by Stephen Lendman

War without mercy in Ukraine rages. Washington offers full support and encouragement.

Obama's new friends are ruthless. They're illegitimate neo-Nazi infested fascists.

They're murdering their own citizens. Donbass region residents face daily bombing and shelling.

Over 2,000 were killed. Many others were injured. Hundreds of thousands are internally or externally displaced.

Conditions are dire. A humanitarian crisis persists. Things go from bad to worse.

Lugansk residents have no electricity or running water. Food, medical supplies and other essentials to life are in short supply.

Kiev wants area residents denied them altogether. It obstructed, delayed, and blocked Russian humanitarian aid for days.

Moscow "met all conceivable and inconceivable" Ukrainian demands and then some. It didn't matter.

It called "endless artificial demands and pretexts…unconscionable."

"It is no longer possible to tolerate this lawlessness, outright lies and inability to reach agreements," its Foreign Ministry said.

Enough is enough. Russia had to act. It did so justifiably. Its convoy headed for Lugansk. It delivered vitally needed humanitarian aid. Perhaps more will follow.

A Foreign Ministry statement said:

"We express our satisfaction that the Russian humanitarian aid for those in need in southeastern Ukrainian south-east has been delivered as intended."

"We were motivated only by the goal of helping civilian citizens in need."

Doing so elicited "a lot of feedback from the residents of Lugansk, who were thankful for such a good attitude from the Russian part."

Russian Deputy Emergency Minister Eduard Chizhikov explained further, saying:

"There were 227 trucks in the humanitarian operation participating in the operation, and they have all returned."

"All those vehicles have been searched by the representatives of the customs and border control, both on the Ukrainian and Russian side."

"No issues have been pointed out. All vehicles were empty upon returning, and the media representatives checked that, too, while they were filming the search."

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov was forthright, saying:

Russia acted "in full compliance with international humanitarian law. We cannot and will not tolerate the plight of people living in the protesting southeast of Ukraine any longer."

"We are confident that we are right. And we charge Kiev and the countries (supporting) it with repeatedly putting their own political interests, which are essentially anti-Russian, above the immutable standards of humanity and compassion."

A President of Russia statement said:

"Mr. Putin said that given the needless delay Kiev caused in delivering Russian humanitarian aid to the people living through a humanitarian disaster in southeast Ukraine, the decision to send the convoy of vehicles on its way was made."

"Further delay would have been unacceptable."

Putin could wait no longer. He had to act. Potentially thousands of lives are at stake.

He did the right thing. He deserves universal praise. Unconscionable bashing instead followed.

It didn't surprise. Anti-Russian propaganda is relentless. It rages. It exceeds the worst of Soviet era levels.

Big Lies repeat. They substitute for real news, information and analysis. Putin is public enemy No. 1. Supporting what's right has a price.

Washington bears full responsibility for Ukrainian crisis conditions. It ousted a democratically elected government.

It replaced it with illegitimate neo-Nazi infested fascists. It supports and encourages its worst crimes of war and against humanity.

A White House statement disgracefully called Russian humanitarian aid a "provocati(ve) violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

It lied claiming "the presence of Russian military personnel in Ukraine, and Russian shelling of Ukrainian territory."

Fact: Russia acted lawfully and humanely.

Fact: It didn't invade Ukraine now or earlier.

Fact: It deplores war.

Fact: It champions peace and stability.

Fact: It doesn't threaten its neighbors.

Fact: It prioritizes diplomacy over confrontation.

Fact: No nation acts more lawlessly than America.

Fact: None has a more appalling human rights record.

Fact: None operates more extrajudicially.

Fact: Permanent premeditated aggressive war is official policy.

Fact: One nation after another is ravaged and destroyed.

Fact: Millions are killed.

Fact: Millions more injured and displaced.

Fact: No nation in history caused more harm to more people over a longer period of time than America.

Fact: No nation is more guilty of virtually every crime imaginable and then some.

Fact: None are more contemptuous of rule of law principles.

A separate National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden statement lied. She claimed Russia violated "its previous commitments and international law."

She ludicrously claimed "Russian military vehicles painted (white) to look like civilian trucks forced their way into Ukraine."

"We condemn this action by Russia, for which it will bear additional consequences," she said.

Fact: Russia did everything possible to comply with Kiev demands.

Fact: Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers agreed on granting humanitarian aid entry.

Fact: Kiev violated its own agreement.

Fact: Russia's convoy cleared Ukrainian customs.

Fact: No military vehicles were involved.

Fact: No weapons smuggling was attempted.

Fact: No cross border shelling.

Fact: No planned invasion.

Fact: No proxy war.

Fact: No involvement in downing MH17.

Fact: Russia acted according to the highest humanitarian standards.

Fact: Washington, rogue EU partners and Kiev violate them egregiously.

Media scoundrels had their say. They didn't surprise. They regurgitate official Big Lies.

They repeat with disturbing regularity. They substitute for truth and full disclosure. They mock legitimate journalism.

