Posted on 03/26/2014 10:02:50 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
WASHINGTON — President Obama and European leaders pledged Wednesday to bolster the NATO alliance and vowed that Russia would not be allowed to run roughshod over its neighbors. But the military reality on the ground in Europe tells a different story.
The United States, by far the most powerful NATO member, has drastically cut back its European forces from a decade ago. European countries, which have always lagged far behind the United States in military might, have struggled and largely failed to come up with additional military spending at a time of economic anemia and budget cuts.
During the height of the Cold War, United States troops in Europe numbered around 400,000, a combat-ready force designed to quickly deploy and defend Western Europe — particularly what was then West Germany — against a potential Soviet advance.
Today there are about 67,000 American troops in Europe, including 40,000 in Germany, with the rest scattered mostly in Italy and Britain. The Air Force has some 130 fighter jets, 12 refueling planes and 30 cargo aircraft. At the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, it had 800 aircraft in Europe.
The United States Navy, meanwhile, has dropped to 7,000 sailors and Marines, down from the 40,000 sailors who were stationed at nine major Navy bases during the height of the Cold War. Today, there are no American aircraft carrier groups based in the Mediterranean, although the Navy does have one destroyer deployed at Cádiz, Spain.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Anyone long for "Peace through strength?"
It is only leftists and pollyannas who believe, sincerely, that peace may be achieved through weakness and appeasement. After all (they reason), there really is no bad behavior; there are merely misunderstandings, which people of goodwill should be able to work through...
Perception is often reality.
“the Navy does have one destroyer deployed at Cádiz, Spain.”
Obama and the twenty first century. The Russians could get a hernia laughing. We have devalued our strategic weapons at the same time. Our military is geared to fighting 7th century fanatics and then not given the ROE to do even that.
Don’t worry, the obamanation will draw a red line on his dry erase board if the situation gets tense.
If they persist, he will call them racist and send his soiled panties.
Active Duty ping.
I do not care about me for I shall be dead and gone soon enough. I do care about my children, my grandchildren and the generations currently here and the generations that shall (hopefully) come after. obama has made this world a much more dangerous place and of this there is no doubt or shouldn't be. If obama is prevented, by God, from finishing America, I hold no hope America could survive the 'what difference does it make' hillary. Once more, I'll pray I'm wrong.
“Military Cuts Render NATO Less Formidable as Deterrent to Russia”
All I can says is:
DUH! Ya’ think??
“we could hold our own if it came down to a fight with any nation, anywhere”
True, but that requires the actual willingness to do so.
Well, folks can say whatever they like, but some folks are about to find out why it was important for the U. S. to project large overseas.
At the end of the day, attacks on Europe affect us too.
We’re seeing the same stand-offish approach that led into WWII. Then we had to come from behind to make up a very big deficit.
Only time will tell if we’re about to see a repeat.
The other part of the story is Russia has massively rebuilt, reequipped and retrained its Armed Forces since the Soviet collapse. This is a modern, lean and highly professional war machine. The Russians have spent lots of money to make their armed forces capable of fulfilling the tasks set before them and they have learned from their mistakes. This is not the Soviet Army with mediocre equipment, poor training and a reliance on brute force. This is an army capable of sophisticated maneuvers, with highly trained specialist soldiers who can achieve their goals with a minimum of casualties. This is the true meaning of hard power and for Russia’s leaders, the lessons of the German attack in 1941 are clear. A strong Russia cannot be maintained without a robust military capable of defending the country and projecting Russian power in the near abroad. For Russian leaders, everything else is of purely secondary importance. And the the payoff has been spectacularly impressive.
No one wants another war in Europe, and I mean no one. But Putin is not going to walk away from this either. Any serious sanctions would hurt Europe as much as Russia, so doubt there will be any. Things will get hot and heavy for awhile, but there will be some back channel talks going on (without Obama). Cooler heads will prevail and an agreement will eventually be drawn up finalizing Russia’s claims on Crimea and the land bridge they need through Ukraine (and maybe more). The military bases, pipelines and oil contracts will be secured. The oil will continue to flow, but the dollar may not. NATO will be severely weakened as America’s influence wanes and the old Russian territories fall under its protection. America becomes isolated. Obama’s many failures will cause the democrats to suffer huge losses in 2014 and 2016 and America begins the rebuilding process under new (adult) management.
I do not doubt you, at all. Only one little problem ... I hope there are enough live ones voting for the adults to take over the reigns of power in 2014 and 2016 and hold that power for all time and that the dead that are voting will not outnumber the living ever again. God certainly has been good to this Nation and maybe once more God will have mercy on us. Don’t know about you Jim but know that sooner or later (probably sooner) I’m going on to be with hopefully the Lord or that other character. Jim, you will probably live forever. I’ll go in singing the Lord’s praises anyhow but know I will have failed to measure up to our Lord’s standards if the Lord says not here son and am sent on my way. Anyways Jim, if you outlive me, and am certain you will, will you make sure my dead body isn’t voting democrat, please? That would kill me twice.
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
Had I known I was gonna live so long, I’d a taken better care of my teeth. —John Wayne
Hopefully we get a handle on our justice department so we can secure our elections systems.
Once I’m dead and gone, please, check the records to make certain I have not reregistered as a democrat and am voting that way. I would consider it a favor, for no telling how I’ll vote once dead ... well, I think once dead, am certain I’ll be voting democrat thus please dig me up and kill me again if I vote democrat, please.
Oh wow - the comments section at this link is turned off.
Why is that?
It’s NOT NATO I am worried about, its our own hides when the SHTF.
Just saw this thread, and surprised it ony saw 15 comments. But as regards you comment, while the faith in the gospel by which we are saved is one that is characterized by obedience to the Lord according to Scripture (and repentance when we realized we have not), yet it is not on the basis of your good works or merit that we receive the gift of eternal life.
From the contrite publican to the "good thief" to the apostle Paul, all come to Christ as damned + destitute sinners, whose life actually sends them to Hell, and can only cast all their faith on the risen Lord Jesus, the Divine Son of God to save them on His expense and credit, by His sinless shed blood and righteousness. That is the good news I hope all receive, and so follow Him.
Sorry if I seem to be lecturing, but Christ died and rose for a reason.
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