The two-day [Dec. 3-4 – Ed.] London NATO conference just ended – and calling it a NATO “crisis” is not exaggerated. The crisis is such that President Trump canceled the Press Conference at the end of the summit, officially saying that there was enough press briefing during the conference, but rather more honestly hinting at the all-pervading conflict-loaded ambiance between and among the NATO partners, that their disagreements should not be further exposed through a media event.

To start with, French President Emmanuel Macron at the onset of the Conference called NATO in words that could not be clearer “brain dead”. For once he is absolutely right. Trump chastised Macron as ‘unrespectful’ – these remarks were not only inappropriate but they were outright insolent – Trump was pointing his critique further at Macron. Trump left the summit before the end. Some say that his early leaving had to do with ‘his’ insolent, agenda, to ask European NATO members to increase their military budget to at least 2% of GDP – for which he didn’t get much applause. It would be additional wasted defense money that most countries could rather use for much needed social programs.

In addition, Trump apparently observed Trudeau and Macron mocking him, a scene that was recorded on video. Trump obviously didn’t like it. The clear loser of this event was Trump, and NATO – and of course, Trump’s NATO-puppet, Jens Stoltenberg, the longest serving NATO chief in recent history (since 2014 – and ongoing). One wonders, Stoltenberg, a Norwegian career politician, must have some brains on his own – why does he fight for a lost cause? He, Stoltenberg, knows that Russia and China are not enemies, that they are Washington-invented foes, because the empire always needs an enemy to continue instigating and fighting wars and conflicts – for the service of its billion-profit-making Armament-Military Industrial complex.

Yes, friends, in our neoliberal, bending towards neo-fascist world, killing is good for business – in fact killing is the biggest single business in the western world. Can you imagine? Have you ever thought about it? – And in order to maintain this ‘eternal war on terror’ that sustains the US economy, we need ever-so-often a ‘fake’ terror attack – to keep the fear alive, to keep the arms flowing, the arms production running, to keep police and military abuse, brutality and repression increasing until we are under total military control, so much so that no ‘state of siege’ needs to be declared. It happens automatically. In fact, people, for fear of continuous false flags, ask for it. The condemned asks for the hangman to watch over them. That’s where we have ended up.

Take the latest London Bridge knife killer — well, like most other “random” terrorist killers around the globe, he was apparently known to the police, was released early for good behavior – and, despite the fact that he was subdued by passers-by on the bridge, made motionless on the pavement, hence no danger anymore to anyone, as photos show, he was killed, shot dead by the police. Why? So, he won’t be able to talk?

That happens with almost all ‘random’ terrorist killers. They are silenced. Seems like nobody ever wonders why? – Why are they not taken into custody and questioned – and tried as they should be in a ‘state of law’, what we pretend to be in the west.

The knife-terrorist hitting The Hague simultaneously, escaped, for good order – the contrary would have been too suspicious. Problem is, people still buy these lies and overarching explanations by such liars as Boris Johnson. What is alive and well and may possibly be used when vulnerable detainees are released ‘early’ is MKUltra, CIA’s mind control program. It emerged from WWII intelligence and was further developed in the 1960s, but is still very much alive today – just more sophisticated today than yesterday. Surprisingly – Big Wonder – so far, to my knowledge, none of these “random knife or gun-swinging” terrorists have been traced to Russia.

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Question: Are those who keep propagating and defending NATO “brainless”, leading to a “brain dead” NATO? – Not necessarily, because the NATO propagators and defenders have a clear agenda – or several. The Washington based and directed, but Europe financed NATO serves none of the purposes it makes believe and lies about, being a defense force against the dangers of Russia invading Europe – and newly, because this argument has gradually served out its purpose and been discarded by most of the European NATO members, NATO is also a defense engine against the rapidly advancing belligerent China. – Now it’s China, that helps justify the nonsensical NATO.

Maybe even European leaders start now thinking – yes, let them revive their sleeping brains. Let them wake up. The reality is that both China and Russia are offering Europe friendly, un-coerced trading and business relations – and the New Silk Road, alias, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is ultimately attractive – though still openly criticized to please the despots of Washington – Europe realized that participating in BRI is a long-term win-win proposition. As the Chinese with good reason say, “We are attempting to build a community with a common future for mankind.” By contrast, there is almost nothing that comes out of Washington that is not imposed or coerced on countries, under threat of sanctions. Relations with Russia and China are 180 degrees different.

Of course, intimidating Europe with the “Eastern Threat” is so weak and un-cool, that it looks like the last desperate move of the empire’s leaders, or rather those who pull the strings behind their designated leaders – of whom Trump is a master example. You may guess, who the “string-pullers” are, also often called the ‘deep state’. They are not as far away from your everyday life as you may think. They are omni-present among us.

A second item of the not-so brainless NATO commanders’ agenda is the reason behind the topping up to 2% of the European members’ defense budget. It is of course understood that all the armament related to the 2% must be bought from the US of A – not Russia, beware! Otherwise you may have other NATO countries being in violation of the US-rules, like Turkey, buying Russian S-400 air-defense systems, rather the much inferior US Patriot systems.

The additional money spent on defense is supposedly spent in the US – further increasing the military complex’s profit – and at the same time weakening Europe, already oscillating at the margin of recession. A weak Europe is better controllable, as we know – and can better be manipulated. European leaders should know so much by now. Every major FED-Wall Street banking-induced recession has hit Europe the most. Just look at the most recent one 2008/9 and ongoing. It’s not an accident.

Another full swing recession is in the making. Extra unnecessary military spending would make it worse. Maybe Europeans will think of spending this ‘extra’ money on opening new relations, new avenues, with the east, Russia and China – two countries which will most certainly help prevent Europe from falling into yet another recessionary abyss. China’s Belt and Road may build bridges that will prevent a European recession.

And third, once Europe would be armed to the teeth on behalf of NATO, any talk about a proposed European defense system – Macron’s idea, supported openly or covertly by most EU members – would bite the dust. At least in the foreseeable future. And – having so many weapons and defense mechanisms – means Europe needs an enemy to justify her armament. In this case, Washington thinks, more pressure on Moscow and Beijing would be more palatable by Europe, bringing her again closer into Washington’s orbit.

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On the other hand, if democracy would be democracy, and the people of Europe would be asked about their allegiance to NATO, the overwhelming majority, an  average close to 70% would say they want OUT of NATO. In some countries, like Italy, this percentage is possibly in excess of 80%. It is clear, NATO is doomed, there is no need, no justification for NATO, as there are no real enemies for Europe, all enemies are invented to justify war – killing – production of weapons – for destruction. Washington is the only clear and present danger, not only for Europe, but for the entire globe. Washington’s creation of enemies leads to economic output based on destruction and killing. What a world we are living! – Isn’t it time we wake up and kill NATO?

Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. After working for over 30 years with the World Bank he penned Implosion, an economic thriller, based on his first-hand experience. Exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.” Courtesy

https://journal-neo.org/2019/12/06/nato-is-brain-dead/