A biased New York Times report quoted illegitimate/oligarch Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. He lied calling Russian aid a "flagrant violation of international law."

The Times cited another Kiev official ludicrously calling it a "direct invasion." It featured NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's Big Lie.

He outrageously claimed a "major escalation in Russian military involvement in eastern Ukraine."

None whatever exists. None is planned. Rasmussen repeats one Big Lie after another. The Times and other media scoundrels repeat them as gospel.

They march in lockstep with Washington, rogue EU partners and Kiev. The Times lied claiming Russian "trucks could be used to carry weapons and other supplies to pro-Russian militants."

Kiev military spokesman Col. Andriy Lysenko was quoted. He lied claiming Russian trucks returned home "with equipment from Ukrainian enterprises."

They were empty heading back to Russia. Lysenko knew it. He lied anyway. The Times featured his lie and many others. Its editorial policy is one-sidedly anti-Russian.

So is the CIA-controlled Washington Post. An August 11 editorial headlined "The West must oppose Russia's 'humanitarian' invasion of Ukraine," saying:

"(T)ens of thousands of Russian troops remained poised on Ukraine's border." Washington "and its allies must be prepared to act quickly if (they) cross the frontier."

"The motive for another escalation in Russia's ongoing meddling is clear enough: not the 'humanitarian crisis' the Kremlin claims is occurring in areas held by its surrogate forces but the threat that the Ukrainian army and allied militias will win a military victory."

"The continued fighting (gives Putin) a pretext for 'humanitarian' intervention."

"If Mr. Putin's forces are able to hold onto a piece of territory, the Russian president will be able to block Ukraine's stabilization indefinitely, just as he has used 'frozen conflicts' to sabotage other Russian neighbors."

"(T)he Ukrainian military operation should continue with Western support…"

"(T)he United States and its allies should do everything possible to deter Mr. Putin's 'humanitarian' invasion."

Fact: No evidence whatever suggests a planned Russian invasion.

Fact: Plenty shows quite the opposite.

Fact: Putin respects rule of law principles.

Fact: He believes national sovereignty is inviolable.

Fact: He prioritizes good relations with neighbors.

Fact: He doesn't meddle in their internal affairs.

Fact: Doing so is longstanding US policy.

Fact: Dire conditions is Putin's "pretext" for delivering humanitarian aid.

Fact: He has no territorial aims.

Fact: Nor is he trying to destabilize Ukraine or "sabotage" other neighbors.

Fact: WaPo is on the wrong side of history.

Fact: It opposes what demands support.

An August 22 Wall Street Journal editorial headlined "Putin Makes His Move." A litany of Big Lies followed. A whopper claimed "(h)is forces intervene(d) to grab another chunk of Ukraine."

"Russian-manned artillery" aren't in Ukraine. Nor is cross border shelling occurring.

Journal editors claim a "significant escalation in (Putin's) effort to seize his neighbor's territory. That's putting it mildly," they added.

"What's happening now looks like an outright invasion."

No evidence whatever suggests Putin intends "seiz(ing)" Ukrainian territory. Or interfering in any way in its internal affairs. Not according to Journal editors.

They claim "(t)he Kremlin formula is to insert the convoy, demand a ceasefire, then insist that Kiev honor the ceasefire, in turn allowing the rebel enclaves to become self-governing territories."

Again, no evidence suggests Journal claims are right. Throughout his entire tenure as president, plenty is polar opposite.

Don't expect Journal editors to explain. They claim nonexistent Russian revanchism.

They want fantasy Putin "aggression…checked." They want direct confrontation with Russia. They asked if Obama "has the will" to it.

Be careful what you wish for. Confronting Russia belligerently is madness. It risks the unthinkable.

Sanctions wars risk a potential major EU economic contraction. What affects Europe harms America.

Japan risks slipping into recession. It would be its fourth since 2008.

James Petras is right saying "sanctions policies occur at a time when Europe's economies are in deep economic crisis…"

Exacerbating it could turn recession into protracted depression. Second quarter data showed Eurozone's economy stagnant.

Germany is Europe's economic powerhouse. It represents one-third of Eurozone GDP.

It declined by 0.2%. It's the first German contraction since 2012. Italy declined. French growth was zero.

Current data suggest the third Eurozone recession in the past five years.

Germany is key. Over half its economy is export dependent. Sanctions wars harms them.

As Germany goes, so go Eurozone countries. As they go, so go America, China, Japan and other global economies.

Ukrainian crisis conditions caused its currency to decline 60%. Its economy is contracting significantly. At up to a 15% annual rate.

It needs tens of billions more in bailout help. Washington provides only token aid. Expect little or no further IMF funding.

EU countries are faced with helping when they're struggling with their own weakening economies.

Putin bashing exacerbated by sanctions wars makes a bad situation worse. It takes a giant leap of faith to expect America to act responsibly.

Its sordid history should give everyone pause. Its imperial adventurism threatens world peace and stability.

Cold War 2.0 risks becoming hot. All bets are off if it happens.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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