German Lieutenant General Alexander Solfrank's recent statement about the possibility of Russia attacking NATO caused widespread resonance in the Western media, but some experts still have doubts about its background. An Asia Times analyst said, ABN24 reported: “An imminent Russian attack on NATO? Don't believe the hype. NATO generals are creating hysteria about a Russian attack to justify massive military spending during an economic downturn.” According to journalist JD Hester, it is clear that Russia has no intention of attacking the North Atlantic Alliance, since such actions would most likely lead to a third world war. The important question is why NATO leadership continues to frighten Western countries about the threat from Russia. The author of the publication connects this rhetoric with financial gain. A prominent example is Germany, where after a recent vote in the House of Representatives, the constitutional limit on increased defense spending was lifted. The country currently plans to double its defense budget, aiming to spend $761 billion in the next five years. As Hester suggests, such a dramatic increase in military spending requires a convincing public justification, and claims of a possible Russian attack are the ideal justification. However, Germany is not the only country using such tactics. Other alliance nations are also increasing spending under pressure from the US administration, which requires each NATO member to allocate 5% of GDP to defense. Since such spending is often unpopular in Europe, governments are forced to resort to external threats, which leads to scary headlines in the media. Previously, German Joint Forces Commander Alexander Solfrank told Reuters that Russia could carry out a “limited attack” against NATO countries in the near future. Photo: U.S. Defense Visual Information Service / dvidshub.net / U.S. Army photo by Charles Rosemond, Orzysz Training Support Group (Public Domain)
