NATO-led scaremongering hit British airwaves Wednesday night when the military alliance’s former secretary general said there would “be a big, big celebration in the Kremlin” if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn becomes the next UK Prime Minister.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen told BBC’s Newsnight that Corbyn’s failure to confirm whether he would defend other NATO nations “has really, really undermined the credibility of NATO” and “would tempt Mr Putin to aggression to test the resolve of NATO.”
While Rasmussen admitted it was unlikely Putin would launch an open attack on another country, he claimed he could conduct “hybrid warfare” and “disinformation,” similar to the “illegal annexation” of Crimea, even though it happened when Tory PM and NATO enthusiast David Cameron was in charge.
“So there is no doubt that if Mr Corbyn were to be elected prime minster of the UK there will be a big, big celebration in the Kremlin. It would really play into the hands of Mr Putin,” said the former Danish prime minister.
According to Rasmussen, a President Trump in the US and a Prime Minister Corbyn in the UK “would weaken the whole Western civilization.”
When asked about his position on NATO's Article 5, which states an attack on one nation is an attack on all, Corbyn explained: "I would want to avoid us getting involved militarily by building up the diplomatic relationships and also trying to not isolate any country in Europe, to bring them up."
"I don’t wish to go to war,” he added. “What I want to do is achieve a world where we don’t need to go to war, where there is no need for it. That can be done."