Oskar Lafontaine Denounces the U.S., NATO Warmongers in Polish Interview
July 28, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—In an interview published July 25 with the Polish journal Myśl Polska, founder and former member of Die Linke party and former German Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine (in Polish) denounced the war policy of the U.S. and NATO. German journalist Tom J. Wellbrock, (in german
)who conducted the Myśl Polska interview, had similarly interviewed Lafontaine on June 23 for the German blog Neulandrebellen, where he is co-editor.
Asked about his beliefs that the West could have stopped the war in Ukraine, Lafontaine replied: “The United States has been preparing for this war for decades. American foreign policy theorists, such as Henry Kissinger or Zbigniew Brzezinski, have long pointed out that Ukraine, under the control of the United States, will guarantee Russia’s removal from the ranks of world powers. Ukraine is just a battlefield. The Americans are fighting the Russians there to challenge its status on the world stage ... those who believe that this conflict can be resolved by increasing the supply of arms should reconsider now, after a year has passed. Hundreds of thousands of people died. Ukraine is getting more and more damaged and will continue to do so, with no end in sight. It is unbelievable that the Germans continue to pursue such stupid policies, although in most parts of the world, thank God, they have already learned the right lessons.”
On whether Berlin’s political class is leading the country into the abyss, and if there will be nothing left of the German economy, he agreed:
“Indeed, it is to be feared. I am surprised that German industrial circles are not sounding the alarm. It can be concluded that the share of American companies in the management of German industry is so large that no objection is possible. Speaking about the need to shut down Nord Stream, Biden suggested that the Americans were planning to destroy this energy pipeline for Germany, and Scholz stood next to him with the face of a beaten dog.
“Germany is an industrialized economy and such countries should always ensure competitive energy prices. Meanwhile, in short, the effect of the war in Ukraine is that their prices in Germany are much higher than, for example, in the United States. If we consider that the goal of American policy was to set Germany at odds with Russia, then we can see that this goal has been achieved to a large extent. It is clear that we no longer have good relations with Russia. This is the biggest mistake of the current government and therefore it would be best for him to leave as soon as possible. This mistake is based on the fact that it instantly destroyed what had been building relations with Russia for many subsequent governments, starting with the rule of Adenauer. Therefore, Germany will either sink to the bottom, or this government will be removed from power.”
Lafontaine discussed whether one can fear a new world war, clearly declaring:
“Yes, in this case we can really fear the escalation of regional conflicts, this time to the European continent. A constant element of American policy is the desire to remain the only world power. A state that wants to be the only world power will inevitably come into conflict with those that also want to be a power, such as China, Russia, and soon India. Besides, if Russia and the United States really confront each other directly, the whole world will be on fire. Such a risk always exists and also takes place in connection with the Ukrainian conflict, because we are clear that China is closely following the situation, which is already indirectly drawn into it. The United States treats the current war in Ukraine as a preparatory phase for a confrontation with China....”
He commented on the fact that mainstream media are now spreading staged political narratives:
“I would say that if this propaganda of the rulers continues—and it probably will—people should take to the streets en masse and ask: ‘when will it finally end?’ We cannot allow our country to be put at risk like this. If a pan-European war actually breaks out, everyone will understand that it cannot go on like this, because we should take care of the security of our own country in the first place. There is only one solution: Europe should regain its independence and end its involvement in American wars around the world. It is no longer possible to deny that the U.S. Senate, the entire Congress, are under the control of the arms industry. And that is the one who is concerned that in wartime, the social unrest and misery of millions of people, the interests of the majority, should not come to the fore.”
