21:11 05.10.2016(updated 21:13 05.10.2016)

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American democracy is experiencing a deep systemic crisis, Russian political analyst Anton Khashchenko noted, adding that Washington’s interventionist foreign policy has become an instrument for manipulating the American people. The recent developments, including the US’ “accidental” air strike against the Syrian Arab Army positions near Deir ez-Zor and Washington’s unilateral disruption of Russo-American cooperation on Syria, may have brought the world one step closer to a potential global conflict, Russian political analyst Anton Khashchenko assessed in his article for Izvestia newspaper. According to the political analyst, similarly, NATO’s ongoing military buildup along the perimeter of Russia’s borders has not only reflected the US military-industrial complex’s efforts to replenish its budget but could have been a preparation for a potential X-Day. “I believe that those who link toughening rhetoric [towards Russia] of Washington (as well as its governmental and non-governmental partners) to their struggle to increase their own budgets are right. It is obvious that every department is seeking to bite off a meatier piece while the country’s major fiscal document for 2017 is being discussed. The Pentagon needs to increase military expenditures, while curators of various non-commercial organizations and mass media [struggle to increase] the propaganda spending. In this context Russia as a major threat and Syria as a hotbed are excellent ‘horrors’ to scare the pants off congressmen and voters,” Khashchenko suggested. However, according to the political analyst, there is yet another reason for US decision-makers and their subservient think tanks and mass media sources to raise the alarm. Khashchenko argues that at the root of Washington’s expansionist foreign policy lie domestic economic, political and social problems, threatening to engulf the US. Citing Gallup.com research, the analyst pointed out that ordinary Americans do not seem satisfied with Washington’s domestic policies. For instance, almost 57 percent of US citizens believe that a third major US political party is needed, while only 37 percent say that the existing two parties do represent the American people. Remarkably, in 2008 and 2012, “less than half favored a third party,” Gallup reported. Meanwhile, Americans’ trust in political leaders is “at new lows.” “Americans’ trust in their political leaders and in the American people themselves to make political decisions continues to decline,” the report read stressing that the percentages of those trusting political leaders “are down roughly 20 percentage points since 2004.” The pollsters have signaled ahead of the November presidential election that “the economy, dissatisfaction with government and unemployment are the issues [Americans] see as most pressing for the country.” Furthermore, as a July study indicated, the majority of Americans believe that major donors and lobbyists have an overwhelming influence on how members of US Congress vote on legislation. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, according to Khashchenko. The Russian analyst underscored that the figures clearly indicate that the US’ political system is experiencing a deep systemic crisis. Predictably, US policymakers consider America’s expansionist foreign policy the only way to divert public attention from the burning domestic issues. “Therefore Syria, Ukraine, Iraq, Iran, Libya and other [US overseas campaigns]… are the survival precondition for the American democracy,” he believes. However, as US investigative journalist James Carden recently remarked in his op-ed for The Nation, a military solution is “not a way forward.” On October 2, 2016, an alert memorandum for President Obama signed by a group of ex-US intelligence officials was published on Consortiumnews.com website. Former CIA and NSA officials warned the US president against escalating tensions with Russia over Syria. They quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova who said, while speaking to a Russian broadcaster, that if Washington launches a direct aggression against Damascus, “it would cause a terrible, tectonic shift not only in the country, but in the entire region.” “The door to further negotiations remains ajar. In recent days, officials of the Russian foreign and defense ministries, as well as President Putin’s spokesman, have carefully avoided shutting that door… Therefore, we strongly recommend that you invite President Putin to meet with you in a mutually convenient place, in order to try to sort things out and prevent still worse for the people of Syria,” the former intelligence officials wrote. “In the wake of the carnage of World War II, Winston Churchill made an observation that is equally applicable to our 21st Century: ‘To jaw, jaw, jaw, is better than to war, war, war,'” they stressed.

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