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In recent days, there has been a dramatic increase in the breadth and intensity of psychological warfare (or “operations”) waged by media and governments, warning of an imminent European cataclysm. Here’s the BBC a few days ago:
If the UK suddenly found itself at war, would you know what to do? Do you know what would be expected of you? The government wants us all to start preparing for severe disruption to our lives. It wants us to stockpile canned food and drinking water, strengthen our civic resilience, and plan for the possibility of war. Work has begun on the government’s so-called “war book”, which hasn’t been updated in decades.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that German hospitals are preparing for war with Russia and “mass casualties”:
…the Bundeswehr calculated that as many as 1,000 wounded soldiers could arrive in Germany each day. As the country’s five military hospitals would quickly reach capacity — and the law requires that civilian hospitals help during wartime — the system would likely come under unprecedented strain, and could be forced to triage soldier and civilian care.
On Sunday, the Guardian reported:
European intelligence officials have raised the possibility of an imminent Russian test of Nato, with one saying a potential attack could come in a matter of “months, not years”.
Even neutral Switzerland’s Federal Government is getting in on the action, tweeting the following at the end of last week:
In response to the deteriorating security situation, 🇨🇭 has three objectives: strengthen resilience, improve protection and enhance defence capabilities.
Ben Hodges, the Commanding General of United States Army in Europe from 2014 to 2017, tweeted:
The rest of Europe has just experienced its last “peaceful” Summer.
Last Thursday, Polish PM Donald Tusk told parliament that intelligence indicating that Russia would soon attack Europe was “highly consistent and, unfortunately, persuasive.” Macron called Tusk’s ominous warnings “sound and well-documented”.
Czech, Swedish, and Latvian spy chiefs have all said that they expect Russian sabotage in Europe to intensify in the coming months.
What is striking about all of this is how fatalistic it is, how passive and resigned. You’d think European leaders were awaiting a big earthquake or storm. There is simply nothing anyone can do, they seem to be saying. War is inevitable. There is no alternative, and all we can do is stock up on canned beans and volunteer to die.
