Posted on 06/27/2022 9:33:33 AM PDT by FarCenter
Member states of both NATO and the European Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have repeatedly called on NATO to provide a substantial increase in the number of foreign troops stationed in the region following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The Baltic countries have also pushed for an urgent update to the alliance’s so-called “tripwire” approach.
That’s because, under NATO’s existing strategy, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has warned that the former Soviet state and its historic capital city of Tallinn would be “wiped off the map” in the event of a Russian attack, according to The Financial Times.
Kallas told reporters last week that NATO’s tripwire approach, which involves a relatively small number of troops, would likely see Estonia overrun before NATO then took measures to liberate them after 180 days.
“There is a shared understanding that the tripwire approach is obsolete — Bucha and Irpin cannot be repeated,” a spokesperson at Estonia’s foreign ministry told CNBC, referring to atrocities committed by Russian forces in two western suburbs of Kyiv.
“Simply put, we’re saying ‘don’t come because you will lose. Don’t even think of coming,’” they added. “We need to move to deterrence by denial. We need a credible military construct on the Eastern flank that will deter Putin. This should include more Allied presence.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
But Vilnius is only 10 miles from Russia.
It’s pretty funny that they might actually believe any of the other Euros would have their back. High minded rhetoric fronts a solid wall of unenlightened short sighted self interest.
Is that Vilnius, the Vilnius School referenced in The Hunt for Red October?
Then maybe don’t be azzholes all the time?
The Baltics were unrepentant azzholes during covid. They refused to let unvaccinated into grocery stores. Lockdown meant lockdown, as inside you house. They collaborated heavily with the Nazis. Don’t really care what happens to them.
Absent putting up some sort of heavily defended Maginot Line from sea to sea, there is no way NATO could defend the Baltic States. All NATO could do would be to launch a bloody war to retake the territory.
That doesn’t mean the Baltic States shouldn’t be in NATO. There are good arguments both ways for that.
But it does mean that perhaps NATO didn’t think things through when the Baltic States were first admitted.
Side note, just for the heck of it: The Maginot Line gets a bad rap these days. But it was pretty darn formidable. So much so that the Germans decided to go around it. Later, the Germans tried to attack the line from the rear. Even that failed.
The Hunt For Red October is a true story. It was not lost at sea.
Whoever made that NATO observation is very keen indeed. The fact that it was probably just recently noticed doesn’t provide any assurance that there is an inkling of situational awareness among the lot if them.
Absolutely! Send those American trillions NOW. Fire up the printing presses. We have 1000 new miles of deadbeat NATO/Russian border to fortify and man. My grandchildren sleep more soundly now that Sweden and Finland have been dragged into this new American financed Cold War.
In this reality...for a couple of weeks, the Russians were positioning for the invasion of the Ukraine. In the case of Lithuania, just a battalion or two positioning themselves would be enough to trigger what forward-deployed NATO troops are already in the NE of Poland, and in Lithuania to react. Russia won’t get a ‘pass’ to repeat the same script.
Also, on tank numbers...it’s going to be a ‘pain’ for Russia to assemble a second invasion force. Maybe some of the T-34s still remain in marginal operational condition.
For a number of reasons, I think nothing much will happen other than propaganda BS on nightly Moscow TV and pro-Putin ‘Bots’ on FreeRepublic write text excessively.
Well, maybe they should do something about their own defense. When I read NATO, I think of the US military. That’s financed by American taxpayers and printing money. I don’t give a damn about being the world’s police. Message to the world: pay for your own defense and stuff.
Nothing deployment of a few dozen W-80 warheads and Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles can’t fix. Hand receipt them over to countries bordering Russia.
Put an end to Putin playing Hitler.
Restore détente.
then maybe they should build their own deterrent and maybe even combine forces with their neighbors to create a real mutual defense treaty and plan rather than relying on the good ole US to bail their asses out.
There are Polish, Dutch, Spanish and British troops stationed in the Baltic states
The Russians collaborated heavily with the Nazis, remember the Molotov Ribbentrop pact that started world war two?
Before Ukraine, speedbump was pretty much their role. Now that Russia is not only tied up in Ukraine, but exposed and depleted militarily, The Baltics have become a LOT braver. With NATO readiness ramped up, Russia wouldn’t make it far over the border of any of the Baltic states.
Too bad so many of the former COMBLOC countries didn’t use the past 30 years of freedom from Russia to build even a minimal army and air force. The Baltics, Romania, Czechia, Slovakia, etc are pitiful. Poland, Bulgaria and Ukraine have decent armies but lack air power.
From what’s been demonstrated....nothing much in Russian airpower has been demonstrated. Maybe some helicopter attacks, but there’s been Russian helos shut down.
I think the inner circle of Putin...would like to demonstrate something to Lithuania, but each scenario given to FSB to analyze...probably comes back with dire consequences.
Would also offer that Belarus has zero interest in having Russian troops or the hired thugs on their soil (just invites trouble).
wasn’t a major issue for the maginot line that belgium refused to actually build their section, and the germans just went through the ardennes?
> wasn’t a major issue for the Maginot line that Belgium refused to actually build their section <
Yes. Belgium was an ally of France in WW I, but declared itself neutral in 1936. And so they resisted any attempt to extend the Maginot line into Belgium. Bad move!
The French then extended the line along the French-Belgian border, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as was the original line. No matter. As you noted, the Germans just hit at the weak point, the Ardennes.
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