Alex Lantier } wsws.org
Right Sector hooligans display Nazi symbols every chance they get. But the Western media always manages to miss them.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he findings of a poll published yesterday by the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Center, showing broad opposition in Europe to a NATO war with Russia, underscore the anti-democratic character of the US-led war drive against Russia over Ukraine.
The poll was formulated to elicit answers as favorable as possible to US and NATO policy, particularly in regard to a possible war with Russia. The poll questionnaire did not once raise that Russia and NATO both have nuclear weapons, or inquire about the respondents’ willingness to risk nuclear war. As a result, the poll vastly underestimates public opposition to war.
The main question on war was whether NATO member states should fight a defensive war against Russia, if Russia “got into a serious military conflict with one of its neighboring countries that is our NATO ally.” In such a situation, Article 5 of the NATO Charter on collective self-defense would require all NATO member states to declare war on Russia.
Despite having framed the question in a manner intended to elicit support for such a supposedly “defensive war,” the Pew poll found broad opposition among Europeans. Fifty-eight percent of Germans, 53 percent of the French population and 51 percent of Italians opposed fighting even a defensive war with Russia to protect a NATO member.
This is not, however, the character of the war that now threatens to erupt. NATO is not playing a defensive role in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member state. The Ukrainian crisis erupted after the US and the European powers backed a fascist-led putsch against a pro-Russian government in Kiev in February 2014, bringing to power an ultra-right regime that launched a civil war against pro-Russian areas of eastern Ukraine. With US and Russian missile forces on heightened alert and NATO land, air and naval forces engaged in continuous exercises on Russia’s borders, the world stands on the verge of a catastrophic war provoked by Washington and its European allies.
Popular sentiment emerged most clearly when the Pew poll inquired about initiatives NATO is threatening to pursue in Ukraine. Asked about NATO arming the Kiev regime against Russia, a policy being pushed by the Obama administration, majorities or pluralities opposed the measure in every European country surveyed except Poland, where 50 percent supported arming Kiev.
Contrary to the barrage of propaganda served by the Western media, NATO is not playing a defensive role in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member state. The Ukrainian crisis erupted after the US and the European powers backed a fascist-led putsch against a pro-Russian government in Kiev in February 2014…
Fully 77 percent of Germans opposed NATO arming Kiev, versus only 19 percent who supported it. The poll found 65 percent opposition versus 22 percent support in Italy, 66 versus 25 percent in Spain, 59 versus 40 percent in France, and 45 versus 42 percent in Britain.
Opposition within Germany, where the government, the media and sections of academia have been waging a relentless propaganda campaign in support of militarism, was particularly strong. A mere 38 percent of Germans said Russia was a danger to NATO member states on its borders, and only 29 percent blamed Moscow for the violence in Ukraine.
These findings constitute a devastating indictment of last year’s Kiev putsch and the ensuing US-led war drive against Russia, which have been backed by governments across Europe. While workers are kept in the dark about the true dangers of a war that they do not want, NATO is pressing ahead with reckless policies overwhelmingly rejected by the European population.
The findings of the Pew poll among Ukrainians expose the claims of Washington and the European imperialist powers that they are supporting Ukraine against Russia in order to defend a nascent democratic regime threatened by Russian aggression. The Kiev regime is imposing brutal austerity measures demanded by the Western banks and using increasingly authoritarian and violent means to suppress internal opposition among Ukraine workers.
Kiev’s war against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, fought with the aid of the CIA and various fascistic militias, is being carried out in flagrant disregard of the wishes of the Ukrainian people. According to the Pew poll, more than twice as many Ukrainians want to settle the conflict with the separatists through negotiations (47 percent) than with force (23 percent).
Poroshenko: Our man in Kiev, a pivot for all the current propaganda whitewashing his regime as legitimate. (Atlantic Council/flickr)
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s policies on these issues are widely unpopular, with 57 percent of the population opposing both his handling of the eastern Ukraine conflict and his posture toward Russia.
The domestic policies of the Kiev regime are no less unpopular. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s disapproval rating is 60 percent.
