High-ranking US General: Russia wants to destroy NATO
General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the USA believes that Russia is “a basic threat” along with Iran, China and North Korea, as well as "violent extremism." Dunford expressed his opinion on Tuesday, August 23rd during a speech to students of the National Defense University in Washington. The Pentagon released a statement to the effect that according to the general, these four countries could provoke "different degrees of concern."
Dunford mentioned that Russia is developing, despite significant demographic and economic difficulties. "Russia is modernizing nuclear enterprises and its submarine fleet," he said. He also expressed concern about the behavior of Russian authorities in matters such as the annexation of Crimea, actions in the east of Ukraine, threats against Moldova and Georgia, as well as the military operation in Syria. Dunford believes that with its actions Moscow is trying to "destroy the most successful alliance in history—NATO."
In the summer of 2015, General Dunford had already declared Russia the "largest threat to the USA’s national security." Later, official administration representative Josh Earnest said that the general's words do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. President's team.