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Pentagon Proposes U.S. Heavy Weaponry In Europe To Deter Russia
Radio Free Europe ^ | 6-14-2015

Posted on 06/14/2015 4:53:22 AM PDT by Citizen Zed

The United States is reportedly planning to store heavy military equipment in Eastern Europe to reassure allies made uneasy by Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Citing U.S. and allied officials, The New York Times reported on June 13 that the United States is "poised to station battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and other heavy weapons for as many as 5,000 American troops in several Baltic and Eastern European countries."

The U.S. newspaper says the proposal, if approved, would represent “the first time since the end of the Cold War that the United States has stationed heavy military equipment in the newer NATO member nations in Eastern Europe that had once been part of the Soviet sphere of influence.”

The paper also describes the possible Pentagon move as "the most prominent of a series of moves" by Washington and NATO "to deter possible Russian aggression in Europe."

Meanwhile, the Polish Defense Ministry said on June 14 that the country is in talks with the United States about stationing U.S. Army equipment warehouses in Poland.

The Polish ministry also said on Twitter that Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak received assurances during a visit to Washington last month that a decision on stationing the warehouses would be taken soon.

Over the past year, relations between Moscow and the West have dropped to their lowest point since the Cold War following Russia's mostly unrecognized annexation of the Crimea Peninsula in March 2014 and Moscow’s alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Kyiv, NATO, and Western governments accuse Russia of backing the pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine’s east with weapons, personnel, and training in an effort to undermine Kyiv’s pro-Western government.

The Kremlin denies the charge, claiming Russia’s military is not fighting in the conflict despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

Fighting between pro-government forces and rebels has killed more than 6,400 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

Commenting on The New York Times report, a senior U.S. official told the Reuters news agency that the United States “will preposition significant equipment," but declined to comment on the details of the report.

The so-called "prepositioned stocks" of equipment would be minor compared to what Russia could mobilize against its neighbors but could send a signal of U.S. commitment.

The Times quotes a former supreme allied commander of NATO, retired Admiral James G. Stavridis, as calling it "a very meaningful shift in policy" in an effort to reassure "jittery allies."

Asked about the article, a Pentagon spokesman said, "Over the last few years, the United States military has increased the prepositioning of equipment for training and exercises with our NATO allies and partners."

"The U.S. military continues to review the best location to store these materials in consultation with our allies," Colonel Steve Warren also said in a statement.

He added that no decision had been made “about if or when to move this equipment."

The Times says the Pentagon proposal still needs approval from U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and President Barack Obama.

NATO defense ministers are expected to gather in Brussels later this month.

The New York Times says the proposal as it stands suggests that "a company's worth of equipment -- enough for about 150 soldiers -- would be stored in each of the three Baltic nations: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Enough for a company or possibly a battalion -- about 750 soldiers -- would be located in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and possibly Hungary."


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: crimea; donetsk; europeanunion; hellno; nato; poland; putinbuttboys; putinsbuttboys; russia; screweurope; ukraine
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Kerry's been awful quiet lately.
1 posted on 06/14/2015 4:53:22 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
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To: Citizen Zed

Because leaving thousands of combat vehicles and tanks in Iraq worked so well.......


2 posted on 06/14/2015 5:01:05 AM PDT by wrench
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To: Citizen Zed

Maybe Europe should defend itself.


3 posted on 06/14/2015 5:05:00 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Claire Wolfe should check her watch. It's time.)
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To: Citizen Zed

Maybe those allies should think about a real army themselves.


4 posted on 06/14/2015 5:08:20 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Citizen Zed

Before you count on NATO read this:

As NATO faces a resurgent Russian military, a substantial number of Europeans do not believe that their own countries should rush to defend an ally against attack, according to a comprehensive survey to be made public on Wednesday.

NATO’s charter states that an attack against one member should be considered an attack against all, but the survey points to the challenges the alliance faces in trying to maintain its cohesion in the face of an increasingly aggressive Russia.

