Russian Military Exercises “Unacceptable”

Iceland Daily News ^ | September 10, 2001

[DeaconBenjamin]

Foreign Minister Halldór Ásgrímsson has criticised the proposed exercise of the Russian military in Icelandic aerospace, calling it “unacceptable”.

The Russians announced on Saturday that they would be starting extensive military exercises, involving missiles, today. The exercises would have put a stop to all Icelandic air traffic for the next five days.

Ásgrímsson called a meeting with a representative from the Russian Embassy on Sunday but received a very vague response. “It is outrageous to announce a military rehearsal two days before it is meant to take place,“ said Ásgrímsson to the press. “I am worried about this matter and I don’t know what message they are trying to convey.“

The exercises were to take place from 2 am to 3 pm for five days, upsetting air traffic in Iceland, Norway, Canada and Great Britain. The exercises have been postponed for the time being.

[DeaconBenjamin]

Maybe the Russians will coordinate the closure of North Atlantic airspace with the closure of Taiwan's airspace and ports by the PRC. Heard Jim Webb say today that the Navy is down to 275 ships. No telling how many are operational. Another Clinton legacy.

[DoughtyOne]

Partner, it was a Clinton legacy. Bush has done nothing to change it. It is fast becoming a Bush legacy. Russia and China are an item. It's way past time to wake up. These two nations know that we are at the lowest level of preparedness we've been at in fifty years. Sooner or later it's going to dawn on them that we're sitting wide open. Evidently that's what it's going to take for our leadership to do the same thing.

[El Gato]

Partner, it was a Clinton legacy. Bush has done nothing to change it. It is fast becoming a Bush legacy.

This turns out not to be the case. Bush has asked for a supplemental appropriation for defense for this year, which is almost over, and I don't know if he got it or not. For next he is increasing the budget, assuming he can get all the Dims and just as importantly the RINOs in the Senate to go along. It's an uphill fight there. I'd have liked to see him ask for alot more of course, but Bush and his advisors are political realists, perhaps to a fault. I'd ask for what I thought was needed, propose to take a meatax to non Constitutionally authorized programs, and negotiate from there, not from what I though I could actually get. If nothing else it makes a good club to beat on the Dims.

[DoughtyOne]

Look El Gato, I'm all for giving Bush the benefit of the doubt.  Please check out the comments of Rumsfeld if you think I'm mischaracterizing Bush's plans for the military.  Expansion is a word that appears nowhere.  Smaller, leaner, more able to respond quickly are words that appear.  You simply cannot defend this nation with eight divisions and 275 or less naval vessels.

[eastforker]

something just occured to me,a little off topic but noteworthy.Being that our military is at an all time low and police with military weapons is at an all time high,would it be too tinfoilish to think that our police are being armed for enemy defence or civilian control in the unlikley event of a continental invasion.Since American troops can not be used against Americans but police forces could be controled by FEMA.Again I know it sounds tinfoilish but an interesting scenario.

[ASA Vet]

You simply cannot defend this nation with eight divisions and 275 or less naval vessels.

Sure you can, what you can't do is deploy in forward areas.
That means that when war comes, (and it always will,) you get
to "defend" in your own yard.

IMO forward deployment is a good idea only when there is a real
potential enemy in that part of the world.

This brings up the question, why do we have a Corp still in Europe?
Who is the potential enemy V Corp is there to defeat?

[First_Salute]

September 10, 2002 - September 11, 2002

[DeaconBenjamin]

Meaning?

[First_Salute]

Meaning nothing; sorry; very bad cold or flu "bug" has struck the keyboard operator.

What I'd been looking at were files at FR, leading up to Sept. 11, 2001, to see what activity against the U.S. had been reported, by chance, yet overlooked in the aftermath.

[First_Salute]

My reply 10 is an error; sorry; very bad cold or flu "bug" has struck the keyboard operator.

What I'd been looking at were files at FR, leading up to Sept. 11, 2001, to see what activity against the U.S. had been reported, by chance, yet overlooked in the aftermath.

This story is remarkable.

[First_Salute]

Said the F.M.:

"I am worried about this matter and I don't know what message they are trying to convey."

[DeaconBenjamin]

No problem.

[varon]

This brings up the question, why do we have a Corp still in Europe?

Who is the potential enemy V Corp is there to defeat?

Even though it's no longer called that but in Europe as well as in Japan, it is the army of occupation.

[DoughtyOne]

I think we both forgote about this exchange on the 10th of September last year. We talked about how well we could defend this nation on the resources we had left. I think it was rather revealing that we had NATO AWACs and Fighters over US cities after this event.

[ASA Vet]

when war comes, (and it always will,) you get to "defend" in your own yard.

Thank you.

Looking back at the time I posted that it's a little scary.
A hair over an hour later it came true.

[DoughtyOne]

That's right. It sorta reduces the abstract nature aspect of our conversations here doesn't it. Take care.

[First_Salute]

Bump - 'n tx.