[Marxism] China, Russia, India, Iran, etc, prepare for war in response to US Threats

[Steve Masterson <steve4masterson@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

China, Russia, India, Iran, etc, prepare for war in response to US Threats
   
  Comrades,
   
  Well known anti-globalisation author Michel Chossudovsky on 
  24 August, wrote an article, below, in which he outlines clearly that
  there are a series of inter-connected war ?games? and military agreements
  occurring right now, little-publicised in the west, that embrace, China,
  Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan and the central Asian states. On 2nd August
  I distributed an article predicting exactly the process that Michel talks
  about below, but I also explained it in a context of US impending financial
  and economic crash, imperialist war over Iran/Caspian area for control
  of oil, and the emergence of a tri-lateral imperialist world, and all its
  dangers for humanity itself. In my article in midst of the war against
  Lebanon, ?Lebanon, Syria, Iran & the Coming Imperialist Re-Division
  of the World?, 
  
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=MAS20060802&articleId=2886
  I quoted Chossudovsky on the East Mediterranean ? and
  it was all largely ignored on this list or dismissed as catastrophist. As 
  Chossudovsky below argues for the dissemination of his article to warn 
  widely of the coming major war in the Middle-East, so do I about my own.
   
  comradely  -  Steve
   
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   
          Russia and Central Asian Allies Conduct
  War Games in Response to US Threats
   
  by Michel Chossudovsky
  
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=CHO20060824&articleId=3056
   
      August 24, 2006
       
  Barely acknowledged by the Western media, military exercises organized
  by Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan under the Collective
  Security Treaty Organisation, (CSTO)  were launched on the 24th August.
  These war games, officially tagged as part of a counter terrorism program,
  are in direct response to US military threats in the region including the
  planned attacks against Iran
    
  The Rubezh-2006 exercise, is scheduled to take place from August 24-29
  near the Kazak port city of Aktau: 
  "It will be the first joint military exercise undertaken by CSTO countries,
  and will involve 2,500 members drawn from various armed services of
  member states, with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan the
  principal participants. Uzbekistan, which has recently rejoined the CSTO,
  will send observers, while the two other pact members, Belarus and
  Armenia, will not be taking part .( IPWR News Briefing Central Asia.
   
  Press reports from the region describe these war games as a response to
  US military presence and ambitions in Central Asia:
  "The growing militarisation is connected with mutual mistrust among
  countries in the region, say analysts. Iranian media have speculated that
  the United States is using Azerbaijan to create a military counterweight
  to Iran on the Caspian. It is possible that the exercise conducted by the
  CSTO ? in which Russia is dominant ? represents a response to concerns
  about United States involvement in developing Kazakstan?s navy.
  Observers say Russia is leaning more and more towards the Iranian view
  that countries from outside should be banned from having armed forces
  in the Caspian Sea." 
   
  Experts say the US is trying to step up the pressure on Iran, as well as
  to defend its own investments in Azerbaijan and Kazakstan. It is also
  trying to guarantee the security of the strategically vital 
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
  pipeline.

A military presence on the Caspian would give the United States an
  opportunity to at least partially offset its weakening influence in Central
  Asia, as seen in the closure of its airbase in Uzbekistan, the increased rent
  it is having to pay for the Manas base in Kyrgyzstan, and the diplomatic
  scandal that resulted in the expulsion of two Americans from Kyrgyzstan.

According to analysts, genuine security in the region can be achieved 
  only if the military interests of all five Caspian countries are coordinated.
  At an international conference in Astrakhan in July 2005, Russia proposed
  the formation of a Caspian naval coordination group, but to date the
  initiative has not had much of a response.(Ibid)
   
  Iran War Games coincide with those organized by the CSTO 

The entire region seems to be on a war footing. These CSTO war games
  should be seen in relation to those launched barely a week earlier by Iran,
  in response to continued US military threats. These war games coincide
  with the showdown at the UN Security Council and the negotiations
  between permanent members regarding a Security Council resolution
  pertaining to Iran's nuclear program. "They are taking place within the
  window of time that has been predicted by analysts for the initiation of
  an American or an American-led attack against Iran" (see Mahdi Darius 
  Nazemroaya, Global Research,  21 August 2006): 

"War games and military exercises are
  now well underway within Iran and its territory.
   
  The Iranian Armed Forces?the Regular Armed Forces and the
  Revolutionary Guards Corps?began the first stage of massive
  nationwide war games along border areas of the province of Sistan
  and Baluchistan1 in the southeast of Iran bordering the Gulf of Oman,
  Pakistan, and NATO garrisoned Afghanistan to the east on Saturday,
  August 19, 2006. These war games that are underway are to unfold
  and intensify over a five week period and possibly even last longer,
  meaning they will continue till the end of September and possibly
  overlap into October, 2006". (Ibid, emphasis added)

While Iran is not a member of the CSTO, it has observer status in the
  Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), of which China is a member. 

The SCO has a close relationship to the CSTO. The structure of military
  alliances is crucial. In case of an attack on Iran, Russia and its CSTO
  allies will not remain neutral. In April, Iran was invited to become a
  full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). 

Sofar no concrete timetable for Iran's accession to the SCO has been set.
  This enlargement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,  which
  also includes observer status for India, Pakistan and Mongolia counters
  US military and strategic objectives in the broader region. Moreover,
  China and Russia, which are partners in the SCO also have a longstanding
  bilateral military cooperation agreement. In August 2005, China and
  Russia conducted joint military exercises.

The conduct of the CSTO war games must be seen as a signal to
  Washington that an attack on Iran could lead to a much broader military
  conflict in which Russia and the member states of the CSTO could 
  potentially be involved, siding with Iran and Syria. 

Also of significance is the structure of bilateral military cooperation
  agreements. Russia and China are the main suppliers of advanced weapons
  systems of  Iran and Syria. Russia is contemplating the installation of a
  Navy base in Syria on the eastern Mediterranean coastline.  In turn, the
  US and Israel have military cooperation agreements with Azerbaijan
  and Georgia.  

China War Games

In recent developments, China and Kazakhstan have initiated war
  games (August 24, 2006) under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation
  Organization (SCO). These war games are being held concurrently with
  those conducted under the CSTO, which are also being held in Kazakhstan.  

India-Russia military Cooperation

India and Russia have signed on August 20th, a far-reaching military
  cooperation agreement.  Although not officially directed against the US,
  the purpose of this agreement is understood. The two countries have
  "agreed to focus on joint war games in services-to-services interaction,
  joint development of new weapons systems and training of Indian
  military personnel", (Press Trust of India, 21 August 2006).
   
  Note: Readers are welcome to cross-post this article with a view to
  spreading the word and warning people of the dangers of a broader
  Middle East war. Please indicate the source and copyright note.
   
  © Copyright 2005 GlobalResearch.ca
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