Posted on 07/04/2015 4:59:48 PM PDT by annalex
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do you think it is right for the US to send heavy weaponry to Eastern Europe and the Baltic states?
Brzezinski: Do you think it is right to send troops and weapons into a sovereign country and start up a limited war after having seized a larger portion of it?
SPIEGEL ONLINE: You are talking about Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Brzezinski: You have to see both sides. It's a question of action and reaction. I don't want a war, but I'm not going to be intimidated by the argument that if we respond symmetrically to unilateral actions by the other side, it is us who is somehow provocative and precipitating a war. On the contrary. Not doing so is the most likely way of precipitating a war.
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SPIEGEL ONLINE: Merkel believes that sending weapons to Ukraine is the wrong way to go. She doesn't believe that there is a military solution to the crisis. What do you think?
Brzezinski: We should make it more costly for the Russians to use force. I think it makes sense to give defensive weapons to the Ukrainians, like mortars and anti-tank rockets, for the defense of major cities. If you want to take over a large country, you have to take the big cities. And taking big cities is extremely expensive if people are willing to defend it.
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Brzezinski: I do believe that the final outcome of this crisis should be reached on the basis of an accommodation, [...] Ukraine should be free to choose its political identity, its political philosophy, and institutionalize it by closer links with Europe. But at the same time, Russia should be assured credibly that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO. I still think this is the formula for a solution.
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
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SPIEGEL ONLINE: According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, 58 percent of the German population doesn't believe that Germany should use military force to defend a NATO ally if attacked by Russia.
Brzezinski: I've seen that. What percentage of the Germans would say that, if Germany was attacked, the United States should not protect it?
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Probably, the majority would say the US should help.
Brzezinski: Well, of course. That's human nature. That's why I don't worry too much about these things because human nature changes as circumstances change. Look at the Lithuanians, that tiny, little country. They have just announced that they are going to defend themselves, period. That should put Germany to shame. In fact, I believe Germany would fight. I think Ms. Merkel would fight. And the opposition would fight.
I only took Brzie about 30 years to realize what is going on. In the case of his daughter, it will take about 50.
What I find amusing, is that no matter how many times these people say just incredibly stupid things, they still think they are relevant when the next issue comes up they want to comment on.
Brzezinski, I haven’t considered you worthy of listening too in over 35 years.
This comment here is over a year too late. And if you want to go back to when Putin was meeting with China’s leadership and they were issuing anti-U.S. comments then, we could increase that to perhaps ten years.
Then what is the purpose of NATO if it is not mutual defense?
Obviously the German people have been poor educated on the history and purpose of NATO.
Of course. I think though that Brzezinski correctly points out that the public opinion is very malleable.
I don't want a war, but I'm not going to be intimidated by the argument that if we respond symmetrically to unilateral actions by the other side, it is us who is somehow provocative and precipitating a war. On the contrary. Not doing so is the most likely way of precipitating a war.IOW, Jimmuh and Walt took the wrong course of action when the Ayatoilet moved to overthrow the Shah, and then seized the US embassy?
Regular Germans don’t understand these things as they haven’t thought it trough. When they were dealing with their Nazi past somehow “soldier” became a dirty word. People don’t want to even think about anything war related and for that reason most are ignorant. I am sure even most Germans would change their minds when they would have a public discussion, but doesn’t look like this can happen in today’s German society.
Not just polls; opinions indeed will change when the tangible reality changes.
Also anything to do with nationalism. Again, Germany will come to her senses when the reality changes for the worse, as it will.
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