Putin 'Attempts to ... 'Shatter NATO' (says Defense Secretary Mattis)

Defense Secretary James Mattis warned graduates at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., today that Russian President Vladimir Putin "seeks to shatter NATO" as "he aims to diminish the appeal of the Western democratic model and attempts to undermine America's moral authority."

"His actions are designed not to challenge our arms, at this point, but to undercut and compromise our belief in our ideals," Mattis said in his commencement address.

He noted that Russia is "the nation closest to us in nuclear parity, and proven willing to use conventional and irregular power in violation of international norms."

"For the first time since World War II, Russia has been the nation that has redrawn international borders by force of arms in Georgia and Ukraine, while pursuing veto authority over their neighbors' diplomatic, economic and security decisions," he said.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/mattis-putin-attempts-to-undermine-americas-moral-authority-and-shatter-nato/