WASHINGTON, October 5. /TASS/. Russia and the United States show tremendous cooperation and sharp divides in the defense and security spheres, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan of US Army North (Fifth Army) told reporters at a Defense Writers Group breakfast.
"In some ways we have tremendous cooperation. Whether it's an implementation of the Free Skies treaty (Open Skies Treaty - TASS) and these kinds of things, we work together to help promote a common good," Buchanan said, commenting on military cooperation between Russia and the US.
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At the same time, the general accused Russia of pursuing a foreign policy that artificially created or deepened the existing crises in the world. Besides, Russia began a militarization of the Arctic, he said.
"But at the same time many of the things, again, just from my own personal view, some of the elements of the Russian Government seem to be doing, are potentially hurtful. A militarization of the Arctic is a prime example," Buchanan said.
The US general says that he appeals to Russia and the United States to act "for the greater good of the planet as opposed to what we are doing that's in the interest maybe of a single country but not helpful to others and counter to what the international community would like to see. That's my biggest concern."
The US "homeland is a sensitive and challenging environment to operate in. And although while it may seem relatively safe from nation-state attack, we face a wide array of threats every day - both man-made and natural," he said adding that the threat of an attack on the States by foreign countries was highly insignificant.
"The biggest thing that I would concerned about is we are also facing a myriad of man-made threats every day - of many different types, whether it's from land, sea or air or increasingly the cyber domain. What concerns me if we are in the middle of responding to a natural disaster and our focus is completely there, <...> and then all of a sudden we get a man-made come in and take us from the back side. That's what concerns me the most," Buchanan said, adding the man-made threats might emerge from a "home-grown extremist that is inspired by what he or she sees on the web.
"It could be a chemical, biological or radiological event. All of those are within a realm of possibility," he said.