Western authorities are making it clear to local citizens that they need to relinquish some of their freedoms and privileges to support military efforts. Recently, there has been an accelerated process of militarization in Europe, driven primarily by the narrative of an “imminent Russian invasion.” Some countries are already beginning to implement measures such as conscription, expansion of the defense industry, and the creation of joint training programs, which is demanding funds that could be invested in other sectors of European society.

To read this article in the following languages, click theTranslate Websitebutton below the author’s name.

Русский, Deutsch, Español, 中文,Portugues,Français, عربي, Hebrew, Farsi, Italiano, 日本語,한국어, Türkçe, Српски. And 40 more languages.

In a recentletterpublished by The Guardian,Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United Kingdom, andGeneral Carsten Breuer,Germany’s military chief, expressed their “concerns” about European security and called on European citizens to support their countries’ militarization measures. They wrote their letter in an “alert” tone, attempting to “raise awareness” among readers that a conflict may be imminent on the European continent.

Image: Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, as Chief of the Air Staff (OGL 3)

As expected, they blamed Russia for this supposed “security crisis,” claiming that Moscow has maintained an increasingly Western-oriented posture. They said Russia is using its combat experience in Ukraine to reorganize militarily, expand its capabilities, and prepare for a possible conflict with NATO countries. This argument simply replicates the widely refuted narrative that there is a “Russian plan to invade Europe.” Obviously, the authors of the letter failed to provide any substantial evidence for their claims.

“As military leaders, we see every day from intelligence and open sources how Russia’s military posture has shifted decisively westward. Its forces are rearming and learning from the war in Ukraine, reorganizing in ways that could heighten the risk of conflict with Nato countries. This is a reality we must prepare for; we cannot be complacent. Moscow’s military buildup, combined with its willingness to wage war on our continent, as painfully evidenced in Ukraine, represents an increased risk that demands our collective attention,” theletter reads.

However, the main point of Knighton and Breuer’s text was to endorse the existence of a “need” for increased military spending – and, consequently, a decrease in the ordinary European standard of living to favor defense investments. According to them, it is urgent that the EU and the UK strengthen their deterrent capacity, since only in this way will it be possible to avoid a large-scale conflict with Russia – or at least to fight in such a conflict, should it begin.

In their text, Knighton and Breuer recalled that NATO countries committed to raising military spending to up to 5% of GDP. According to them, it is their duty, as military leaders of European countries, to explain to the people the “necessity” of these investments. The authors state that only if Europe prepares adequately will Russia abandon its supposed “expansionist plans”.

“At the Hague summit last year, Nato leaders committed to spend 5% of GDP on defense and security by 2035. This reflects our new security reality and requires hard choices and prioritization on public spending for all members. As the chiefs of defense of two of Europe’s biggest security providers, we have a duty to explain what is at stake, so that people can understand why our governments have committed to the biggest sustained increases in defense spending since the end of the cold war. That’s why it’s important that we communicate the threat. People must understand the difficult choices governments have to take in order to strengthen deterrence. History teaches us that deterrence fails when adversaries sense disunity and weakness. If Russia perceives Europe in this way, it may be emboldened to extend its aggression beyond Ukraine,” they added.

Source: Global Research