Britain to spearhead 10,000-strong Nato rapid reaction force to halt Putin's 'Tsarist expansionism'

dailymail.co.uk ^ | August 30, 2014 | Will Stewart

[2ndDivisionVet]

Having been part of both of those forces, I disagree. That is not why the Warsaw Pact or DPRK did not invade. It was our ICBMs, MRBMs, SLBMs and bombers that kept them at bay. If you were the leader of Russia or the DPRK today, would you be worried about Mr. Obama?

[Billthedrill]

I agree, which is why I stuck in the conscription figure. Russia has a long history of conscription going back to Peter the Great. Any overt military action on the part of Western Europe will almost certainly be met with conscription in Russia. If this is starting to sound a little like 1914, it should.

My question is, if this force is meant as a "tripwire", then a tripwire for what?

[Timber Rattler]

Putin will back down if we show resolve.

[Billthedrill]

It is a quick reaction force to speed up the reaction of the existing larger Reaction force...

Sorry, we're cross-posting. Good answer to a question I was about to post.

[Billthedrill]

I mean, good answer to a question I did post but only after you answered the question I was asking before I posted it.

No, what I meant was that you answered the question I hadn't posted with a post that pre-posted the post I was posting.

I hope I've made that clear.

[skeeter]

No, I wouldn't be worried about Obama.

But who would prevail in such a war aside, I do not believe Putin wants to risk a fight with the EU. Not at this time, anyway.

[pierrem15]

Nonsense. There's already a lot we could have done, short of mobilizing an armored division and sending it to Ukraine, like SOF, anti-aircraft defenses, manpads, Javelins, TOW's, etc.

In brief, give the Ukrainians a chance to cause so much pain to the Russians that they leave.

The policy you are recommending (and Obama is following) will simply be perceived as cowardice, inviting more aggression, not only by Russia but also China.

[catfish1957]

You mean the 144 million Russians versus the world, you think they are ready to end themselves now?

Add the Chinese and most of the Moslem world, and do you still think this thing is one sided?

[catfish1957]

You mean the 144 million Russians versus the world, you think they are ready to end themselves now?

Add the Chinese and most of the Moslem world, and do you still think this thing is one sided?

[ansel12]

It isn’t a tripwire to sit in place, it is so that they can get combat troops and support to where the fighting is, within days.

It is the major reason for the 82nd, to get troops there fast.

[ansel12]

Yes, unless you know of a new Warsaw Pact organization.

[Natufian]

The NATO concept of trip wire is a force sufficient to delay an attacking Soviet element until larger forces can be readied and deployed.

Russian conscripts can probably fe relied upon to fight well against an invading enemy force. It’s extremely unlikely that NATO is going to invade Russia. I doubt conscripts would get used offensively against NATO unless their brass decides they need cannon fodder. I think Russia’s a bit of a paper tiger really.

[2ndDivisionVet]

The European Union has been doling out tons of butter for a long time and has almost no guns left.

[catfish1957]

The Russians and Chinese are moving closer and closer, as in evidence of some recent economic energy treaties and agreements. Considering the Chinese are soon to be the economic leaders of the world, I'd say the tandem of Chicoms, Russians, and Moslems (OPEC included) are a pretty even match against any group of allies who would fight back.

Think about it, China calling in some US and EURO bonds alone could disrupt this thing and tip the balance of power pretty quickly.

[Tailgunner Joe]

In case you didn't notice, the genocidal thugs running the “Russian Federation” are the exact same ones who ran the Soviet EVIL EMPIRE. None of them were ever punished for their crimes. KGB Putin is an unrepentant Soviet Chekist who has returned his nation to tyranny and has launched a reign of terror against those nations which broke away from the EVIL EMPIRE he loyally served, the collapse of which he considers a catastrophe. The volunteers invading Ukraine for the Kremlin are coming from all over the former Soviet Union, not just Russia. They changed their name to protect the guilty, but the new Soviets are the same as the old Soviets.

[catfish1957]

I think Russia’s a bit of a paper tiger really

How may ICBMs does Russia have?

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Once he secures his “New Russia” He will rest for a while—maybe head east or down to Moldovia. This reaction force is symbolic only—symbols only work if you have faith in them. Putin knows Europe doesnt give a Kopec about Ukraine. Once the border is redrawn—he will sign a new treaty and all will be back to normal—while Putin turns his new lands into resorts.

[ansel12]

So you see China and “the Moslems” landing paratroopers in Warsaw and Paris, I don’t.

If Putin continues to the point where he confronts NATO, then he will just have to back down and pull his troops back to Russia, Russia is no match for NATO.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Did they shoot your dog, by any chance? I was at war with these people for two decades and my father and grandfather before me, yet I don’t have the h**d-on for them that you seem to have.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

If WW III started—Russia would not fight alone-—Cuba would join them so would China, Vietnam, and Iran. I don’t think anyone wants this but—having Obama in the White House it would be foolish for putin not to try. If I was Putin I would grab all I could, Maybe even Turkey or Alaska.