Biden escalates war in Ukraine amid new threats on Iran and China

The President Joe Biden administration has ordered an ominous escalation of the U.S./NATO war in Ukraine. This unauthorized, surprise move can only be understood as a desperate effort to create conditions that box the incoming Trump administration into continuing the war. Expanding the war in Ukraine and tying it to blaming Iran and China make it politically more difficult for Trump to cut it loose — if he really wants to. 

Trump put out mixed messages on Ukraine during his campaign for the presidency, rhetorically posing as the peace candidate yet having a friendly meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower in September.

Yet there is apprehension among the European imperialist powers and Washington’s moderate Democrats and neocons that the incoming Trump administration might cut off weapons to this failed war in order to focus on threatening China and Iran. 

If the Ukraine government collapses, it leaves the European Union holding the bag for $35 billion in loans to Ukraine. These loans were to be repaid over a 30-year period using the profits and interest from Russian assets that were illegally frozen and held mainly at the Belgium-based financial services company Euroclear. There is a huge financial incentive by billionaire bankers to keep the war going, despite the human costs.

Faced with collapsing military units and the dire situation of the thoroughly corrupt Ukrainian army, the Biden administration, without any Congressional approval or even symbolic consultation, has expanded the war past Russia’s publicly announced “red lines.” Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has stated the country will not accept any incursion by NATO or the U.S. into Russian territory with aircraft, missiles or drones. 

Biden just authorized Ukraine to use supersonic missiles, supplied by Washington, to hit targets inside Russia’s borders. The Kiev regime immediately fired ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles at Russia’s Bryansk region.

These weapons systems require U.S. military satellite coordination, as well as the possible use of U.S. “contractors” to prepare missiles for fire. Essentially a hit with these missiles constitutes a direct U.S. strike on Russia.

Putin warned that allowing the Ukrainian military to use these longer-range missiles on Russia would mean NATO’s direct participation in a war against the Russian Federation. (sputnikglobe.com, Sept. 9)

Working always in tandem with U.S. war plans, Britain has now approved the use of similar British/French Storm Shadow cruise missiles to target Russia. The British media reported this immediately.

Threatening Iran and China for U.S. failure in Ukraine

To deflect attention from this criminal, unauthorized escalation of advanced weapons aimed at Russia, the U.S., the European Union and Britain are threatening Iran and China with intense new sanctions, renewing their arrogant demand that the two countries must end all trade with Russia. It is the countries of the U.S.-commanded NATO military alliance who have sent tens of billions in weapons into Ukraine in their effort to destabilize Russia. Now they are asserting that trade by Iran, China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with Russia is providing military technology that is responsible for NATO’s setbacks in Ukraine.

The imperialist powers also claim, without any confirmation, that troops from the DPRK will aid Russia in Ukraine. This is another gaslighting charge. It is U.S. imperialism who has used thousands of troops from U.S.-occupied South Korea as cannon fodder in many of its failed wars, including in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

 The new sanctions on Iran include additional asset freezes and canceling Iran Air’s regular weekly flights to seven destinations in EU countries. The EU sanctions on Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) are focused on disrupting key shipping routes and component transfers in ports. Sanctions include a ban on ports and locks owned, operated or controlled by Iran, especially in the Caspian Sea. 

A statement issued by the European Council reads: “The Council today decided to widen the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region.” (iranwire.com, Nov. 18)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Nov. 17 that sanctions on the IRISL would “boomerang,” adding that “freedom of navigation is a basic principle of the law of the sea.” (x.com/araghchi/status) 

EU threatens China with ‘consequences’

All of these charges against Iran and China and the charges of DPRK troops are totally unsubstantiated and hastily put together as justifications to widen the war against Russia and keep it fueled with additional U.S. and EU weapons. A statement by a senior EU official threatening China shows just how difficult it is to enforce their bullying threats.

“If we finally confirm there is a transfer of drones [from China to Russia], then that will have consequences,” said the official, without saying what those consequences might be. (politico.eu, Nov. 15)

This coordinated approach by Western powers signals a united front against any country that threatens their power.

But another united front is also developing. Iran has recently boosted its oil production to pre-sanction levels thanks to strategic alliances with allied nations, including Russia and China.