Posted on 05/16/2015 6:41:25 PM PDT by robowombat
The three Baltic states have written a letter to NATO asking for hundreds of soliders to be stationed in each country. They have expressed fears of possible aggression from Moscow.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia announced on Thursday that they would petition NATO to permanently station troops throughout the Baltic region as Russia has done little to allay concerns that it may pose a threat to its three small neighbors.
"Russia sees NATO as its main nemesis and this has put the Baltic countries on the front line, so to say," said Roland Murof, speaking for the Estonian defense ministry. "Hence, NATO's deterrence needs to involve real military presence."
A spokesman for the Lithuanian army commander added that the countries were asking for a battalion, around 700 to 800 soldiers, of rotating troops in every Baltic state, adding that they intended to send an official request in writing by means of a joint letter to General Philip Breedlove, the alliance's top commander in Europe. Baltic states long wary of Russian intentions
The three countries, all NATO members, have often said in the past that they feel threatened by Russia's aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine. They said they will send their letter next week, which Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said "will of course be assessed carefully," though he was careful to stress that we have already increased our military presence in the eastern part of our alliance."
NATO had already planned to create six regional command-and-control centers in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, but the alliance has sought to balance the concerns of its eastern members with an agreement it struck with Russia in 1997, pledging not to permanently station "substantial combat forces" in those countries. Stoltenberg has, however, said that measures are being put into place to create a new "spearhead force" of 5,000 soldiers that could be ready for deployment in 48 hours. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Turkey have already volunteered to lead this force in upcoming years. He promised that the spearhead force will "make it easier to reinforce the defenses of the Baltic States."
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were under Soviet rule from the end of World War II until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Their past experience has given rise to new fears that Moscow could try to destabilize their region to test the level of NATO's commitment to collective defense.
Ukraine isn’t a part of our military alliance.
You might get more useful information by looking at how much trouble the Russian military is having with them, and what it is costing Russia.
The invasion of Ukraine has done wonders for improving our NATO forces and unity, and in helping conservative politicians promote a stronger defense posture.
Putin has been great for shaking the cobwebs off of NATO and even the non-NATO nations.
That’s right. We need all that treasure and blood to further entangle ourselves in the centuries old Middle East conflicts.
Gotta have priorities.
What a great idea! And they’d have a pay check then!
Anybody take a look at how much these countries have set aside for their own military? I rather figure they likely haven't paid their share just as all the others haven't. Now they're “A-feared” so send the money, the bases and the military...
Disgusting really.....the US has been on all their cases for not doing their part for their countries defense for eons now.
“You might get more useful information by looking at how much trouble the Russian military is having with them, and what it is costing Russia.”
Ukraine isn’t “costing” Russia much of anything from a cash standpoint.
The Civil War in Ukraine, for the rebel side, is being fought strictly from inventory.
Tanks and guns, and ammo, from the incredibly massive 60’s and 70’s Russian stockpiles, for the most part. There are some exceptions that have shown up since late October, like the 80’s-era AT Missiles.
The only cost to Russia is loading and shipping.
And a lot of it coming from the Kiev Army, too, in the form of captured equipment and ammo, as well as corrupt officers and other Ukrainians outright selling stuff to them.
“I rather figure they likely haven’t paid their share just as all the others haven’t.”
Poland only spends 1,8-1.9% of it’s GDP on Defense, well less than 50% of it’s treaty obligation, at least through 2012.
http://militarybudget.org/poland/
I believe that has changed in the last year, to almost 4%.
They have no people of their own? No unemployment?
It is costing them hugely, and the negative financial and international effects will last for a very long time.
I doubt that anyone is interested in how much they are spending on bullets.
Wasn’t talking about financial effects, I was talking direct costs.
And the financial effects have eased, as well.
Seriously, the day to day costs are not of much interest one way or the other.
euroweenies wont budge an inch and obola will just smile.
A spokesman for the Lithuanian army commander added that the countries were asking for a battalion, around 700 to 800 soldiers, of rotating troops in every Baltic state...And while everyone is watching that, some Chechens need to be induced to go blow themselves up, taking Putin with them.
No thanks.
The only US money I would be willing to spend on the Middle East is to build a wall around the entire region, then fill it with water.
I hope not (have Lithuanian acquaintances; good people).
I don’t know that Poland has been as lax as Ukraine (who sold a lot of their weapons to raise cash when they first separated - trying to have guns & butter at the same time, without upsetting the socialist status quo). Poland has even more reason to be vigilant; they’ve dealt with a two-front war, and it wasn’t pretty.
Aside from that... Poland wants the revenues that will ensue by having bases there.....in Germany whole survive because of revenues generated from US bases.
I’m glad to have Poland on our side.
They are serious devout people; I’d rather be with them than against them.
I didn’t know we had none yet; I thought at least we had Gitmo-type places to deatin Muzzies there.
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