NATO Allies Escalate Military Support for Ukraine Despite U.S. Claims of Arms Supply Halt

Elensky calls The Putin an animal who will eat EU, NATO and democracy.

Interview with The Economist:
"...and he [Putin] feel it, like an animal because he is an animal, and likes the feeling of blood...and he will eat you totally with all your EU, NATO, freedom, democracy.… pic.twitter.com/NSbKiOCh7z— Alex Christoforou (@AXChristoforou) January 2, 2024

The Joke is angry today...

The Joke is angry today...

I've learned his therapy is typing. Posting Walls of Text seems to relax him so I oblige by waking him up with mindless Twitter Swipes and requests for More Words.

PIF: "Funds to ship weapons to Ukraine are being held hostage to the GOP getting the border issue settled in their favor, which will not happen while Biden/0bama keeps their policy in place."

A month ago I was pretty confident they would cut a deal to address all the issues -- Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Southern Border.

Since then, I've heard nothing encouraging and so am beginning to wonder.

But brinkmanship is part of the nature of serious negotiations, so I've not yet lost all hope that good sense will prevail and we'll do what's necessary in all those areas.

I think it would be disastrous if we fail, on an order of magnitude greater than the Afghanistan debacle.

In the meantime, our political dithering seems to be encouraging other countries to step up and contribute their own fair share to Ukraine's defense, and, if I do say so, that is not entirely a bad thing...

I think it would be disastrous if we fail, on an order of magnitude greater than the Afghanistan debacle.

—
More disastrous than the Allied invasion of Normandy not happening. Afghanistan by comparison is chump change.

JonPreston: "So now you wheel anti-Semitism into your comparison?
Please decide; is Greasy Zelensky a young Winston Churchill or is he more like George Washington?"

Your word "greasy" is unacceptable in any political or social context.
Whomever it's aimed at, it's considered racist or phobic, in Zelenskyy's case, anti-Semitic & anti-Ukrainian.

This brings us back to Free Republic, which I've been trying to introduce you to:

"Welcome to Free Republic!
Established in 1996, Free Republic is one of the earliest and largest online gathering places for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web...

Please enjoy our forum, but also please remember to use common courtesy when posting and refrain from posting personal attacks, profanity, vulgarity, threats, racial or religious bigotry, or any other materials offensive or otherwise inappropriate for a conservative family audience."

Please remember that American conservatism is not necessarily compatible with conservatism in your own home country, comrade.

Setting that aside -- as for who Zelenskyy compares to historically, take your pick: if Ukraine loses to Russia, then Zelenskyy will be comparable to the loser leaders of:

Korea in 1910
Manchuria in 1931
Ethiopia in 1935
Austria in 1938
Czechoslovakia in 1939, 1944 and 1968
Poland in 1939 and 1944
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1939, 1941 & 1944
Albania in 1939
Denmark and Norway in 1940
Belgium and Netherlands in 1940
France in 1940
Balkan countries in 1940 and 1944
North African Countries in 1940
Burma in 1941
Philippines in 1898 and 1941
Hungary in 1944, 1945 and 1956
Tibet in 1950

It's a much longer list, but this is a start.

On the other hand, if Ukraine defeats Russian invaders, then they can be compared to every successful War of Independence from time immemorial to the present day, an even longer list, including the eventual fates of countries noted above.

But none of it has to do with "greasy" or any other personal derogatory terms you might throw out for Ukrainians.

JonPreston: "Your lengthy Neocon wind..."

Clearly you have no clue as to American political history and what words like "conservative" and "neo-con" imply.

Historically, there is nothing "neo-con" about NATO's opposition to Russian imperial ambitions.
American conservatives have always been about protecting America's vital interests, and since 1945 that has included against Russia's & Old Soviets' expanding empire.

JonPreston: "...adds nothing other than the annoying habit of correcting grammar/spelling on a freaking message board of all places."

??

Extra Grease please and *don't* skimp on the words.