“At least half of Germans, French and Italians say their country should not use military force to defend a NATO ally if attacked by Russia,” the Pew Research Center said it found in its survey, which is based on interviews in 10 nations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/10/world/europe/survey-points-to-challenges-nato-faces-over-russia.html?partner=rss&emc=rss


5 posted on 06/14/2015 5:11:21 AM PDT by McGruff (Never Forget)
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To: ClearCase_guy

But wait. That could lead to Russian global socialists killing European global socialists. And European global socialists killed Russian global socialists.

That could be as bad as Sunni Muslims killing Shiite Muslims. And Shiite Muslims killing Sunni Muslims.

Okay, I’m in.


6 posted on 06/14/2015 5:27:42 AM PDT by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: Citizen Zed

what good is weaponry if the Emperor has no backbone?


7 posted on 06/14/2015 5:37:18 AM PDT by avital2
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To: wrench

Right. The same thing could happen to the heavy weapons.


8 posted on 06/14/2015 5:38:53 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: Citizen Zed
REFORGER!!!

Just kidding...

5.56mm

9 posted on 06/14/2015 5:47:07 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: Citizen Zed

The NATO accord seems very one sided anyway. Perhaps it should be retired.

Not only is there no will to defend the weakest of the members, the question for us is whether anyone would come to our aid militarily with the same commitment we would.

I think not.


10 posted on 06/14/2015 6:23:55 AM PDT by Wildbill22 (They have us surrounded again, the poor bastards- Gen Creighton Williams Abrams)
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To: Citizen Zed

So we are prepositioning the very first equipment to be targeted?


11 posted on 06/14/2015 6:34:25 AM PDT by bill1952 (taxes don't hurt the rich, they keep YOU from becoming rich.)
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To: Citizen Zed

This is happening as we also need to increase our commitment to Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and South Korea to defend those countries; as well as the Middle East.

I suspect that if something does happen, that it will kick off a domino effect and all the hot spots listed will go hot (Asia pacific, Korea, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Latin America).


12 posted on 06/14/2015 6:34:36 AM PDT by Thunder90 (All posts soley represent my own opinion.)
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To: avital2

Or the troops to actually man all that metal. The heavy divisions of the 1980s have all been broken up and disbanded, in favor of much lighter “combat brigades.”


13 posted on 06/14/2015 6:44:53 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: wrench
Here's a thought, let Europe store their heavy weaponry to deter Russia, they don't want us, never have, only our money.
14 posted on 06/14/2015 7:20:07 AM PDT by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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US Poised To Put Heavy Weaponry In East Europe


15 posted on 06/14/2015 7:59:58 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: MrEdd

This would create a great investment opportunity in Russian based companies!


16 posted on 06/14/2015 8:08:18 AM PDT by Jumper
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To: Jumper

Well , not in an ideal world.
Ideally they would reduce each other to the stone age and leave us alone.
Not a good investment opportunity.


17 posted on 06/14/2015 8:10:31 AM PDT by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: Citizen Zed

“”Meanwhile, the Polish Defense Ministry said on June 14 that the country is in talks with the United States about stationing U.S. Army equipment warehouses in Poland.””

But obozo scrapped/dismantled the missle defense system in Poland to placate Russia. Can’t trust or believe one cotton pickin’ thing this administration tells us.


18 posted on 06/14/2015 9:13:46 AM PDT by Thank You Rush
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To: MrEdd

Even rock cutters need tools and grain.... The fallout would probably kill most of us as well.


19 posted on 06/14/2015 9:17:54 AM PDT by Jumper
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To: McGruff; Citizen Zed; MrEdd; SunkenCiv; All

When I saw your comment’s link, I though mine was going to be the same, but this is follow up four days later. Don’t know if it is the same one SC posted further down.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/14/world/europe/us-poised-to-put-heavy-weaponry-in-east-europe.html?mabReward=A6&moduleDetail=recommendations-1&action=click&contentCollection=U.S.&region=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&configSection=article&isLoggedIn=false&src=recg&pgtype=article


20 posted on 06/14/2015 3:26:37 PM PDT by gleeaikin
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