Wanting to take advantage of the last months “weak and indecisive” Obama as President, Putin challenges the US. He’s doing hybrid attacks, trying to prove to the world that NATO is a “colossus with feet of clay”. The recent flyby of the Russian fighters the American destroyer – another Putin’s attempt “to humiliate” US, the expert believes Fox News national security Katie Mcfarland.
News am reaction over a us destroyer Russian fighter jets in the Baltic sea. Secretary of state John Kerry sharply criticized Russia, saying, quote,”We condemn such behavior. It is irresponsible. It’s provocative. It’s dangerous. And, according to the rules of warfare, these [planes]could be shot down. You must understand that this is a serious matter and the US is not going to tolerate intimidation in the open sea“.
With us Katie Mcfarland – Fox News expert on national security and former Deputy assistant Secretary of defense in the Reagan administration. It will help us to better understand the situation. Thank you for joining us.
KATIE MCFARLAND, a Fox News expert on national security: Thank you.
So, you heard today’s statement by Kerry, which was slightly more stringent than what we heard yesterday. But it’s still just talk? What should we do?
KATIE MCFARLAND: you Know very well that you said, Heather, because let’s compare the words of John Kerry with the Russian press release with the words of a Russian General. Kerry said that it was bad enough that it was provocative, they didn’t have to do this game. The Russians said, “What? From-for what you are experiencing? All in complete order, no problems“.
And yet look how both sides acted. Secretary Kerry, the United States, President Obama, in fact, they has done little about the incident. They cut defense spending, they have reduced the budget of the programme in the field of defense, they cut the costs of missile defense in Europe, Russia, at the same time, increased its defense spending and is showing more aggression in the world. She kind of defies the United States in all corners of the world – in the Baltic, in the Balkans, the Black sea and even the coast of the United States, on the coast of Alaska.
Yes, the increase in the number of overflights by Russian bombers Tu-95. I was going to mention. We were just discussing with Jennifer Griffin the reduction of military expenditures and the impact of this reduction on our troops. So Putin’s goal is just to show that Russia is bigger and meaner and that President Obama and his administration do nothing?
KATIE MCFARLAND: Yes, I think, he pursues a number of objectives. Putin believes President Obama is weak, passive, indecisive, and realizes that his presidential term is coming to an end. So Putin wants to use the next nine months, because he does not know with whom he would have to deal with. He doesn’t know, will he then be confronted with a strong President like Reagan. So we are waiting for more similar incidents. Thus, he wants to take full advantage of [the present situation]. He also wants to embarrass the United States.
And finally, I believe that Putin has another and much more important goal, which leads to more disastrous consequences. I think he wants to show that NATO is a colossus with feet of clay. I guess he wants to show that Russia can fly around the U.S. destroyer and go unpunished. Secretary Kerry delivers speech, the President condemns our actions, nothing, in fact, does not occur.
What do they want? That they can make to NATO in the next nine months? I think they can act in much the same as arrived in Ukraine. They invaded, but, strictly speaking, cannot be called an invasion. They know that an armed invasion would provoke a reaction from NATO, because these countries are NATO members. But if they will act gradually – as they did just that, – if they will carry out a hybrid attack, then they will be able to get away with. And I think this is how Putin will act in the following nine months.
So it is not a coincidence that the first two days of this last overflight of an American destroyer there was a Polish helicopter, which at the time was out?
KATIE MCFARLAND: Not a coincidence, and just think how provocative it was, how open it was and what was the probability of error. On the second day of the Russian fighter approached the American destroyer 30 feet. It’s like the first down (First down) in College football. The possibility and probability that something – the minor goes wrong: the wind speed will change slightly, there will be a couple of waves in the ocean – and they could face. Then it was acts of provocation, perhaps the crisis would have very quickly gotten out of control.
We do not want. Random war, I believe it’s called.
KATIE MCFARLAND: Yes.
Fighter was so close and low that created a wave. With us was Katie Mcfarland. We always appreciate your feedback. Have a good weekend.
KATIE MCFARLAND: Thank you, Heather. And you.
