Posted on 06/04/2014 1:02:00 AM PDT by WhiskeyX
NATO launched a large-scale exercise, "Steadfast Javelin", in Estonia on 16 May to test Allied forces on their ability to work together and maintain NATO's readiness and combat effectiveness. 6000 troops from 9 Allied nations are participating in these drills, the most important NATO exercise in the Baltic region since the start of the Ukraine crisis. Exercises like this one are especially important in enhancing NATO's readiness to defend its Allies.
BTTT
NATO in Estonia demolishes every treaty we ever made with Russia, incidentally.
“NATO in Estonia demolishes every treaty we ever made with Russia, incidentally.”
That is a lie and Russian disinformation. The United States has at no time before or after the Soviet Union illegally occupied and annexed Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania ever recognized any right of the Soviet Union or the Russian Federation to exercise sovereignty or hegemony in those Baltic states.
The Soviet Union’s annexation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was a terrible crime, and it us true that the United States never granted the Soviet Union of Russian sovereignty or hegemony in those states. But that’s not the issue. This issue is a 1991 treaty wherein the Soviet Union relinquished its control over not only the Baltic States but also territories which were part of Russia for centuries on the condition that NATO stay out of any territory that was ever part of the Soviet Union.
“This issue is a 1991 treaty wherein the Soviet Union relinquished its control over not only the Baltic States but also territories which were part of Russia for centuries on the condition that NATO stay out of any territory that was ever part of the Soviet Union.”
You are disseminating Russian false propaganda and disinformation as noted by NATO:
Russia’s accusations - setting the record straight
Fact Sheet - April 2014
[....]
Russian claims that NATO promised not to enlarge
Russian officials claim that US and German officials promised in 1990 that NATO would not expand into Eastern and Central Europe, build military infrastructure near Russia’s borders or permanently deploy troops there.
No such pledge was made, and no evidence to back up Russia’s claims has ever been produced. Should such a promise have been made by NATO as such, it would have to have been as a formal, written decision by all NATO Allies. Furthermore, the consideration of enlarging NATO came years after German reunification. This issue was not yet on the agenda when Russia claims these promises were made.
Allegations about NATO pledging not to build infrastructure close to Russia are equally inaccurate. In the Founding Act, NATO reiterated “in the current and foreseeable security environment, the Alliance will carry out its collective defence and other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces. Accordingly, it will have to rely on adequate infrastructure commensurate with the above tasks. In this context, reinforcement may take place, when necessary, in the event of defence against a threat of aggression and missions in support of peace consistent with the United Nations Charter and the OSCE governing principles, as well as for exercises consistent with the adapted CFE Treaty, the provisions of the Vienna Document 1994 and mutually agreed transparency measures.”
NATO has indeed supported the upgrading of military infrastructure, such as air bases, in the countries which have joined the Alliance, commensurate with the requirements for reinforcement and exercises. However, the only combat forces permanently stationed on the territory of the new members are their own armed forces.
Even before the Ukraine crisis, the only routinely visible sign of Alliance forces in the new members were the NATO jets used in the Baltic States for the air policing mission. These minimal defensive assets cannot be described as substantial combat forces in the meaning of the Founding Act.
Since the crisis, NATO has taken steps to increase situational awareness and bolster the defences of our Eastern members. This, too, is entirely consistent with the Founding Act and is a direct result of Russia’s destabilizing military actions.
Finally, the Act also states, “Russia will exercise similar restraint in its conventional force deployments in Europe.” Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a flagrant breach of this commitment, as is its unilateral suspension of compliance with the CFE Treaty.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_109141.htm
We’re not talking merely “Eastern and Central Europe,” but territory that was once part of the Soviet Union.
... and if you think I’m wrong notice the implicit admission by NATO’s defense, “the only routinely visible sign of Alliance forces in the new members were the NATO jets used in the Baltic States for the air policing mission. These minimal defensive assets cannot be described as substantial combat forces in the meaning of the Founding Act.”
I repeatedly predicted Russia would NOT invade Ukraine proper, because Donetsk and Luhansk are a very separate case from Crimea. I was right, and all you idiots have made Obama look like a conquering hero for getting Russia not to do what it never wanted to do.
Crimea seceded from Russia only because it was assured by Ukraine that it would remain entirely autonomous. In 1992, Ukraine unilaterally rescinded Crimea’s autonomy. In 1996, during regularly scheduled, Ukrainian elections, Crimea voted 86%-14% to re-establish total autonomy and to obtain Russian citizenships for its residents. Ukraine responded by ousting Crimea’s president, banning their legislature, and imposing dictatorial control over Crimea by Ukraine’s president.
“We’re not talking merely “Eastern and Central Europe,” but territory that was once part of the Soviet Union.”
Estonia was an independent state under hostile occupation by the Soviet Union and was never recognized by the international community of nations as the territory of the Soviet Union, despite the Soviet Union’s hostile claims to the contrary. So, no, Estonia was never a part of the Soviet Union, except as a hostiley occupied territory.
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