US officials say they are in talks with Poland and Lithuania, among other former Soviet bloc countries, on a plan to stash heavy weaponry, include US battle tanks and Bradley IFVs, in those countries for future use in the region.
The deals aren’t finalized, but the Pentagon says they plan to “pre-position significant equipment” along the Russian frontier, with at least a battalion’s worth of gear in Poland, and potentially Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary, with additional gear to be sent to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
Officials say the deployments are meant to reassure Eastern European nations of US military support in the event of a Russian invasion of the region, something US officials have been hyping as a possibility all year, but which no one outside of politicians seriously seems to expect.
Lithuanian Premier Aigirdas Butkevicius confirmed that the possibility of US tanks being stored there “has been discussed many times” and that he believed a deal was close. Polish officials expressed similar sentiments on the deployments.
Yes, more money for the weapons mafia!
Those poor silly little countries will do whatever the US wants them to do for a few pennies. They really think there will anything left of their own countries if war breaks out? Just what do they think Russia will attack and try to destroy? Hint: If you're stationing US weapons facing Russia…
But, but…the US has promised to protect them…
Yup, and those countries better believe it because everything the US establishment says is true!
A complete and total misunderstanding of the European mentality! Over here, we fight for our countries. We can be crushed temporarily by superior force, but we won't capitulate to it. Also, what odd logic: if they arm, Putin will invade. What will he do if they don't arm? There were no US arms in Ukraine, yet Putin invaded. But oh, the neocons will piously tell us, that's "different". That's not the way the world see it!
Ordinary people in Kharkov are very conscious of the possibility of a Russian invasion and the dread it fills them with has created a climate of permanent tension there, so I would assume the same is true in other countries bordering Russia. In practice, if Putin doesn't invade, he's defeated. All he's got are two white elephants, militarily useless, costing a fortune and a permanent political albatross around his neck. Putin has become an unpredictable political clown, part Mussolini, part Kadaffi, part Hitler and part Stalin. As such, he will be a permanent threat to everyone as long as he remains in office. As such, he is disturbing the domestic tranquility of America's forward base for the defence of Israel. It will be interesting to see just how long the neocons continue to defend him.
As far as I can tell the neo cons are not defending Putin. If it were not for Putin Georgia would have fallen to the empire. What did the empire do about that? Nothing. When push comes to shove the empire will back down. I think Putin would be wise to demand a land route to Kaliningrad as part of any negotiations with the west .
The drunkard Yeltsin is responsible for all of this mess which Putin is attempting to correct.
The Baltic states would be wise to follow the course that Finland has taken all along.
Good
For reasons which should be obvious to anyone who reads this site, a link to a story about Russian military threats to America and Europe has been added to my comment in an apparent attempt to give the innocent reader the impression that I believe the endless threats emanating from the fascist gangsters in the Kremlin should deter the President of the United States and our NATO allies from taking prudent and necessary military steps to maintain the peace, prosperity and stability of Europe.
I don't.
Russian threats and attempts at intimidation only prove the wisdom of the actions of the President and our NATO allies.
A link to a story about Russian military threats to America and Europe has been added to my comment in an apparent attempt to give the innocent reader the impression that I believe the endless threats emanating from the fascist gangsters in the Kremlin should deter the President of the United States and our NATO allies from taking prudent and necessary military steps to maintain the peace, prosperity and stability of Europe.
The leaders of these east European nations are nothing but vassal state clients of the Oligarchs of DC.
A link to a story about Russian military threats to America and Europe has been added to my comment in an apparent attempt to give the innocent reader the impression that I believe the endless threats emanating from the fascist gangsters in the Kremlin should deter the President of the United States and our NATO allies from taking prudent and necessary military steps to maintain the peace, prosperity and stability of Europe.
I don't.
Russian threats and attempts at intimidation only prove the wisdom of the actions of the President and our NATO allies.