The US Congress has proposed a bill seeking to re-establish a Cold War-era body to counter Russian espionage. Patrick Armstrong, former political counselor at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow, and long-time analyst of the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, detailed the reasons why the US seeks to restart the Cold War.

New York-based internet media website BuzzFeed recently reported, citing an unnamed source in�the US intelligence service, that the legislation in�question calls to�revive a presidentially-appointed group to�counter "Russian spies and Russian-sponsored assassinations," in�the United States. The group would also investigate the funding of�Russian "covert broadcasting" and "media manipulation."

"One should never forget that all these kinds of�bills actually put money into�some people's pocket," Armstrong told Radio Sputnik.

The analyst asserts that there is money behind�the invention and constant promotion of�a "Russian threat." The US military is currently committed to "fabulously" expensive projects that "never really come to�an end but�everybody makes a pile of�money out�of." Playing the "bad Russians" card is a good way to�stimulate business, he suggests.

"My favorite one was the Panama papers. �Ha! Finally we have proof that Putin is stealing money and hiding it abroad', [although] Putin's name doesn't appear anywhere in�the papers [but] today we have the theory that obviously it's Putin behind�the leak of�the Panama papers," Armstrong observed. "There is no limit to�this ridiculousness."

"What are the current stories now?" he asked. "Oh yes, Russia hacks into�the DNC (Democratic National Committee) computer. No, it's some guy in�a basement in�Romania, just like�the last guy who hacked into�Hillary Clinton's stuff."

"Nobody's going to�come out�and say �Oh Gee, I guess we're just plain lying about�Russians in�Syria, invasion in�Ukraine and the coming collapse of�Russia� What they're going to�say is that�'Putin has somehow cleverly got into�people's minds, we need more money.'"

Another motive, Armstrong suggests, is US determination to�expand NATO, in�an attempt to�get "better control of�things."

"Somewhere," he asserted, "along the line, [the US] realized that expanding NATO�� when all NATO membership meant was that you blew up�Libya, or you joined in�to celebrate the third decade of�a losing war in�Afghanistan�� wasn't going to�pull in�new members. So it's trying to�revive the old Russian threat."

A so-called 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill was passed by�the US Senate Intelligence Committee in�May, and awaits Senate approval. Armstrong predicts that the bill will most likely be approved, but�noted that the idea of�a "big enemy" is not really selling. He cited a recent Pew poll showing that no more than�1/3 of�EU nationals consider Russia to�be a threat to�anything.

As for the Moscow's reaction to such moves, Armstrong said that Russia doesn't want war and, along with China, is playing an "intelligent" hand.

"[Russia] is playing a much more intelligent game than�anybody in�the West," he said. "The problem is managing the downfall of�the American empire. 20 to�30 years from�now, when China, Russia, Iran, India are much more important than�they are today, and the US is definitely declining, the trick is, how do you get to�there, from�here, without�blowing everything up? The last days of�a declining empire are always very dangerous."

The analyst shared his thoughts on�America's next president.

"We've got to�get through�the next 25-30 years without�the US blowing the [�] out�of all of�us, so what I would like�to have for�the next four years is a president good at�negotiating. What we've had until�now is, �do what we want or we bomb you.'"

By Sputnik News