Kerry: Daesh biggest threat to US, not Russia

[bemildred]

WASHINGTON

The top U.S. diplomat doesn't agree that Russia poses the greatest threat to the U.S., a State Department spokesman said Friday.

"Certainly, we have disagreements with Russia and its activities along or within the region, but we don’t view it as an existential threat," said Mark Toner.

“Secretary [John Kerry] doesn't agree with the assessment that Russia is an existential threat to the United States, nor China, quite frankly."

Toner’s comments were in response remarks by Joseph Dunford, nominee to become the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said during his confirmation hearings that Russia presents the greatest threat to U.S. national security.

http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/554157--kerry-daesh-biggest-threat-to-us-not-russia

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. That is direct contradiction to this post:

Pentagon Concludes America Not Safe Unless It Conquers the World
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016127099

These “revisionist states” are threats, not because they plan to attack the US, which the Pentagon admits neither Russia nor China intend, but because they are independent. In other words, the norm is dependence on Washington.

Be sure to grasp the point: The threat is the existence of sovereign states, whose independence of action makes them “revisionist states.” In other words, their independence is out of step with the neoconservative Uni-power doctrine that declares independence to be the right of Washington alone. Washington’s History-given hegemony precludes any other country being independent in its actions

[bemildred]

2. Yes. It is.

I don't know what to make of it myself.

[jakeXT]

4. Kerry claimed Syrian rebels were moderate

Kerry portrait of Syria rebels at odds with intelligence reports

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE98405L20130905

[bemildred]

5. The question is who is in charge of our foreign policy?

It doesn't seem to be Mr. Kerry.

[KoKo]

3. Hopefully Gen. Dunford will not be confirmed Chair of Joint Chiefs...!

But, he's John McCain's pick and McCain often acts as the "shadow President" in foreign affairs, it seems.

--------------------------------

[US general: Russia biggest threat to national security

By Phil Stewart and David Alexander, Reuters
Posted July 09, 2015, at 12:41 p.m.
Last modified July 09, 2015, at 6:52 p.m.

WASHINGTON — Russia presents the greatest threat to U.S. national security and its behavior is “nothing short of alarming,” Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford told lawmakers Thursday as they weighed his nomination to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dunford also added his voice to those Pentagon officials who have supported providing lethal arms to Ukraine to help it defend itself from Russia-backed separatists, a step that President Barack Obama has so far resisted.

“My assessment today, senator, is that Russia presents the greatest threat to our national security,” said Dunford, the Marine Corps commandant, who is expected to swiftly win Senate confirmation to become the top U.S. military officer.

Relations between Moscow and the West have plunged to a post-Cold War low since Russia’s intervention in Ukraine upended assumptions about the security of NATO’s eastern flank.

“If you want to talk about a nation that could pose an existential threat to the United States, I’d have to point to Russia. And if you look at their behavior, it’s nothing short of alarming,” he said.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said later the administration was mindful of Russia’s destabilizing activity but Dunford’s comment reflected “his own view and doesn’t necessarily reflect the … consensus analysis of the president’s national security team.”

In Dunford’s view, Russia is at the top a list of security concerns that also included China, whose rapidly expanding military has alarmed Pentagon officials, North Korea and the threat from Islamic State militants.

Without weapons to counter tank and artillery fire, Ukrainian troops would not be able to fend off “Russian aggression,” he said.

“From a military perspective it’s reasonable that we provide that support to the Ukrainians,” Dunford said.

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/07/09/news/nation/us-general-russia-biggest-threat-to-national-security/