Posted on 06/27/2023 8:30:07 AM PDT by Cronos
Germany is willing to send around 4,000 troops to Lithuania on a permanent basis to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said during a visit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius
...He said infrastructure and facilities will need to be created to accommodate the soldiers and their families.
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, the German government pledged last June to have a combat brigade ready to defend Lithuania in the event of an attack..
Until now, however, there have been differences over whether the soldiers should be permanently stationed in Lithuania or only sent there temporarily for exercises. The Lithuanian government has demanded a permanent presence, while the German government for a long time was very reluctant to do that.
Pistorius explained the German government’s decision to offer the brigade to Lithuania was not only because of Russia’s war on Ukraine, but also because of Germany’s own history, saying that until the end of the Cold War, Germany was the country on NATO’s eastern flank.
“We were the ones who could always rely on our NATO partners to stand by us in an emergency and to stand up and fight with us for our freedom and security in Germany. Now, Poland and the Baltic countries are particularly exposed,
“We as the Federal Republic of Germany explicitly acknowledge our responsibility and our obligation as a NATO member state, as the largest economy in Europe, to stand up for the protection of the eastern flank,” Pistorius said.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda welcomed the announcement and said his country wants to build up the needed infrastructure by 2026.
“We have a strong political willingness in Lithuania to find the necessary financial resources to be able to finance the infrastructural needs,”
(Excerpt) Read more at indianexpress.com ...
Interesting
I’m shocked that Germany has 4,000 troops to deploy anywhere.
Shocked? You’d think they were the French.
Militarily it is a speed bump.
Politically, an attack on Lithuania that kills or wounds the Germans draws Germany into the conflict, i.e. they are hostages.
Have the Scorpions changed the words in Winds of Change yet?
Been hearing that song a lot on the radio.
I guess enough time has passed where this is even being considered...
“The Lithuanian government has demanded a permanent presence”
IIRC, didn’t Germany do this before a few years back?
1) “Ha! Ha! Ha! Russia is weak! Russia cannot win its little war against Ukraine! The Russian army is hopeless!”
2) “Ha! Ha! Ha! Russia in a civil war! Putin has fled! The whole country is about to collapse!”
3) “Hey, my big concern is that Russia will invade Lithuania and start a hot war with everyone in NATO. Gotta get ready for the Russian steamroller into western Europe.”
Well with Russia claiming the right to unilaterally revoke the sovereignty of its neighbors it makes sense to take the threat seriously.
The Germans never learn, do they?
Every few generations, they get swept up by some ridiculous, collectivist, post-modern utopian ideology and pursue its political realities, until they destroy themselves, and a good part of europe in the process.
I’m shocked that Germany has 4,000 troops to deploy anywhere.
************
Given Germany’s bellicose history deploying troops anywhere should be of some concern.
“Russia is weak!.....Gotta get ready for the Russian steamroller into western Europe.”
**************
The cognitive dissonance is large on this one.
German Nazi Troops in Lithuania!
Apparently not.
Orcs next door.
Good on Germany
Yeah, they don’t have the 4,000 presently. This is probably a 3 year project to prepare for. They admitted that on german tv last night.
Von der Maas bis an die Memel, von der Etsch bis an dem Belt
I’m shocked that Germany has 4,000 troops to deploy anywhere.
but they’re armed with broom-handles
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