ANALYSIS/OPINION:

One of the objectives of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian security services, since that crucial time in Mr. Putin’s mind when he decided to turn against the exploitation of Russia by the West, has been to split the NATO alliance. This week, Mr. Putin officially achieved his goal.

There has been much written about Moscow’s attempts to interfere in Western elections. Most of this press over the last year has been complete garbage, made up by the Western Marxist axis of the Democratic Party, Hollywood, the Deep State, and the corrupt media. However, there are kernels of truth in the overall narrative of those trying to bring down President Trump by an internal coup.

Russia did interfere in our domestic politics, with the main goal to divide America by exploiting race relations, which were thrown in the dumpster by President Obama and other divisions. They didn’t create new fault lines, they just fanned the flames of the tensions already there.

What the Soviet Union could never defeat, and which led to its eventual destruction, was the moral clarity and the unity of purpose of the West, in its struggle against communist totalitarianism. The Kremlin was worked to destroy this unity, and sense of common good.

This agenda has not just been focused on domestic politics in the United States. The active measures have been targeted against the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO as well. Once again on the continent, Europe has been doing a good enough job of destroying itself on its own. However, Mr. Putin has deepened the divisions already there, stoking anger against the destruction of Western culture and security by European leaders.

However, the coup de grace for the Kremlin has been the wedge driven between the alliance and Turkey, which is fast becoming an Islamic, Sunni theocracy. Putin even talked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into buying Russian anti-aircraft defense systems. I’m sure that raised alarm bells in Brussels. Could one really count on defending itself against Russian aircraft with Russian anti-aircraft missiles?

Mr. Putin has skillfully exploited Turkey’s fear of a Kurdish state being established on its southern border. This week, Mr. Erdogan threatened to attack Kurdish forces being supported by American military in Syria.

“With the Olive Branch operation, we have once again thwarted the game of those sneaky forces whose interests in the region are different,” Mr. Erdogan said in a speech to provincial leaders in Ankara last week. “Starting in Manbij, we will continue to thwart their game.”

American commanders responded quickly, Col. Ryan Dillon, spokesperson for the US-led coalition said,”Turkey knows where our forces are in Manbij, and what they are doing there, and why they are there – to prevent any kind of escalation between the groups who are in that area,” Col. Dillon told Rudaw TV. “The Coalition will continue to support our Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against ISIS. We have said this all along, and we have said this with the Kurdish elements of the SDF. We will provide them equipment as necessary to defeat ISIS.”

So now the Turks are threatening a war with their biggest NATO ally, the United States. Yes, Mr. Putin’s mission is accomplished.

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