FILL THIS PAGE UP!!

‼️🇺🇦🏴‍☠️90% of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 4th Tank Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces refused to carry out the order and go to the front line to fight with the Russian Armed Forces
▪️A second video has appeared, confirming previously appeared footage of the refusal of… pic.twitter.com/Lyc3c5A59B— -- GEROMAN -- time will tell - 👀 -- (@GeromanAT) January 15, 2024

there is nothing "neo-con" about NATO's opposition to Russian imperial ambitions

Opposition? Since when is military intervention in non-NATO nations considered opposition? So much for a defensive alliance

Good. Let the Euros take care of it.

Robert DeLong: "Sorry, I could careless about Russia or Putin.
I only care about facts, which you have none of.
Just propaganda by the criminals who have taken this nation & you are too ignorant to recognize that reality.
You are a lost cause."

You realize, of course, that you just posted four sentences with over 40 words and not a single fact in them?
All you did was express your baseless opinions.

Robert DeLong: "That statement shows just how clueless you are, because you are stuck on the old Democrat/Republican BS.
The truth is both political parties do not care one whit about America, other than it being their personal piggy banks from which they can enrich themselves. "

And still, you post more baseless opinions without a single fact in evidence to support them.

Robert DeLong: "They do this by getting us into endless wars.
They rebuild what they destroy which lines their pockets, while you & I, our children & grandchildren get the bill for."

Your words, "endless wars" can also describe relative world peace since 1945, aka "Pax Americana".
The horrors of the First and Second World Wars, with over 100 million war related deaths, should be lesson enough in why we don't want to repeat the mistakes of 1914 and the 1930s.

Every conservative understood that in 1945 and 1950 and during the 1960s when there were no such things as "neo-cons".
Today our neo-isolationists want to forget all that and return the world to its conditions in 1914 and the 1930s.

The results are 100% predictable.

Robert DeLong: "There are a few on the Republican side who are trying to fight for the American citizens, but cucks like you criticize them at every turn, because you have no fight in you whatsoever."

Political constitutional conservatives in no way equate to neo-isolationism.
Indeed, the whole idea of neo-isolationism began with "make love not war" -- 1960s pro-communists, socialists, "long haired hippy type" Democrats.
Today you pose and masquerade as conservative Republicans, but it's the same old pro-Russian propaganda nonsense, regardless.

Robert DeLong: "Well, actually I would have mentioned that ad I thought you actually had the capacity of understanding that.
However, you are wrong that they can't vote.
Perhaps what you meant to say was that they are not allowed to legally vote.
What they do is add them to the voter rolls, via motor voter process (that's why they insist on giving these illegal invaders driver's licenses) and viola, they are voters too.
They do not need to replace anyone, just counter enough of legal voters votes."

It sounds like we are discussing details of the same process.
I was simply pointing out one legal factor I think most people miss -- illegal, undocumented immigrants are counted in the US census for purposes of congressional representation.
In some Democrat districts, the number of voting citizens is less than half the total of people counted for representation purposes.
In other words, illegal immigrants don't have to actually vote because they already give Democrat districts more representation than citizens alone would allow.

Illegal immigrants are, in that sense, directly comparable to the Democrats' old 3/5 of slaves representation before 1865.

Robert DeLong: "So, tell me why you believe this conflict is our issue, and why we must become more in debt?
While Russia has nuclear weapons, so do we, and a few is all it takes to cause severe damage, and that damage will fall upon all nations involved in deploying the nuclear weapons upon others."

First of all, Ukraine has nothing to do with the national debt, not when our Democrats are squandering untold $trillions on their insane vote-buying schemes.
Once those are eliminated, there will be plenty of money in balanced budgets for essential national defense, border control and infrastructure spending.

Second, I've now laid out my case many times, and in great depth, to very little response beyond frequewntly obscene name-calling from our pro-Russian propaganda repeaters.

