WARNING ABOUT MOSCOW – AT 12:32 P.M. ET:  When Mitt Romney warned about this in 2012, he was laughed at.  Russia is on the march, and Field Marshal Obama is dining in Kenya.  From Fox:

Russia seeks to test the United States at every opportunity and divide the NATO alliance, posing the most significant long term threat to US national security, the head of the U.S. Special Operations Command, General Joseph Votel , told the Aspen Security Forum.

"Russia is looking to challenge us wherever they can,” Votel told Fox News’ Catherine Herridge. "The intent is to create a situation where NATO can't continue to thrive."

Votel said he did not have "unique insights" into Russian President Vladimir Putin but he believes Putin sees the expansion of NATO "...as a threat to him and I think what they (Moscow) are attempting to do is create these frozen conflicts and create situations that are very, very difficult to resolve along their border."

That "does, could pose an existential threat," Votel added.

He also said Russia is using a "hybrid approach to warfare" where state and non-state actors are mixing military and non-military capabilities. The result is "a coercive effect...using information operations, using manipulation of media , using social media."

Since January, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia – three traditional U.S. allies - have completed significant nuclear energy deals with Russia. Asked if this is evidence of Putin's effort to further expand Russia’s reach, and the seeds of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, Votel replied it was proof of Moscow's push to challenge the U.S. and expand its influence.

Votel said SOCOM is assisting those countries that want to resist Russian influence.

COMMENT:  Wait a minute.  This is nonsense.  Why, we watched Hillary Clinton when she gave the Russian foreign minister a "reset" button, signifying that we were restarting our relations with Moscow on a friendly basis, not like that big, bad man, George Bush, or the even worse Dick Cheney. 

Why does an American general say these bad things about Russia?  I think SOCOM should be run by someone from Code Pink, don't you?

July 25, 2015