They’ve been saying it off and on for months now, but NATO once again today claimed that a Russian military invasion of Ukraine was “likely” and that the planned aid convoy meant a “high probability” of an invasion.
Russian officials have repeatedly insisted they are not considering military action, but with over one million civilians displaced by the fighting there, they have urged the UN to do something about the humanitarian crisis.
The number of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border varies wildly depending on what one considers “border areas,” but Ukraine, which often shoots for the high end, claimed Russia had 45,000 troops in the area, including 160 tanks.
The US in particular has maintained that any Russian humanitarian aid to Ukraine would be a back door invasion, apparently echoing the way several recent US military interventions have begun. Russia has promised the convoy coming this week will not have armed escorts.
If Russia plays by the standards set by the USA, they have every right to invade Ukraine.
Such claims by NATO are intended primarily as a warning to Putin. The big difference with US interventions is, of course, that the US wasn't trying to annex the territories it invaded.
> the US wasn't trying to annex the territories it invaded.
True dat, true dat. After 25 years, they are still bombing the same place. That's not annexation.
Except for Hawaii, New Mexico and SouthCal, the annexations there were a bit more successful.
I believe NATO's claims are almost invariably an effort to puff life into their raison d'être.
And as for US not "… trying to annex the territories it invaded…" to paraphrase the elder Clinton "it depends what you mean by "annex". Would you accept "loot and control"?
I guess I missed the part where Ukraine joined NATO?
Good point, Dan. I guess it could be the same question, substituting Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. NATO seems to have turned into a worldwide busybody, butting into the affairs of countries far, far away from the North Atlantic.
Washington is doing everything in its power to provoke Russia into entering Ukraine for any reason, even providing humanitarian aid. It can then use that as a pretext for saying "Russia is invading Ukraine! We've got to stop them!"
Which means military confrontation…a dream come true for John McCain and Lindsay Graham. In such a scenario, Obama, as usual, will go along with whatever the Pentagon wants. He seems to be incapable of independent decision making.
Lets hope not sport. The Russians are no pushovers. Just ask Napoleon and Hitler.
There are many different psychopathic illness which leads to paranoia in this world, EU governing buddy and NATO militarism regime are the two institution of such social problems to mention.