My basic argument, condensed to a few words, is that -- pro-Russian propaganda repeater claims to the contrary notwithstanding -- the new authoritarian Axis of Evil, including Russia, China, NoKo and Iran, represents an existential challenge and threat to western civilization as we know it.
Ukraine then is just one theater in a new global Cold War II, with other vital theaters in the middle east and the western Pacific.

In this Cold War II, distinguishing good-guys from bad-guys is pretty simple: how aggressive and authoritarian are their governments?

Robert DeLong: "Had you all listened to those of us who said to not get involved other than to work out a peace agreement this conflict could have been resolves as it should have been resolved."

And Vlad the Invader would already be moving on to assault his next victims.

Ukrainians have decided to fight for their own country, and so the issue for us is only whether to support them or not.
And the choice is not in the least ambiguous:

Robert DeLong: "...comply with commands & statements that Russia is dangerous, and that we must use a military action to defend against its aggression.
If you would honestly look around, you would see that we are by far the most aggressive nation in the world. "

And yet

How many countries has the US invaded and annexed since 1945?
How many countries does the US occupy today against the democratically expressed will of their citizens?
How many countries have sought alliances with the United States and requested our military forces to help guarantee their own freedom and prosperity?

So any suggestions of a moral equivalence between Russia's invasion and annexation of Ukraine versus US protections for our friends and allies are pure nonsense.

Yet again -- it's Western style democracies defending against aggressive Eastern authoritarian dictatorships.

Shades of green/yellow = more democratic. Shades of brown/red = authoritarian dictatorships.

You realize, of course, that you just posted four sentences with over 40 words and not a single fact in them? Of course you would say that as you provided probably more than 10 times as many words sans any facts.

This is the second time you have posted this:

Problem is, when evil exists on both sides, only evil will win in the end anyway. If you think Zelenskyy or Biden represent good, then you clearly are not paying attention at all to reality. In fact, you think Trump is evil because he has had more than one wife, but so has Biden who drove his first wife to driver herself & her children into an accident purposely because she was trying to kill herself & her children to remove them from evil's way , in the form of one Joseph Robinette Biden.

Robert DeLong: "That statement shows just how clueless you are, because you are stuck on the old Democrat/Republican BS. The truth is both political parties do not care one whit about America, other than it being their personal piggy banks from which they can enrich themselves. "

To which you responded: And still, you post more baseless opinions without a single fact in evidence to support them.

Oh my, you really have exposed yourself as the useful idiot that I claim you are. Look around you fool & see the evil that emanates from everything Biden does.

You are a hopeless fool, and thus I am completely wasting my time even trying to discuss things with you. You need to be committed, and yesterday wasn't soon enough.

You go on to say: Your words, "endless wars" can also describe relative world peace since 1945, aka "Pax Americana".

The horrors of the First and Second World Wars, with over 100 million war related deaths, should be lesson enough in why we don't want to repeat the mistakes of 1914 and the 1930s.

Every conservative understood that in 1945 and 1950 and during the 1960s when there were no such things as "neo-cons".

Today our neo-isolationists want to forget all that and return the world to its conditions in 1914 and the 1930s.

Apparently you seem to believe that Russia started both wars. In WWI Russia was not a communist nation. That didn't come about until 1917 when they had a civil War and the communists defeated the Russian Tsar. A Little Bit of WWI History for you

The first offensive Russia launched was in August 1914, against Germany in East Prussia. The Russian First Army (commanded by Rennenkampf) aimed straight into the heart of East Prussia (held by the German Eight Army), while the Russian Second Army (commanded by Samsonov) aimed to cut off the Eighth army's line of retreat. Once Eastern Prussia was secure, the Russian Ministry of War planned to march on Berlin.

The Battle of Tannenberg: The First and Second Russian Army rapidly compromised the German positions in East Prussia, moving with such zeal that they outran their logistical support. After weeks of loses, the remaining German Eighth Army (led by Ludendorf), left their defensive positions and marched between the advanced positions of both Russian armies. The German Army turned West and attacked the flank of the Russian Second Army. Within four days of fighting, bogged down in lakes and swamps, the Russian Second Army was defeated. Samsonov shot himself. A week later, General Hindenburg led the Eighth German Army, bolstered by reinforcements, to drive the Russian First Army completely out of Prussia.

