Posted on 09/03/2014 8:51:11 AM PDT by Mariner
(Reuters) - As fighting between the army and Russian-backed rebels rages in eastern Ukraine, preparations are under way near its western border for a joint military exercise this month with more than 1,000 troops from the United States and its allies.
The decision to go ahead with the Rapid Trident exercise Sept. 16-26 is seen as a sign of the commitment of NATO states to support non-NATO member Ukraine while stopping well short of military intervention in the conflict.
The annual exercise, to take place in the Yavoriv training center near Ukraine's border with Poland, was initially scheduled for July, but was put back because early planning was disrupted by the crisis in the eastern part of the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
It appears to be a wargame of defending The Ukraine from Poland.
Potentially existentially important.
It isn't breaking, the exercise was planned, the fighting in the east has been going on for awhile.
yep
This is absolute lunacy! How about some troops along our southern border to protect the US for a change? Let the Europeans take care of their own damn problems for a change. If we don’t stop the horde of illegals, including criminals and terrorists, from coming into our country there won’t be a US left.
So now we are going to start WWIV.
Great. Is there no one who understands strategy in Washington?
it will be far from the battlefield
In 1997 the US signed a deal (not ratified as a treaty by either side): NATO - Russia Founding Act.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_25468.htm
NATO agreed to not deploy nukes or combat troops to any of the old Warsaw Pact countries other than what these countries had indigenously...to assuage fierce Russian resistance to the expansion of NATO.
We have now moved Air assets and a small contingent of combat troops into Poland and are talking about a small exercise in Ukraine.
I don't believe Russia will be as sanguine as you are over this matter. In fact they may overtly drive tanks into the heart of Kiev and forcibly expel those troops.
What then?
I am sure you would be celebrating that event, but those few troops will be near the Polish border.
The Evil Empire is back and the sooner people recognize this, the better off we will all be.
Why would you accuse me of that?
Do you often have imaginings not anchored in reality?
what a way to hide those smidgeons of Corruption.....
Are you suggesting that anyone who does not support US Forces in Ukraine is corrupt?
There are no US forces fighting in Ukraine
I agree and also know there won't be. At least not overtly.
However, we SHOULD have some specops there to help organize and act as conduit for intelligence. Probably do.
That's way different than a uniformed and flagged Regiment within tactical distance of the Russian border.
That could be construed as an overt provocation by just about any country in the world.
Most have no means of real protest, others can cause some real misery over it.
Why suffer the consequence for no gain whatsoever? It's not like we are going to oppose the Russian Army if they decide to move with authority.
That will not happen, no matter how much the FR Cold Warriors hope for it. And the Russians know it.
Obie might like to point to our troops activities ....to take the heat off those issues wheres he’s been claiming thats theres “not a smidgeon of Corruption”
This sounds like something China would do...
I seriously doubt that Russian troops would choose to engage US troops, thereby provoking a major conflagration.
If they actually did so, the (attacked) American troops would have no real choice but to respond with the utmost force...
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