Posted on 01/14/2017 9:27:36 PM PST by Lorianne
Very true. 3,500 is not a big force. I figure it’s mostly there to give Putin something to think about. General Hodges, commander of European forces, made an interesting point to BBC a few days ago. He said the biggest problem is that Russia can mobilize tens of thousands of troops, equipment and mass them wherever he wants along his border within 72 hours. The so-called snap exercises. NATO does not have that capability.
NATO has almost the exact same problem Putin has. The border is just too big to defend. And so they are making up the difference with missiles in Kaliningrad. Essentially adopting NATO’s cold war strategy to use missiles to counter a Soviet ground attack into western Europe.
So, yes, a token force but just maybe enough of one to pull people back from the brink.
The unavoidably visible part of a concealed larger picture.
This regime can’t walk away. They’ve gone so bad so deep that they either fly or die.
It’s gonna be die, but with how much collateral?
I do believe that the Poles are happy to see Americans. They were carved up first by the Cossacks, then by Austria, Russia and Prussia, to whom they were kept in bondage for centuries. Last time around, they were overrun by Germany and the Soviets combined, then overrun by the Soviets, then kept in bondage to communism for decades. America was what they hoped for back then, and instead they got Stalin and fake sovereignty. They’re genuinely scared right now, and American faces are good news to them.
That doesn’t mean that this was a wise move by O, more like a spiteful four-year-old knocking all the building blocks down before going home in a huff. Trump, however, promised to treat US allies better in future, and so he can’t very well just disavow the deployment and go back to square one. That would send a negative signal around the world, and if ever there was a worthy ally who’s historically been neglected, it’s Poland.
He needs to keep a diminished force there as a trip wire. The fact that the numbers go down will reassure Putin that The US is not looking for war. The fact that he keeps some there will warn Putin and reassure Poland and all other allies that the US is not to be trifled with.
Just another business making money off the nutjobs who believe that WW3 is just behind the corner.
As the obvious nationalistic approach would be to let Moscow regain the cold war potential and influence. Yeah, that would be something. Actually, the most patriotic move would be giving them Alaska back.
“Last time around, they were overrun by Germany and the Soviets combined, then overrun by the Soviets, then kept in bondage to communism for decades.”
Should read, “Last time around, they were carved up by Germany and the Soviets combined, then overrun by Germany, then overrun by the Soviets, then kept in bondage to communism for decades.” My bad.
“I’m sure that was O’s intent, to get DJT into as many awkward situations as he can.”
That deployment was announced in last March. I don’t think Obama believed at that time that DJT is going to win.
Keep in mind that Poland took over 99% of Russia during the Time of Troubles, 1605-1613, which ended with the election by the boyars of Mikhail Romanov to be ruler. The only part of Russia not controlled by the Poles was the [walled city] Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery in Sergiev Posad northeast of Moscow, with 30,000 Russian troops surrounded by the Polish forces. (The successful revolt against Polish rule began 1612.)
Then, Poland was gradually pushed back from current-day Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus over the course of the 1600s and 1700s, culminating in taking its own turn to be controlled by others, starting with the partitions 1763-1795.
These are just historical facts easily confirmed, set forth solely to act against the concept that Poland has been some sort of eternal victim. They were also an imperial power when circumstances permitted.
PS: Poland cooperated with the Nazi regime to get its own part of Czechoslovakia (Upper Silesia) in the Munich Agreement of 1938. High-level politics is so confusing!
He’s trying to do some of the things he wouldn’t do before - probably as a intended smoke screen to the rest of the crap he’s doing - he doesn’t seem to know or care that the curtain has been pulled aside. I guess Trump’s win has given Obama the flexibility he told Russia he would have.....wait.....what????
“Keep in mind that Poland took over 99% of Russia during the Time of Troubles, 1605-1613”
That was the golden age of Russian civilization & culture, you should be grateful.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is Obama's legacy in the Mideast. He has done his level best to do the same in Europe. It's late in the game for Obama to suddenly respond to Eastern European security concerns; it's like Jimmy Carter, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, suddenly opening his eyes. At least Carter was man enough to acknowledge that he had been wrong.
And I still can't shake the suspicion that the main reason Obama may have rethought Russia is Syria. I suppose one has to start somewhere.
Obama is a not an American. He is a 3rd world, tin pot dictator, who was elected because of his racial characteristics and cool shuck and jive.
His goal has been to be an apologist for America abroad to weaken traditional alliances, and to destroy America’s domestic institutions which insure public order.
Underneath the exterior coat of palatable paint is a minority nationalist socialist, that’s right , a fascist.
And now he is bearing his true face, which belongs in the pantheon of totalitarian dictators out of history, including Fidel Castro, Robert Mugabe, and the rest of those from Europe. These are the people Obama worships inside his private closet of petulant , narcissistic insanity.
Thank GOD Obama is now relegated to the dust bin of history, and that the People and the Constitution have prevailed.
read about it all here:
“Barrack Obama, The Quintessential Liberal Fascist”
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html”";
Pin the tail on that Muslim jackass. Thank you. BO is without doubt the most pathetic leader to ever gain power in America. Idi Amin was his equal
All of that being so, the Polish hegemony was a good deal more benevolent than the Russians’ ever was, and Russia remains a threat from which Poland deserves some shelter. Pity that Obama decided to narrow the options available with which to provide that shelter.
Obama is moving troops so the written historical record will truthfully show he stood up to Russia for meddling in out election
The same was done in Chicago. He condemned the cops
We know the plan has been around for months, but,if Hillary had been elected the trigger would never have been pulled. This was a Trump trap set for whatever republican happened to get elected.
NATO does not have that capability.,>>>>>>>>>>>>
It has to. Both for deterrence of the Russians and to turn back the refugee hoards to safe zones in Syria and Iraq.
Its a two sided coin now. NATO has to handle the Obama initiated demographic Islamic invasion of Europe.
Putin is not going to take the bait. Obama is trying to cause problems for Trump when he takes office. Obama thinks that if Trump withdraws the troops, it will be seen by Putin as an invitation or consent to move in, in the same manner he encouraged ISIS to move in to Iraq. Anyway, whatever roiling would occur would make Obama smile.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.