Pentagon Consultant: EU Will Continue to Get Weaker

With another aggravation of the crisis in the Middle East due to the escalation of Iranian-American conflict and the armed confrontation in Libya, Washington voiced an initiative to broaden NATO's involvement in the Middle East affairs. In addition, 2020 is notable for a large-scale Alliance exercises being held in Europe, which aroused concern for Russia and its allies. The Pentagon consultant, retired US Major General Paul Vallely told Eurasia.Expert what future the United States want for NATO and what triggered Washington’s latest initiatives.

– NATO’s largest military exercises in Europe in the last 25 years, Defender Europe 2020, will begin in March, but preparations for them and the deployment of troops begins now. What NATO aims at with these maneuvers and is Washington expecting a response from Russia?

– I suspect Russia will make a response. Not sure why we, the US, are doing this as we know Russia is not the threat to Europe as it is characterized. I think it is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayers’ money

– In light of the growing tensions between the United States and Iran, Donald Trump has proposed Middle East countries to join NATO. The proposal was made the day after Trump called on the North Atlantic Alliance to participate more actively in Middle Eastern affairs. How likely is the scenario of Middle East integration in NATO?

– I think that Trump is trying to bolster the weak European countries through the NATO organization and being a viable force of the defense of Europe. Trump has been trying to get more European diplomatic and military efforts in the Middle East. US are tired of the Middle East affairs and for the most part, we want to extricate ourselves from Middle East Affairs.

– NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that the US military presence in Europe has reached a record level since the beginning of the century. Some experts believe that one cannot rule out the future of a major war in Europe. What will Europe face in the future, in your opinion?

– In my opinion, there will be no major war like WWII in Europe. Europe faces major leadership problems and has tried to make the European Union a viable economic and political counter of the US. Has been a gigantic failure as Europe has been overtaken by high taxes, gigantic bureaucracy, over-regulation. Trump sent a major, important message to the European and climate change advocates in Davos this week. England's departure from the EU was an important move for the English. EU will continue to get weaker.

– The administration of US President Donald Trump plans to expand the list of countries whose citizens may be prohibited from entering the United States. It is expected that seven new states will be included in the stop list – Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Eritrea, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania. What is the reason for this?

– The good move finally by the US and the President's understanding of travel and illegal immigration into the US. Also, the vetting of potential Islamic TERRORISTS and other bad actors in the drug trade and human trafficking

– How do you assess Trump’s chances to get a second term? What is the opinion of the Americans – do they want to see Trump again as president?

– Trump is getting stronger by the day. Do not read too much into the polls – they mean nothing now in terms of Trump's popularity with the American people. We will not become a socialist nation. Trump will win.