MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. NATO’s constant enlargement gives the United States the opportunity to effectively devour other nations, bending them to Washington’s interests, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said in an article for the Razvedchik (Intelligence Officer) journal.

Patrushev said that for the sake of global dominance the West opts for direct military influence, threats of force, "privatization" of elites, and also encourages terrorism and extremism.

"Thus, the ceaseless expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance in fact provides the United States with the opportunity to swallow up countries and deprive them of independence in standing up for their national interests," the Russian top security official said.

In his assessment, NATO’s duplicity cannot be hidden under any pretext. Patrushev pointed out that NATO officials have been paying lip service to peace for years, but actually they "fight or threaten war against any country that disagrees with US policy."

"NATO’s military might has been employed to maintain Western hegemony, economic subjugation, and political pressure on the countries that pose no military threat to the alliance. Over the past seven decades, NATO members have become participants in more than 200 military conflicts all over the world," he said citing statistics.

Moreover, the Russian Security Council Secretary continued, in practice "NATO armies are also colonial armies for America."

"If needed, Washington will easily send the troops of other alliance member countries to the slaughter without jeopardizing the lives of representatives of the ‘exceptional’ American people," he concluded.