
to be “possible to gradually overcome these conflicts.” There is no
point “of making mutual allegations in world politics without at the
same time looking for ways to move forward,” said Gabriel. Russia is a
“decisive partner” in resolving the Syrian conflict. It will not work
without Russia, he concluded.

Gabriel did not conceal the fact that he considers the British and
American provocations against Russia to be a threat to German interests.
It is “absolutely unacceptable that energy policy is driven by the US
view, towards a position where we should give up our decades-long energy
partnership with Russia so that Germany and Europe can buy expensive
American natural gas,” he complained. Instead, he appealed for the
“retaining of visions, such as that of a free trade zone from Lisbon to
Vladivostok.”

Washington and London are exploiting the Skripal affair to thwart
precisely such a goal. They want at all costs to prevent Germany from
establishing a European military alliance to pursue its economic
interests independently of the United States and forming a trading bloc
with Russia. The constant intensification of the sanctions regime is
part of Washington’s efforts to subordinate Russia so as to consolidate
US imperialist domination over the energy-rich Eurasian landmass.

Gabriel warned in his speech that the West’s actions have already
brought the world to the brink of a nuclear conflict. He said he has
been following “with great concern that also on the Russian side, the
idea is emerging that the West and NATO are so superior with
conventional weapons that new nuclear weapons are required. And that on
the other side, NATO responds by renewing its demand for the development
of new nuclear weapons in Europe.”

He therefore appealed “for a balanced German stance,” because “we all
know that confrontations in the end result in the staging of conflict
somewhere. When the staging of confrontations take place, it occurs on
the territory of the German Federal Republic and Europe,” he warned.