 |
| Members of Poland's special commando unit Lubliniec disembark from a Mi-17 helicopter during the "Noble Sword-14" NATO international tactical exercise at the land forces training centre in Oleszno, near Drawsko Pomorskie, northwest Poland September 9, 2014 (Reuters / Kacper Pempel) |
via Russia Times.
"Next year, at the ministerial meeting, we will take decisions regarding the so-called spearhead but, even before it is established, NATO has a strong army after all,” Stoltenberg told state-owned Polish broadcaster TVP Info.Read the ENTIRE article here.
"These capabilities already exist. We have them, and we can deploy them in individual regions. And this is only an add-on to what the alliance already has."
In September, his predecessor Anders Fogh Rasmussen outlined the specifics of the rapid reaction force as comprising “several thousand troops, ready to respond where needed with air, sea and special-forces support.”
Amid talk of a “spearhead” NATO force, the United States last month transferred 20 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks and about 700 soldiers, along with Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles, to the Baltic States, marking the first time the US has shipped armored vehicles to Europe since the end of the Cold War, Reuters noted.
Such a military force was intended to substitute for permanent NATO bases in Eastern Europe, which the Western military organization pledged not to create following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
First thing you learn when you head into the woods is not to fuck with bears. You kill them, you avoid them, but you damn sure don't fuck with them.
But what has me laughing is the claim that NATO has a strong army! Really? Seriously?
But ignoring all the silliness. How do you think Russia will respond to these moves?
The smallest US Army and Marine Corps in 50 years is just around the corner. We (supposedly) have interests in Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific....and yet we still need to be ready to defend Europe?
I think our European allies are misreading things a bit...THEY CAN'T SIMPLY CALL ON THE US TO PROTECT THEM! A coordinated strike by China and Russia at both ends of the globe would have the United States making a choice. Who do we prioritize? Europe or the Pacific? If the answer isn't Europe then they have some serious cash to spend...and work to do.
Problem is stupid EU politicans led them selves be pushed into a a trade war and more or less ended any chance of partnership with Russia over what a EU&US induced coup resoulting in civil war-breakup of ukraine (something that was forseen https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/08MOSCOW265_a.html#efmAB5ACs). NATO is weak beyond imagination most of European armies have less than 1/5 of capability that they had 10 years ago and 1/10 of levels in 1991.
ReplyDeletewhatever the reason, EU defense spending has been pathetic. only Poland, Georgia and the other former Soviet sats are spending enough.
Deletetime for Europe to invest in defending itself.
How come, each time they forget Greece . Just look at they're airforce , right now it is one of the largest in Europe .
DeleteAnother thing is that there was no strategic vision for some of the new NATO members for example: Romania Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia , and the Baltic states are all in need the need for some kind of jet fighter capability .
If the US or EU was smart in the mid/late 2000s they would push for a combined buy of say F-16s or EF2000 for example for all this countries, just like they did it in the 80ties with the so called deal of the century with the F-16.
Same could happen for other major military equipment .
simple. greece and turkey are outliers. why? because their weapons are pointed at each as much or more than they are dedicated to mutual defense.
Deleteairpower is easy. the USAF can surge enough forces to potentially make up for the european shortfall and let the USN take care of the Pacific. the problem is ground forces. the eu doesn't have enough and the US doesn't have anymore spare capacity.
One could argue, in both ukraine and irak, the armies have better equipment and more soldiers than the opponents.
DeleteManpower and heavy eqipment is not the problem here.. motivation and trainning is.
In ukraine especially they could have handeled the contingency in the east far more earlyer, if they had a professional army ( even with he equipment they have at hand ) .
In the beginning i have always wondered, why the ukrainians did not mobilize they're service man who went trough irak and formed units with them instead of theese volunteer batalions.
A little mistake in photo description they give you Sol.
ReplyDeleteThose soldiers are from Commando Regiment. The oldest and the largest special operation unit we have, the elite. The main base of that unit is in the city of Lubliniec in Silesia region, but they don't have the city name in unit name.
"THEY CAN'T SIMPLY CALL ON THE US TO PROTECT THEM!"
ReplyDeletethey have been told that by US officials directly, in their face, and they take it a joke or something...the only ones giving a shit are the polish...
in my country they call defense spending the aquisition of BULLETS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so...yea...if you ask me, i would suggest the US to leave Europe by itself in flames and chaos and not give a shit, even laugh at it.
@If the answer isn't Europe then they have some serious cash to spend...and work to do.@
ReplyDeleteit ain't necessarily so. They can do agreement with Russia: we can share with old Europe their trouble of defense. Otherwise it goes to rising tensions, USA is too far, we are too close, more of this, our weapon is cheaper and competitive with USA’s. We have enough room to get agreement with Old Europe.
Most Western Europeans have no clue. Most of my European friends still trash talk about America all the time.They better hope for a mild winter because Vlad will use NG as a weapon to freeze their asses.....I say we let them deal ALONE with the Russians, see how much fun it is compared to dealing with the USA.....they always tell me USA is always wrong and never does anything right:" OK assholes, we will let you guys figure it out with Russians since we have no clue."
ReplyDeleteScrew Europe and I say that even though I have family and friends there.
