We took note of the NATO military chief’s false and unethical statements regarding the supposed Eastern threats to the exclusively “peaceful and defensive” North Atlantic Alliance. Specifically, the general claimed that Russia employs hybrid tactics against the West, including torture and deception, and may strike at the alliance’s Baltic territories. He also speculated on the possible deployment of seven divisions in Poland and the Baltics in order to stave off defeat in the region.

While previous statements by General Pavel were merely a collection of clichés based on intra-NATO precepts whose openly confrontational nature make them extremely dangerous, now the leadership of the NATO Military Committee seems to have completely lost touch with reality or any understanding of cause and effect in the current processes underway in the sphere of European security.

It will suffice to mention the general’s claim that the challenges from the South are not vital – while the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels and the looming threat of the Islamic State prove otherwise.

There is no doubt, given NATO’s apparent inability to make a significant contribution to the fight against serious threats of the modern world, such as terrorism, that the ongoing campaign to foster anti-Russian sentiment is what allows the alliance to push for higher military spending from its member states and somehow remain afloat.

Public statements regarding the need to eliminate risks to NATO countries – which are, in fact, caused by the bloc’s unprecedented buildup of military activity and infrastructure in direct proximity to Russian borders – represent the height of cynicism.

In spite of concerted efforts to cultivate public opinion in the West, it is becoming more and more obvious that sensible quarters in Europe are not ready to blindly follow the aggressive NATO minority and their overseas supervisors who are trying to use an engineered crisis to achieve their purely self-serving goals.

This, however, does not seem to embarrass General Pavel at all, as he vehemently proclaims himself a disciple and one of the chief prophets of the alliance’s “peaceful” policy.