In case you don't really know, it was Germany that stated both of the World Wars. Moving on with your nonsense.

Yes, we all know about the Cold War, that existed between the USSR & the Allied arrayed nations of WWII. We also know that the USSR crumpled under its own economic wight, just as we will crump our own economic weight that has been brought upon us by both political parties. This is because the people did not heed the words of President Dwight D. Eisenhower as he was leaving office. Do you remember what those words were JoeBro?

Let me bring them forth, because I doubt you have read them, but I'm certain if you have read them that you understood the. Here are Eisenhower's words of wisdom that we have foolish either ignored or didn't fully understand:

A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.

Our military organization today bears little resemblance to that known by any of my predecessors in peacetime, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.

Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.

In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.

The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present -- and is gravely to be regarded.

Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

It is the task of statesmanship to mold, to balance, and to integrate these and other forces, new and old, within the principles of our democratic system -- ever aiming toward the supreme goals of our free society.

We are not neo-isolations as idiots like yourself always want to claim, we are citizens who are responsible citizens that know we cannot be the world's protector. We cannot solve all of the world's problems, because we can't even solve our problems. Often times the solution devised to solve the problem only makes the problem worse, not better.

We have also found that these endless wars, wars that are not addressed to Congress asking for a declaration of war, are being used to enrich the powerful within our government, at the expense of the citizen taxpayers.

Idiots like you never see the truth, and believe that all of our politicians have our best interest at heart.

You do so, because you lack critical thinking skills, which is why you are easily swayed into acquiescing to their calls for military intervention.

All of this has placed this country in its most dangerous precarious position ever as a nation. It has contributed to the disastrous debt accumulation, which in turn has placed our children & unborn children into massive debt before they even reach adulthood.

You are nothing but a useful idiot who thinks we are idiots. When fighting becomes the only option left, we are there for the fight. Until then we need to assay the situation more deliberately to see if military action is the sound & only course available.. Idiots like you just follow the lead of their leaders whom you automatically believe they have the best intentions for all citizens of this nation.

People like you are brainless Palov dogs, not thinking human beings, and we are no longer going to be silent with regards to your feelings anymore. That has only succeeded in creating more like you. Instead we are going to point out that you are part of the problem, and that you need to start thinking for yourself. Though I am convinced that you are so far gone, that their is no return ticket available for useful idiots like yourself.

“People like you are brainless Palov dogs, not thinking human beings, and we are no longer going to be silent with regards to your feelings anymore.”

Unfortunately, you cannot speak for your “we” group that have never been quiet nor stopped their abusive remarks.

BJK: "Turns out that Old Uncle Joe Stalin's premier lovechild, born just a week before Old Uncle Joe's death in 1952..."

Turns out, my report of Uncle Joe Stalin's death in 1952 was just a bit premature.
Stalin was suffering health issues in 1952, and had to give up some positions of power, but didn't finally pass until 1953.

Nevertheless, I still think my description of Vlad the Invader as Old Uncle Joe's political "love child" is entirely apt.

JonPreston: "‼️🇺🇦🏴‍☠️90% of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 4th Tank Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces refused to carry out the order and go to the front line to fight with the Russian Armed Forces ▪️A second video has appeared, confirming previously appeared footage of the refusal of"

Impossible to say how often these things happen, though we regularly see similar reports on Russian units ordered into "Meat Wave" assaults on fixed Ukrainian positions.

There's no doubt these are tough times on both sides.
Which side will eventually prove the tougher and more resilient is not yet known for certain.

I think it will be the Ukrainians defending their homeland, supported by Western democracies.

We'll see.

JonPreston: "Opposition?
Since when is military intervention in non-NATO nations considered opposition?
So much for a defensive alliance"

But Ukraine is far from "non-NATO", comrade.

