Putin moves to establish Russian military base in Belarus

Associated Press ^ | Sep 19, 2015 12:26 PM EDT | Yuras Karmanau

[Olog-hai]

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signaled his intention to establish a Russian military air base in neighboring Belarus—a move sure to unnerve Poland and the Baltic nations.

Belarus has made clear it would not welcome a Russian base, but the former Soviet republic remains dependent on Moscow for credit and energy. […]

Belarus is a desirable location for Russia because it borders Ukraine and three members of the European Union and NATO: Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. …

[grania]

When Germany starts distributing the migrants they invited to the EU then kept out, who's going to save Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia? Whose army will Belarus be begging for help with their borders?

This does look like an effort by Germany and Austria to reduce the rest of the EU to slave labor camps.

Who but Russia can stop the cancer?

[ckilmer]

Why not just send the muslims back to syria iraq libya and whereever else they came from.

[AU72]

Tit for the Tat of NATO moving heavy weapons into Latvia.

Your move Obama.

[tet68]

Belarus has made clear it would not welcome a Russian base, but the former Soviet republic remains dependent on Moscow for credit and energy.

Louie, the Boss wants to set up a gambling den in your
garage, you remember that loan he made you last year...

Hahaha. If we did this to Iraq the press would be screaming
hegemon, imperialist!!!

[faithhopecharity]

While Russia has longer- range goals, watch for a move regarding Greece. Greece is looking for a friend protector and it will give Russia greater strategic strength in the Mediterranean and also finally encircle the “troublesone Turks” — etc. first result - no more hassles over Mediterranean access from Crimea. Take it from there.

[Iron Munro]

[grania]

why not just send them back to Syria

That's what I said. Set up safe zones, no weapons, anyone starts anything shot on sight. Who's going to do it? Regime change started this mess, and that's the brainchild of the US and our allies.

[Liz]

Hugin Posted: Syria has been Russia’s ally/client for over 50 years. The Russians, whatever their flaws, stick with their allies until the last dog dies......plus there is no secular opposition to Assad. Whatever there was wouldn’t have lasted two minutes against ISIS. There are only assorted jihadists.....and Assad.

Whatever his public image portends, Putin is consistent---if nothing else.

Putin also decried Muslims' wanton slaughter of Christians in Egypt and defended Egyptian President al-Sisi in his efforts to drive the Muslim Brotherhood out of Egyptian politics.

Putin was there for al-Sisi when al Sisi vowed to rebuild the 63 churches torched by Christian-hating Muslims who rampaged over Christian homes and businesses in Egypt.

[River Hawk]

Belarus has always been a dependency of Russia, so I don’t think this is any big deal.

[Hugin]

Quoting me on other threads now? I’m flattered.

[Liz]

Very good quote....deserved a repeat.

[Grzegorz 246]

“Who but Russia can stop the cancer?”

LOL ! They will more likely just strike the deal with Gerries like they did in 39.

[OldNewYork]

Interesting, and plausible. They share the Orthodox tradition, deeply, as well. The idea of the Third Rome as Moscow also follows the Second Rome being the Greek city of Byzantium or Constantinople, now known to most as Istanbul.

[goldstategop]

The Belarus military is part of the CSTO command structure and is integrated into the Union State structure.

A Russian air base there isn’t a dramatic change in the status quo.

[Olog-hai]

If Russia was/is so loyal to their allies, what happened after WWII then?

[AdmSmith]

Belarusians are now being trained in a camp in Russia that is headed by an openly fascist Russian nationalist, an arrangement that Moscow might exploit against Minsk by claiming there are “extreme Belarusian nationalists” that the Russians must intervene to put down and one that could be a model for Kremlin actions in other post-Soviet states.

Officials in the Belarusian capital are thus increasingly concerned about “the attempt to involve [Belarusian] young people in the latest neo-Nazi project of ‘the Russian world.’”
http://euromaidanpress.com/2016/06/02/moscow-now-rraining-belarusians-in-russian-camp-headed-by-openly-fascist-leader/

Perhaps some border adjustments later this year?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks AdmSmith.