Russia says seized Ukrainian lands are under its nuclear protection

www.reuters.com/ ^ | 10/18/2022 | Reuters

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

"...there was no limit on NATO enlargement."

Let;s go with your assertion, and play the word substitution game.

There is no limit on NATO enlargement (verb tense). There is no limit on NATO / EU enlargement (object "enlargement"). There are no limits (plural) on NATO / EU enlargement.

So as to NATO and mission creep, one reads from NATO: " In a 'sobering' assessment report released today (28 June 2022), NATO recognises climate change as an 'overarching challenge of our time' that will 'measurably' increase the risks to security and ‘worsen as the world warms further’. It calls for a fundamental transformation of NATO's approach to defence and security and sets NATO as a leading international organisation in understanding and adapting to climate change."

Source: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_197241.htm

One reads further: "The aim of NATO enlargement is to promote “stability and cooperation,” with the goal of “building a Europe united in peace, democracy and common values.” NATO must therefore respond to the security crisis that the LGBTQ+ community faces at home. Hungary provides military support to NATO against growing threats within the eastern Baltic states. Although Hungary may provide support to the alliance, NATO is also committed to human rights. Now more than ever, Hungary is reliant on NATO to protect their security from the growing threat of Russia, meaning that NATO may have considerable leverage in Hungary for improving existing human rights grievances, like the ones that the LGBTQ+ community faces."

https://natoassociation.ca/nato-needs-to-act-when-member-states-curb-lgbtq-rights%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF%E2%80%AF/

Further on NATO "enlargement": "As a transnational organisation, NATO itself is evidence of the benefits of collaborative thinking and action. As such, it can use its expertise and positioning to champion solutions for non-traditional security crises like climate-related migration. NATO is well-positioned to facilitate the mobilisation of resources and building of collective, cooperative approaches to managing migration among states, nonprofits, and humanitarian organisations, which will be paramount in order to avoid duplicative interventions and expertise. Additionally, NATO's organisational convening power will be crucial for facilitating conversations on developing and implementing better international migration policies that establish safe, orderly, and secure legal pathways for people fleeing precarious situations, though it should not be the sole convenor of these conversations."

https://www.nato.int/docu/review/articles/2022/05/19/moving-towards-security-preparing-nato-for-climate-related-migration/index.html

Enlargement afoot: "In 1999, "NATO conducted a 78-day war against Serbia with the stated aim of preventing genocide in Kosovo against ethnic Albanians. Bosnia is currently participating in the Membership Action Plan (MAP), seen as “the last step before gaining [NATO] membership”, according to Bosnia's Defence Minister Sifet Podzic.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/5/nato-membership-indispensable-for-kosovo-bosnia-leaders

And: "The NATO and EU-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia, EUFOR, will deploy four more companies with some 500 troops to Bosnia and Herzegovina, “as a precautionary measure” to ensure “a safe and secure environment” in the country. “The deterioration of the security situation internationally has the potential to spread instability to Bosnia and Herzegovina,” EUFOR said on Thursday."

Source: https://balkaninsight.com/2022/02/24/eu-doubles-bosnia-peacekeepers-as-global-security-deteriorates/

NATO, "enlarged" and "transformational" according to their own rhetoric, shows little limit as the war against Russia, Serbia, troops to non-NATO nations, fighting climate change, confronting gender issues within "member states," and continuing continuing migration to Europe. So Obama-like.... So transofrmational. So enlarged.

[Thunder90]

I think I have covered time and time again Putin’s Communist tendencies. Putin says that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest catastrophe, that Communism is Compatible with Christanity, he has rehabilitated Stalin, he thinks that the collapse of the Soviet Union was illegal, he throws massive Soviet throwback parades every year, Lenin is still on display in Moscow, and no Soviet official ever faced trial for their crimes during Soviet times within the Russian Federation. And Putins bromance with Xi in China.

[dfwgator]

Maybe because they don’t believe in cancelling their history, like we do here, with removing Confederate Statues.

[Rockingham]

My essential point is to urge a fuller view of things than the simple categories of win and loss. I do not define Vietnam as a win, but note that in terms of grand strategy, by fighting in Vietnam, we kept Thailand and the Philippines from falling to communism. That was a gain for the US and a key reason for our involvement there. Similar calculations apply to other conflicts that we have a role in as well.

For example, our financial support for and provisioning of Israel results in privileged access to intelligence and the lessons of Israel's military experience. This has had major benefits for the US in electronic warfare, drone system, stealth, antimissiles, and how to fight Soviet and Russian designed aircraft and weapons. American weapons are prized because of their effectiveness, part of which comes from our support for Israel and the benefits of Israeli experience.

Moreover, keep in mind that we can finance our public debt -- most of which is due to Medicare -- because (in part) our large military and willingness to protect other countries help to make the dollar attractive as the primary trade and reserve currency. This gives us access to the world's resources and makes Americans safe in most places.

This cannot and will not go on forever and we need to get our domestic economy and finances in order. I expect though that even as the world gradually relies more on other currencies, the dollar and American weapons and military skill will still be prized.

The much troubled and expensive development process for the F-35, for example, has resulted in a highly valued fighter that is an international sales success. Rich and formally neutral Switzerland, for example, has adopted the F-35 for its air force. Yes, it is that good -- and successor is said to be already secretly flying in testing as an early prototype.

How does one account for all this? Plausibly, it can be said that part of the cost for our large military and willingness to use it can be booked to Medicare. And perhaps the export value of American weapons can be credited there as well as an offset. In effect, I now get absurdly cheap medical care (yes, I am that old) because (in part) we are the world's policeman and supplier of the best arms.

And, by all means, South Korea and Europe should pay more for the cost of their defense in addition to all the US Treasury debt they buy. With pressure and persuasion, they will slowly pay more.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "...keep in mind that we can finance our public debt -- most of which is due to Medicare -- because (in part) our large military and willingness to protect other countries help to make the dollar attractive as the primary trade and reserve currency."

Have you checked on the current yearly debt service payment as a percentage of the yearly taxes collected, and as a function of the overall debt?

Additionally, how do you foresee reigning in debt, given its massive growth from 2000 to today?

[PLMerite]

What time frame are they talking about in that memo? If it was before the reunification of Germany, before the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the end of the USSR, it’s one thing.

After the nations of Eastern Europe ceased to be vassal states of The Soviet Union, they were free to enter into whatever treaties they wished.

[Travis McGee]

So, you would happily accept Communist Chinese troops, tanks and nuclear missiles on our own borders, if Canada and Mexico so chose?

Just to be clear.

"A HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO, FOR THE BLIND AND THE DIM."

[Travis McGee]

[Rockingham]

US and global debt are at dangerous levels, yet the US military and the dollar’s privileged status give us a fair prospect of serviicng that debt if we get current public spending under control.

[DoughtyOne]

We annexed those lands to protect Russian speaking people.

We'll nuke those people if the Ukraine doesn't stop fighting.

Well! The Ukraine will have caused us to. It won't be our fault!

[RomanSoldier19]

.