With the Ukrainian currency in a state of collapse, waves of mass layoffs taking place, and the government hiking the prices of key utilities, the Pew poll shows 94 percent of the people viewing Ukraine’s economic situation as “bad.” Fifty-five percent of Ukrainians have concluded that the Kiev regime does not respect personal freedoms.
Fortunately, it is the Germans who emerge as most decidedly opposed to the warmongering against Russia, with the vassal Brits coming in last.
The Pew poll also interviewed Russian respondents, finding a surge in distrust towards NATO, seen as a threat by 81 percent of Russians, as well as general hostility towards Obama (86 percent negative) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (66 percent). While Putin’s opposition to NATO’s intervention in Ukraine has boosted his approval ratings to 88 percent, there is broad distrust of the oligarchic regime he leads, which emerged from the restoration of capitalism in the USSR. Some 69 percent of Russians and 34 percent of Ukrainians said in the poll that the dissolution of the USSR was bad for their country.
The results of the Pew poll underscore the disastrous political implications of the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, nearly a quarter century ago. Combined with the collapse and plundering of Soviet industry, the dissolution of the USSR geo-strategically crippled Russia, throwing open vast areas of the former Soviet Union to NATO’s reactionary intrigues. Above all, the emergence of a criminal oligarchy ruling Russia weakened the opposition that had existed in the international and particularly the European working class to imperialist threats against the USSR.
The preparation of the NATO powers for an all-out war with Russia that could incinerate the planet is colliding with deeply rooted anti-war sentiment in Europe, the United States and worldwide. The very fact that the Pew poll was commissioned is itself a sign of mounting concern in ruling circles internationally over mass opposition to war.
The dissolution of the USSR geo-strategically crippled Russia, throwing open vast areas of the former Soviet Union to NATO’s reactionary intrigues.
The ruling elites of the imperialist countries have made clear, however, that they intend to ignore popular sentiment and proceed with their campaign against Russia. The New York Times, in its report on the Pew poll, presented the mass opposition to war as a “challenge” to US and NATO war plans that needs to be overcome.
It cited former US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder, who called for continued propaganda in support of military action against Russia, saying that, “it will take a serious effort by the alliance to convince its public of the need to prepare for, deter, and, if necessary, respond to a Russian attack.”
The Times added that, “public opinion is not always decisive in shaping NATO policy.” It continued: “President Ronald Reagan managed to win sufficient European backing to deploy Pershing II and ground-launched cruise missiles on the [European] Continent despite a substantial peace movement.”
The Times’ reference to the US deployment of Pershing II missiles in Europe during the 1980s is particularly significant. US officials are now discussing escalated missile deployments in Europe and the possibility of launching pre-emptive missile strikes against targets inside Russia.
A. LANTIER is a senior political analyst with wsws.org, specializing on European matters.
SELECT ORIGINAL COMMENTS
- Charles_Knause • 14 hours ago
It becomes obvious that based upon the information contained in the Pew Research poll that US imperialism’s attack on Russia with the full support of the mis-leaders in Europe and NATO is more of an act of desperation than anything predicated upon strength.
The age old tactic of a seriously unpopular regime using war against some foreign foe as a means of corralling public opinion behind its initiative seems to be an important aspect of the US/NATO drive for war against Russia.
The danger as has been consistently pointed out by the wsws.org of an accidental war with Russia and China is very real owing to the highly provocative nature of the West’s ongoing use of active military “training” exercises involving large numbers of troops on Russia’s border.
