Posted on 03/26/2014 6:00:27 PM PDT by kristinn
A new classified intelligence assessment concludes it is more likely than previously thought that Russian forces will enter eastern Ukraine, CNN has learned.
Two administration officials described the assessment but declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information.
The officials emphasized that nothing is certain, but there have been several worrying signs in the past three to four days.
“This has shifted our thinking that the likelihood of a further Russian incursion is more probable than it was previously thought to be,” one official said.
The buildup is seen to be reminiscent of Moscow’s military moves before it went into Chechnya and Georgia in both numbers of units and their capabilities.
U.S. military and intelligence officials have briefed Congress on the assessment.
As a result, Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee late Wednesday sent a classified letter to the White House expressing concern about unfolding developments.
An unclassified version obtained by CNN said committee members feel “urgency and alarm, based on new information in the committee’s possession.”
The committee said there was “deep apprehension that Moscow may invade eastern and southern Ukraine, pressing west to Transdniestria and also seek land grabs in the Baltics.”
SNIP
The United States believes that Russia might decide to go into eastern Ukraine to establish a land bridge into Crimea.
The belief is that Russian forces would move toward three Ukrainian cities: Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk in order to establish land access into Crimea. Russian forces are currently positioned in and around Rostov, Kursk, and Belgorod, according to U.S. intelligence information.
(Excerpt) Read more at security.blogs.cnn.com ...
Keep drilling and leave Afghanistan, while increasing military procurement. Tell the rest of NATO they better be doing the same as they are expected to carry their own load this time.
Maybe a little finger wagging as a precursor.
The greatest possible threat of war between Russia and a NATO member is actually Turkey, which is threatening to close the Straits of Bosphorus to Russia. The Bosphorus treaty is one of the world’s oldest global treaties; the Straits flow through the center of Istanbul, or as Putin would probably love for it to be known as, Constantinople. Or better yet, Constantinograd. The Hagia Sophia (dba the Blue Mosque) is on the banks of the Bosphorus, by the way.
The next question is “What will be our response?” as opposed to what it “should” be.
Read post 39; a bridge bridge would be far easier.
I understand. On Hannity today they were saying Obama has cut (or asked for cuts) each year to radiological scanning for NYC, or something to that effect. IMO, he said what he said about NYC to attack Mitt Romney.
Doubtful. Russia is moving regardless of what bambi says or does. And why would they have any reason to back down? Obama has "flexibility" now.
Don’t forget Putin’s buddy Lukashenko in Belarus. A reuniting of Russia and Belarus is likely easy if Lukashenko is taken care of. Belarus has never really come out of the Soviet era. It gives Putin an excellent pathway to the Baltic nations and, particularly, Poland.
I don't know that the moon's cycle matters much for Russia anymore. They have a pretty active space program (compared to us); who really knows what they have been putting "up there". Maybe they joined the ranks of "owning the night".
Don’t actually think it will be a shooting match in Eastern Ukraine so what you say could be correct in every aspect.
Thank You for understanding.
Estonia is in NATO. That would be war. That SHOULD be war. If we had a real CinC.
The Baltics are NATO Countries, if the russkies “enter” them, it is a whole other matter and the bastard kenyan might find that a country that covers eleven time zones is a tad more than a “regional” power.
None dare call it treason.
5.56mm
What about the Gulf of Mexico?
Absent a controlling legal authority in Kiev, why not?
I guess only time will tell. I do get a sneaky suspicion that the U.S. (at least this administration) is not being invited to “the table” on how to ultimately deal with all this. I have nothing to back that up with outside of watching the kenyan being played like a fool on the world stage by country after country.
I’ll agree with you to your point. I also believe there are factions within our Military that are keeping many things close to the vest because they know obama and his minions cannot be trusted. Am truly saddened by the fact that for the first time in our Nation’s History our Military has a cic they (our Military) cannot trust.
I couldn’t agree with you more and a point I had not given serious thought to. Thinking out loud, I almost have to wonder what the “inside track” of the trusted are thinking / up to in lieu of all the SEAL deaths (both active and post service), Benghazi, heck, you know the list as well as I.
There was a story floated here not too long ago about (basically) three generals (maybe not all generals, there were a few stories) who either recovered or handled a situation of “missing nukes” on our own soil. Now our gracious leader is again positing a nuke attack in the North East (Manhattan?). Things that make you go hmmm.... (okay, I’ll take off my tinfoil hat now)
Putin will move before the election. Everything Obama does is based on domestic politics. If Obama gets aggressive in response to Putin, the left won’t turn out for the election. Obama is trapped by his own politics.
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.