Ukraine has been a NATO friend & partner since:

1992, Ukraine joined NATO's North Atlantic Cooperation Council
1994, Ukraine agreement with NATO Partnership for Peace, supporting Central and Eastern European countries to join NATO.
1995, NATO provided medical and engineering help in the Kharkiv Water Disaster.
1997, Ukraine proposed a "special partnership" with NATO in response to Russian threats over Crimea.
1997, a NATO-Ukraine Commission was established.
2002, NATO–Ukraine commission adopted a NATO-Ukraine Action Plan for future membership.
2003 - 2006, Ukrainian military forces served under NATO in Iraq.
2004, Ukraine's parliament adopted a law on the free access of NATO forces to the territory of Ukraine.
2005, a new stage in Ukraine's relations with NATO.
US Pres. Bush declared, "I am a supporter of the idea of Ukraine's membership in NATO"
2005, Ukraine returned to its official goals of membership in NATO and the EU, stating, "Based on the fact that NATO and the EU are the guarantors of security and stability in Europe, Ukraine is preparing for full membership in these organizations."
2008, US President George W. Bush and both nominees for President of the United States in the 2008 election, U.S. senator Barack Obama and U.S. senator John McCain, did offer backing to Ukraine's membership of NATO.
2010, NATO and Ukraine continued to cooperate in the framework of the Annual National Program,[74] including joint exercises.[75]
2010, Ukraine's Pres. Yanukovych stated that he considered Ukraine's relations with NATO as a partnership, "And Ukraine can't live without this [partnership], because Ukraine is a large country."[77]
2014, Ukraine's government denounced its non-aligned status and made joining NATO a priority.
2015, joint NATO-Ukraine military training exercises in Ukraine involving thousands of troops.
2016, NATO published a summary of the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine (CAPU) after the Heads of State meeting in Warsaw.
2017, Ukraine's parliament passed a law making integration with NATO a foreign policy priority.[105]
In July 2017 Poroshenko announced that he would seek the opening of negotiations on a MAP with NATO.
2018, NATO added Ukraine in the list of NATO aspiring members (others including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia).
Ukraine's parliament passed a National Security bill defining principles of state policy on national security and defense as well as focusing on Ukraine's integration into the European security, economic and legal system; improvement in mutual relations with other states and eventual membership in EU and NATO.
2019, the Ukrainian parliament voted -- 334 out of 385 -- to change the Ukrainian constitution to help Ukraine to join NATO and the European Union.[109]
After the vote, Pres. Poroshenko declared: "This is the day when the movement of Ukraine to the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance will be consolidated in the Constitution as a foreign political landmark."
2020, Ukraine joined NATO's enhanced opportunity partner interoperability program.[nb 3][112]
2021, Brussels summit, NATO leaders reiterated the decision taken at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Ukraine would become a member of the Alliance with the NATO MAP as an integral part of the process and Ukraine's right to determine its own future and foreign policy course without outside interference.[10]
Secretary-General Stoltenberg also stressed that Russia will not be able to veto Ukraine's accession to NATO, as we will not return to the era of spheres of interest, when large countries decide what smaller ones should do:[11]
2021, Ukraine and NATO forces launched joint naval drills in the Black Sea codenamed Sea Breeze 2021.
2023, US President Joe Biden said that Ukraine is not yet ready to join NATO, emphasizing, "I don’t think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war."[167]
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the lack of a timeframe poses a setback for Ukraine.
In July 2023, he said, "NATO will give Ukraine security. Ukraine will make the alliance stronger."[168]
On 8 July 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that his country would fully support Ukraine's NATO membership.[169]
At NATO's 2023 Vilnius summit it was decided that Ukraine would no longer be required to participate in a Membership Action Plan before joining the alliance.[170]

Bottom line: since 1992 Ukraine has been NATO's friend, supporter, partner & ally, with increasingly close ties and so today, Ukraine is just one step short of formal membership in NATO.