The same tactic of provocation is being simultaneously employed against China either within or near its own territorial waters in the South China Sea. The popular uprisings against these acts of aggression by the international working class in both Europe and Japan are an indication of just how tenuous the bourgeoisie’s grip on power really is right now. - лидия • 20 hours ago
It seems that Polish people are still not aware enough of Ukrainian Nazis’ role in the same Ukraine they support arming. Do 50% of Poles rally want to army the proud heirs of the same Ukrainian Nazis which mass-murdered Polish children in the most horrible ways? - The Truth • 8 hours ago
Elite who rule USA and NATO are biggest force behind modern Imperialism today. - Mirek • 16 hours ago
Significant and ironic that a majority (50%) of Poles support NATO arming the Kiev regime in the civil war against the pro Russian resistance in South-East Ukraine. Ironic, because Poles and Jews suffered horribly under UPA death squads, whose progeny is the Right Sector and Svoboda party. There would be many, who remember the crushing of the Warsaw Uprising by Wermacht and the Ukrainian Nazis, and yet……..This is the `best` result that the Pew poll got overall, even employing the usual tricks of shaping the questions to elicit the required answer, and omitting crucial information. Still, at best it`s an academic exercise, as the US, NATO and `international community`, (read US vassals), have demonstrated time and again, that they have only contempt for public opinion, sorry, a challenge to be overcome.
Robert Seaborne • 17 hours ago
thank you Alex, for making this information available worldwide via the WSWS. Given the weight of NATO’s pro war propaganda in recent months, the PEW poll findings are clearly a threat to European and America ruling class aims – “The New York Times, in its report on the Pew poll, presented the mass opposition to war as a “challenge” to US and NATO war plans that needs to be overcome.” This opposition to war must encourage and be supported by an international working class who might otherwise find themselves once again persuaded to wage another world war.
M Green • 20 hours ago
The Times added that, “public opinion is not always decisive in shaping NATO policy.” >> That is certainly true. Truer still would be “public opinion is irrelevant to shaping NATO policy.” One must understand the Times is paying appropriate lip service to the importance of popular opinion in a “democracy” whose leaders openly flout it, which token pretense of deference is one of innumerable means of control in the governance of the masses.
John Ellis • 13 hours ago
Ruling elite — Catalyst in a closed loop control system
Public opinion is really a non-issue, for it’s not what the public thinks should happen, but what the public allows to happen. For the public is a passive creature that the ruling elite mould and shape by actions, positive or negative feedback being applied depending upon the public’s reactions.
For the public always believes it deserves more, which makes it sucker-bait to any promise by the elite to give it more. Which is why our burden as socialists is to enlighten the public that the possibility of there being more is a cruel illusion, especially the greed driven illusion that we deserve more then others.-
- solerso John Ellis • 11 hours ago
“The public always believes it deserve more” ?
More what ? More punishment? Because that’s all its getting from the ruling class, and that’s all they are “promising”
- solerso John Ellis • 11 hours ago
Vince in MN • 15 hours ago
The fact that western media has been beating the anti-evil-Russia war drum for a year is clear, but as stated, the poll question doesn’t look too biased to me. http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/…
On the other hand, the poll does seem to indicate that the imperialists have a ways to go yet in their propagandizing for a hot conflict with Russia. But this is only a guess on my part since I am not sure what the “threshold” of supportive popular opinion is that would enable Nato to push the button with confidence.
folktruther • 3 hours ago
the opposition of the Europeans to a Nato war is very encouraging.
nick quinlan • 4 hours ago
The policies of the global elites, the financial capitalist class, cares not about the wishes of the working class and the poor. Their agenda is not tied to any thought towards the wants, wishes, or concerns of the 99%.- All the fascist agenda concerns are “full spectrum dominance” of the world , all its resources, and keeping corporate/banker/capital interests protected and ongoing. The USA is in full service to the military industrial complex and its assortment of corrupt corporations that operate inside and beside the Pentagon. The fact that millions are being slaughtered means nothing to them.
- The Empire is operating far outside of the wishes of the majority of humanity. They need to be stopped, the sooner the better.
Stephen Paraski • 15 hours ago
Polling for opinions on war with Russia? The world is on the brink of human extinction. The politicians offspring will emerge from their bunkers in 100 years to find a dead planet.
- Eddie Quist • 17 hours ago
I’d seriously question any Poll that emanates from the US media propaganda complex, much less dignify it with an opinion article. Sounds more like America has bitten off more than she can chew in the Ukraine and is creating an excuse to downgrade their involvement. Nearly 2 years into this crisis and nothing of Americas Sabre rattling has stopped Russia’s meddling in the Eastern Ukraine, it is indicative of Americas global economic and political decline.
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