Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

"Troop Surge" Strategist Fred Kagan Calls For Beefed-Up Baltic Defences Against Russia
The Telegraph ^ | August 23, 2008 | By Colin Freeman, Chief Foreign Correspondent

Posted on 08/24/2008 8:27:07 AM PDT by Strategy

Fred Kagan, the intellectual author of the successful US "troop surge" plan in Iraq, believes Nato's presence in the Baltics must be massively strengthened to pre-empt the risk of them being invaded in the same way as Georgia.

Such measures would infuriate Moscow, which last week warned that the installation of a US missile defence shield in Poland would ignite a new "arms race" between East and West.

But Mr Kagan, an expert on the Russian military who has the ear of hawks within the US administration, said that the West needed to match words with deeds if it was to stop Russia turning into an "intolerable, aggressive imperialistic" power.

"We need to help these countries develop sophisticated air defence and anti-tank capabilities that don't pose any offensive threat to Russia, but promise the possibility of very high casualties were they to attempt what they did in Georgia," said Mr Kagan in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph.

"Nato has to make a fundamental decision here about its legal and ethical obligations, and the only way we can really fulfil them is to help these countries defend themselves in advance of an attack."

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: baltic; geopolitics; georgia; russia

1 posted on 08/24/2008 8:27:07 AM PDT by Strategy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Strategy

We have to match Russian military strength one on one.
Anything less will show
America to be weak and helpless to defend the free World.

Obama talk is cheap.


2 posted on 08/24/2008 8:34:00 AM PDT by o_zarkman44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: o_zarkman44
We have to match Russian military strength one on one.

We can beat them now the same way we beat them before. The only thing necessary is the will.

3 posted on 08/24/2008 8:48:49 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Barack Obama--the first black Jimmy Carter.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Strategy
Listen to the experts and follow their advice.

This is why McCain has GOT to win in November.

Can you imagine the nightmare the world will be in if Obama/Biden should win? The balance of power would be so lopsided that . . . it's just not something I want to even think about.

One thing we know about Barry Dunham Soetoro-Obama is that he is not a student of History or of Political Science or of Economics. Any one of these will give the student a comprehension of why it is important for the USofA to maintain Military might and at least equal the military might of other Nations if not exceed them in order to keep the peace.
Peace Through Superior Firepower
4 posted on 08/24/2008 9:20:25 AM PDT by HighlyOpinionated (o.b. is a registered trademark. But then Obama is an elitist and doesn't care.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...

Russian Invasion Emboldens Missile Defense Backers
AP | Saturday, August 23, 2008
Posted on 08/23/2008 5:53:48 PM PDT by Joiseydude
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2066920/posts

Russia’s helping Iran build a nuclear arsenal:

Shadowy nuclear trail
The Washington Times | 3-29-06 | Tsotne Bakuria
Posted on 03/29/2006 11:28:32 AM PST by JZelle
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1605573/posts

Turkey’s thinking about joining NATO (for sure this time):

A Splendid Diversion
The New Media Journal | August 23, 2008 | Michael Travis
Posted on 08/23/2008 4:55:07 PM PDT by NewMediaJournal
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2066903/posts


5 posted on 08/24/2008 10:09:59 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile hasn't been updated since Friday, May 30, 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Thanks...back to the ....modified cold war strategy....


6 posted on 08/24/2008 11:08:52 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Strategy

Fred Kagan’s father, Yale professor Donald Kagan, was born in Lithuania, back when it was an independent country before WWII.


7 posted on 08/24/2008 11:17:25 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Strategy

We should put thousands of short range missiles in the Baltics on Russia’s border since Putin abrogated the INF Treaty to put short range missiles in Kaliningrad.


8 posted on 08/24/2008 11:17:47 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: valkyry1; voteNRA; Monkey Face; MajorChaos; rrstar96; Jimmy Valentine; Lorianne; ZULU; ...
Eastern European ping list

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

9 posted on 08/24/2008 11:55:43 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson