SOTU: Is U.S. Provoking War with Russia, Asks Physicians for Civil Defense

TUCSON, Ariz., Jan 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In his Jan 20, 2015, State of the Union message, President Obama proclaimed that "the shadow of crisis has passed." The century dawned with terror, war, and a vicious recession, but "tonight, we turn the page."

Obama said that instead of rash decisions that could lead to military conflict, he believed in a "smarter kind of American leadership," combining strong diplomacy with military power, and leveraging power with coalition-building.

However, "we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we've done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies."

Obama boasted of "upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small--by opposing Russian aggression." He claimed victory over Putin's strategy: "Today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters."

"Is it prudent to taunt the Russian bear, and exult in having destroyed its economy?" asks Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane M. Orient, M.D. "Europe is heavily dependent on Russian fuel, and Russia has a massive, modernized nuclear arsenal."

Commenting on Obama's speech, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that "it showed Washington wanted to dominate the world and required all the rest to acknowledge their superiority." He said that attempts to isolate Russia will fail.

Obama also claimed victory for his diplomacy in Iran: "For the first time in a decade, we've halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material."

As Russia has been hit by Western sanctions over its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, it has stepped up its economic ties with Iran. Russia and Iran have signed an agreement to widen military cooperation. This may involve delivery of the S-300 air defense system.

Russia and Iran are also both allies of Syrian President Bashar Assad in his nearly four-year-old conflict with Western-backed rebels. In the SOTU, Obama said the U.S. was supporting a "moderate" opposition to Assad to help defeat ISIL.

Obama's top concern is not war, but climate change. He stated that 2014 was "the planet's warmest year on record"--but did not say that the purported warming was by 0.02 degrees Centigrade. For this, he will plunge ahead with draconian regulations, vetoing any attempt by Congress to stop him.

"The crisis may be yet to come," stated Orient, "the U.S. economy in tatters, and war not just in the Middle East but here."

Physicians for Civil Defense distributes information to help to save lives in the event of war or other disaster.

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected]

SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense

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