NATO 💕 Ukraine -- learn it, love it, live it.

NOT a defensive alliance, Not one bit

NATO is a crisis prevention and management organisation that has the capacity to undertake a wide range of military operations and missions.
It is engaged in operations and missions around the world, managing often complex environments across all domains. The tempo and diversity of operations and missions in which NATO is involved have increased since the early 1990s.
Since 1999, NATO has led a UN-mandated operation in Kosovo to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement, and to deter renewed hostilities.
In 2018, NATO initiated a non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission in Iraq, which aims to help strengthen Iraqi security institutions and forces so that they themselves can prevent the return of ISIS, fight terrorism and stabilise their country.
NATO is maintaining practical cooperation with the African Union, as it is a key international interlocutor for NATO regarding security challenges emanating from the South.
The Alliance also conducts NATO Air Policing missions in several Allied countries, whereby NATO Allies with fighter aircraft capabilities help to ensure the integrity of the airspace of the countries that do not possess them.
NATO’s contributions to maritime security include the Aegean Activity, Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean and NATO’s Standing Naval Forces. The Alliance’s maritime posture helps maintain situational awareness, deter and defend against all threats in the maritime domain, uphold freedom of navigation, secure maritime routes and protect lines of communications.
NATO also carries out disaster relief operations and missions in response to natural, technological or humanitarian disasters. In response to the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye in February 2023, NATO set up temporary shelters for thousands of people and coordinated an air-bridge to deliver vital supplies from Allies and partners.