@OK assholes, we will let you guys figure it out with Russians since we have no clue.@
DeleteBgg. Who knows maybe they will be happy? Bgggg....))
@OK assholes, we will let you guys figure it out with Russians since we have no clue.@
DeleteBgg. Who knows maybe they will be happy? Bgggg....))
Damnation. Sorry for double...
DeleteIn reality military threats to EU are low that is reflected in the budgets, military spending has gone up in Eastern europe( actualy only Poland and the Baltics) is reflection of their fears toward Russia and Goergia tries to fight its separatist regions every couple of years . Interverntions in Afghanistan and Iraq were blunders into which EU should never have allowed to be pushed by US . You do realize most of the crisis are not spontanius but more or less a direct resoult of intervention by US (Iraq,Afghanistan,Syria) and EU (Libya, Ukraine). And instead of goung around lghting fire and then dousing the blaze we should be putting our leaders on trial and long prison sentences and preventing stupid fucks to stir shit up in the future.
ReplyDeleteGermany didn't look too threatening in 1933 either.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, Europe simply does not matter anymore. We shouldn't waste anymore time and money on a place that for the most part, hates and despises us. There is nothing we really need or want from you, and you have virtually nothing to offer us.
Germany looked threatening 1933 , drang nach osten ,lebensraum etc .all pretty much showed expansionist tendecies .
DeleteRussia has no need for expansion , declining population ,largest country in the world ,all the natural resources they can dream off. Crimea is just a oprotune and a teritory that was given to Ukraine on some back room deal in Soviet Union and you can bet that if you give locals referendum on seceding from ukraine how many times you want they will do it again)
Russians did not come to Europe's door and Europe came to Russias and stupid Ukrainians let it happen , Nato's expension to the east and encroachment of Russia is provocation pure and simple ,Ukraine and Georgia are a step to far and Russia will not let that happen.
Remember something very remotely similar happened with the tiny island of Cuba ,it been under embargo for last 40+ years even tough Soviet union fell apart and don't think someone just forgot to lift the embargo (sanctions have to be renewed each year)
well, my friend, i do not know in which fairytale you live in, but the economic world definitely does not work in this way. They are much more elaborate connections in economic, financial and industrial market than you could understand with 19century isolationist view. US borrowing money from China is just one example...
ReplyDeleteborrowing money from China? China is propping up their economy by selling trinkets to the US! we could do without the bullshit coming from China in a heartbeat! this house of cards called gloablization is going to fall, its too complicated, too dependent on partners that are anything but and it has failed to deliver on its promise of being actually fair.
Deletethe question is whether its peacefully dismantled or destroyed through war.
Zdravko if you can't see that then i can't help ya!
sure thing, if you/we/everybody stop import form China thay will drown not only in rubber ducks and cheap shit junk, but also in everything from the textile, metalwork (stainless steel) to microprocessors.
DeleteBut on the other hand, what do you think US would do if you stop imports? Are you willing to accept bigger prices for common goods? Or maybe better question is are the owners willing to accept lower profits? We are seeing the answer at the moment with US solving its economy with military projection worldwide. It's nothing new, every empire in history of manking did the same, from Romans to British empire...
European NATO has certainly made major cuts since the end of the Cold War, but they are still far stronger than Russia on a military basis, both in terms of numbers and modern equipment. France and Britain alone outspend Russia in military spending.
ReplyDeletethose arguments mean 0.
DeleteEurope/NATO is a bunch of countries having most of the times different views on different things and if we also add in European history still alive and very influent, we're done...
"U.S.E" is just in sci-fi stage and it will remain so and so is a European army...
the only and best thing western EU needs to do is put their money on bordering countries defense (something like the US is doing with Israel) while they keep theirs to 1% or so, stop sabotaging their (east EU) economies and find a new or different energy resource.
the portuguese coming to the other side of the EU to defend some corrupt, criminal puppets, is a bit idiotic...
P.S
Deletei wasn't saying your comment is idiotic, but the idea of the last line in my comment.
Dont mistake spending for determination and quantities of military equipment. Russia has vast cold war era stocks, britain and france dont. They cant even equip infantry with enough ammunition for large scale conflicts.
DeleteFurthermore, Russia has been underestimated before as backwards and without initiative...
True that.
DeleteSome 4000 T72 in service ,reserve and further 4000 in storage, 3000 T80 in service and 1000 reserve ,some 1000 T90 in service. If only half of this is real Ruskis still outgun EU by a large margin.
How many MBTs can Europe field now 1000-1500? most european countries scraped or sold their tanks Germany is downsizing to about 300 ,Britain 180 and no factory to support them , even for repairs they have to use donor parts.France 400.
@. France and Britain alone outspend Russia in military spending.@
DeleteWhat? Can you take the numbers? It looks like you know the matter not enough for discussion.
Considering that Germany has a shortage pf parts for it's brand new Typhoons, allegedly only a dozen are operational, I doubt they really could field 300 Leopards. I have a feeling the situation is pretty much identical across Europe, some XYZ air force would have ON PAPER 80 jet fighters but probably only has a dozen really operationally, ready to fly. Just assume it's as bad in the navies and armies across Europe. Forget Europe doing anything seriously to Russia. That's why no one cares about Europe, they are a paper tiger.
ReplyDelete