Posted on 03/28/2014 12:14:11 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
We've now heard from the supreme commander of NATO in Europe, Gen. Philip Breedlove, that the 150,000 Russian combat troops on Ukraine's eastern border are "very, very sizable and very, very ready."
NATO on the other hand is "unwilling, unable and unready," at least if you go by some of its vocal military critics in recent years.
Breedlove would contest that description, and NATO remains, after all, the largest and most successful military alliance in history. The problem with history, however, is that the 28-nation alliance has seen better and certainly more coherent days.
From a military standpoint, the Ukraine crisis hits Europe at a time when its European members have slashed $45 billion from their militaries in recent years (the equivalent of the entire German defence budget).
Those cuts have left the U.S. to carry 75 per cent of the NATO burden, and they are coming at a time when Washington has been showing much less interest in European security, as it "pivots" its military strategy to the Pacific.
By contrast, Russian military spending has surged 92 per cent in just four years and will rise by 18 per cent this year, according to the authoritative Janes Defence Weekly military publications and Russian state figures.
Clearly, NATO did not expect to see this echo of the Cold War erupt, and defence analysts are wondering just how fit and flexible the alliance will be if tensions escalate further — not just along Ukraine's borders, but in other areas where NATO members abut Russia.
The immediate need is to ensure those same very ready Russian forces don't move into eastern and southern Ukraine, as they did in Crimea, to "protect" Russian speaking minorities, as Vladimir Putin would have it.
This would be a catastrophe for both Ukraine and the stabilityof Europe.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...
The answer is no. NATO, under current leadership, cannot stand up to Russia.
Yes, Russia has been spending the past 20 years preparing for an inevitable war with the West. Its intentions have always been clear and only fools have thought otherwise.
We haven’t practiced Reforger since 1993. Will those old tanks even start? And who wants to eat those MRE’s?
Europe learned so much from the lead up to WWII. /s
Today’s Russia isn’t yesterday’s Soviet Union, and that has to be taken into account. It’s an electronic society, and public opinion must be considered.
That said, there has never been a better time for Russia to settle some accounts, as recent events have proven, but the window for that kind of action is short.
Big moves, like invading Europe, or Poland, just aren’t on the table, IMO, but moves like Eastern Ukraine, or settling the Tajikistan border are.
NATO won’t move unless a NATO member is threatened, and Putin knows it. Europe is just too dependent on Russian Energy for that.
The Wild Card in all of this really is Obama. Putin keeps jabbing, and the Narcissist-in-chief is liable to do something stupid. Like call Russia a “Regional Power” than can just be ignored.
From a military standpoint, the Ukraine crisis hits Europe at a time when its European members have slashed $45 billion from their militaries in recent years (the equivalent of the entire German defence budget).
Can Putin take down an armed population?
“Those cuts have left the U.S. to carry 75 per cent of the NATO burden....”
.
Why in hell did we not protest but continued giving in to the European demands?
It hurt our country and Europe is in deep doo-doo all the same.
Hey you a-hole Euros — cut your vacations back to a couple of weeks per year and start paying for the freedom that you have enjoyed since the end of WWII.
Obama's working hard on it.
I’d like to think that wouldn’t be the result, but I sure don’t feel comfortable with the idea.
Can’t you see Commander Obama leading his troops deep into Russian held territory? Gives an entire new meaning to, “Charge of the light brigade.”
Having lived in Europe for many years, I can tell you that they will never even attempt to defend their own country. They have been wussified by their good life. They have counted on the US to protect them and finance them.
Now we have an orator in the white house who thinks that flowery speeches will lull Putin to sleep and he will sing Kum ba ya with Obama.
Well, all of Europe is at his beckon call. Just march in, no one will disturb him and his troops.
Sad
Obama wouldn’t be leading anything. Some of his hate-filled radical minions, on the other hand...
One could EASILY see some of them as extermination camp commanders.
My prayers are said Jim to be wrong.
The simple fact is that the whole "Civilized" world has been depending on the USA to pull their chestnuts out of the fire since about 1917. When the USA elected weak leaders the dictators took it as a sign that the restrictions were off. They rushed in to fill the void and here we are again. Like it or not, we have been and still are looked upon as the go to guy when the sheite hits the fan. As RR said,"If not now when. If not us who?"
But, but Commander Obama says no troops this time. He’s sending Ready to Eat Meals instead. Looks like the Russians will have plenty to eat the day after they roll.
I continue to ask myself: If Germany, France, Italy and Poland will not spend at a reasonable level to defend themselves and Europe, why should we?
All of them are UNDER 2% of GDP for defense while the US spends 4.4% and all the blood.
Why not notify them they have 5 years to reach 3% and certain, defined readiness/capability measures...or we're going home.
When is someone going to stand up to the real danger to the USA and the reast of Humanity - the Globo-Marxist in the White House.
The tanks are not there anymore, we shipped them all back home or to the middle east. So they are going to have to float all the way back to Europe. When is the last time anyone has done opposed convoy ops?
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