Current operations and missions
NATO in Kosovo
Today, approximately 4,500 Allied and partner troops operate in Kosovo as part of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR).
Having first entered Kosovo in June 1999 to end widespread violence and halt the humanitarian disaster that was unfolding, KFOR troops continue to maintain a strong presence throughout the territory.
Following Kosovo's declaration of independence in February 2008, NATO agreed it would continue to maintain its presence on the basis of United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1244. It has since helped to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people and communities in Kosovo.
KFOR is committed to supporting all communities in Kosovo in an impartial manner underpinned by the principle of neutrality. As a trusted actor to Belgrade and Pristina, KFOR has played a key role in the peaceful de-escalation of tensions on many occasions.
NATO helps develop local security organisations capable of delivering security for Kosovo. Next to KFOR, the NATO Advisory and Liaison Team provides capacity-building support to the security organisations in Kosovo within the areas of crisis response, response to natural and other disasters and emergencies, explosive ordnance disposal and civil protection.
NATO strongly supports the European Union-facilitated Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. The normalisation of relations between both parties is key to solving the political deadlock over northern Kosovo. NATO and the European Union work in close coordination and complement each other’s efforts.
Maritime security
NATO conducts three main operations and activities in the maritime domain: the Alliance’s Standing Naval Forces, Operation Sea Guardian and the Aegean Activity.
Standing Naval Forces
NATO’s Standing Naval Forces, or SNF, are NATO’s only standing forces in the maritime domain. They provide the Alliance with a continuous, credible and agile maritime capability that can be rapidly deployed in times of crisis or tension, and can be complemented with additional Allied ships when needed. The SNF carry out a programme of scheduled exercises, manoeuvres and port visits to strengthen the Alliance’s maritime posture. In response to Russia’s brutal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the SNF became the maritime component of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), part of the NATO Response Force.
NATO’s SNF consist of four groups: two Standing NATO Maritime Groups (SNMG1 and SNMG2); and two Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups (SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2). They operate in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Baltic, North, Mediterranean and Black Seas, covering the entire maritime area of responsibility of NATO.
Operation Sea Guardian
Operation Sea Guardian (OSG) contributes to the maintenance of a safe and secure maritime environment in the Mediterranean Sea through three main tasks: maritime security capacity-building, situational awareness and counter-terrorism. It has been ongoing since November 2016 and is the successor of Operation Active Endeavour.
Every year, Operation Sea Guardian conducts five or six focused operations in specific areas of interest in the Mediterranean. These operations use sea, air, sub-surface and other assets to gather, develop and maintain an accurate picture of daily activity in different parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Most focused operations also include port visits to non-NATO countries to contribute to maritime security capacity building in the region.
Aegean Activity
NATO has contributed to broader international efforts to assist with the refugee and migrant crisis since February 2016. To that end, NATO ships have been conducting reconnaissance, monitoring and surveillance of crossings within the Aegean Sea, in cooperation with the Greek and Turkish coastguards and through the establishment of direct links with Frontex (the EU’s border management agency). NATO ships help to cut the lines of illegal trafficking within the Aegean Sea while providing maritime situational awareness.
NATO’s advisory and capacity-building mission in Iraq
NATO Mission Iraq was launched at the 2018 Brussels Summit, at the request of the Iraqi government and in coordination with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. It is a non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission that aims to strengthen Iraqi security institutions and forces so that they themselves can prevent the return of ISIS, fight terrorism and stabilise their country. All efforts of NMI are carried out with the consent of the Iraqi government and conducted in full respect of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
NATO only cooperates with Iraqi security forces and institutions under direct and effective control of the government of Iraq. The mission fully integrates civil and military personnel. NATO advises relevant Iraqi defence and security officials and professional security education institutions in the greater Baghdad area. Specific areas of focus include: policy and strategy; force generation and development; resource management; Women, Peace and Security; leadership development; and good governance in the security sector. The mission closely coordinates with other international actors on the ground, including the European Union and the United Nations.
In February 2021, NATO Defence Ministers decided to expand the mission to the wider Iraqi security sector, following a request by the Iraqi government.
Cooperation with the African Union
Since 2005, NATO has been cooperating with and supporting the African Union (AU). The AU is a key international interlocutor for NATO in the South, particularly when it comes to tackling shared security threats and challenges. The relationship is guided by the principles of African ownership, with activities conducted following AU requests, and close coordination with other international organisations and partners.
Having first provided strategic airlift to the AU mission in Sudan in 2005, NATO also assisted the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) from June 2007 by providing air and sealift for AU peacekeepers. In 2023, NATO Allies agreed in principle to the provision of strategic lift support for AMISOM’s successor, the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). NATO is also providing capacity-building and expert training to the African Standby Force, which is part of the AU's efforts to develop long-term peacekeeping capabilities.
NATO maintains a liaison office at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This office is led by a Senior Military Liaison Officer, who is the principal NATO military point of contact for the AU.
NATO Air Policing
NATO Air Policing is a peacetime mission that aims to preserve the security of Alliance airspace. It is a collective task and involves the continuous presence – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – of fighter aircraft and crews, which are ready to react quickly to possible airspace violations and to take appropriate action. Allied fighter jets patrol the airspace of Allies who do not have fighter jets of their own.
Since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO has been taking extra reassurance measures for Allies in the eastern part of the Alliance. This includes the boosting of NATO's air policing missions.
NATO Air Policing is part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence system, which protects Alliance territory, populations and forces against any air or missile threat or attack.
NATO support to earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye

CONSERVATIVE Clowns at play!

How many ways can you say GREASY?

In 1995 the republicans celebrated their first 100 days of being in the majority by having Chris Farley address them as Speaker Gingrich. Apparently politics used to be fun pic.twitter.com/E4vKwajUqk— Fred (@Grand_handsomer) December 26, 2023

Isn't it time for you to help The Zelensky?

Zelensky demands EU troops for Ukraine.

“How many men and women are you willing to send to protect another country?”

Europeans are you ready to fight and die to protect Zelensky and globalists billions? pic.twitter.com/WVJFsHa87O— Dagny Taggart (@DagnyTaggart963) January 17, 2024

Not that much. C5 cargo is 280,000 lbs.

100 pound shells => 2800 shells. One day worth, for Ukraine.

Current operations and missions