Talking to US troops in Europe related to ongoing tensions with Russia, Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller warned that he sees “a war coming,” and that troops deployed there are in for “a big ass fight.”
The commandant’s speech was meant to focus on the importance of readiness for troops in Europe, and particularly for a new rotational force in Norway, but suggested that their very presence could trigger a war with Russia.
“We’ve got 300 Marines up here, we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight,” Neller added. Officially, the deployment isn’t even supposed to mention Russia as part of their goals, citing regional sensitivities.
Russia has criticized the US presence so close to their border, and Norway’s opposition is similarly seeking a decent explanation for why US forces are in the country in the first place.
US commanders often play up the threat of imminent war with Russia as a way to push for more funding, but the commandant’s language was unusually frank, and suggested he genuinely sees a massive US-Russia War breaking out in short order.
My country is run by bat-shit crazy people. And here I am trapped behind the Iron Curtain…in New York.
I can’t help laugh but there is so much truth in what you just said it isn’t funny .
Russian soldiers protecting their homeland is a nightmare the USA does not want to experience.
Another unnecessary elective war is a nightmare the USA does not want to experience.
I hope you are right.
See Tolstoy’s account of the Napolionic campagin, see also the experience of Nazi Germany, at Stalingrad, widely regarded by many military historians, as the mose hideous protracted battle
in recorded human history.
I wonder if the General quantified the term “big ass war” to his troops. Did he point out that the entire 300 could have been killed in a skirmish before breakfast at Stalingrad where German losses (killed) ran 1000/day for 5 months? Or that less than 10% of the 95,000 captured at Stalingrad actually returned to Germany? Did he point out that the D Day invasion was a second front attack on an army that had already been conclusively beaten the year before? Or that some of the fiercest fighting of 1945 was the result of German troops trying to fight their way past the Russians to surrender to the Americans?
Hitler invaded the USSR with 3 million troops and that wasn’t nearly enough.
Russia might want bits of pieces of other countries but Putin is smart enough not to bother except where he is assured of a friendly population. Russia would probably like to have the Ukraine minus the Ukrainians in much the same way as Israel wants the West Bank without the Palestinians but this isn’t an option.
The best way to prevent future wars is to ensure that people understand the costs before they get started. Fortunately, the US’s NATO allies, and Germany in particular, have direct knowledge of the folly of trying to attack Russia and the costs when it doesn’t go according to the plan.
“Russia would probably like to have the Ukraine minus the Ukrainians”
No, Putin makes it clear he did not want the splitup of Ukraine, just the rights of Russian speakers, slmilar to other countries with minorities.
He worked cooperatively with the first (anti-Russian) government for four years, and when that was replaced by the election of a pro-Russian team, the “West” would not accept it. Remember Nuland and the cookies 2014!!!
Here is what I observe. If Ukraine had become EU or NATO the only stretch of Black Sea shore controlled by Russia would have been the few hundred miles from Novorossiysk to Sochi. The remainder would have been in real or potential enemy hands: Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Georgia. The taking of Crimea essentially destroyed that dream.
The Baltic is already a predominantly NATO lake (only Finland is missing).
European Russia has only one direct access to the world’s oceans at Murmansk.
China is much better off!
Peter the Great would have fought.
In almost as cases the additions to NATO have added greater obligations without off-setting benefits. The Baltic states, with their virulent anti-Russian behaviour, add no military power to the alliance but are almost impossible to defend; troops in the Baltic states will be the first to die.
NATO is large but weak and indecisive. Will France, Italy or the UK actually go to war to defend Latvia? Europe has a serious demographic problem which means they are less willing than ever to send their young people to die in some fruitless conflict. It isn’t clear that these same young people will volunteer to die on the same frozen patch of dirt as their grandparents.
I think Putin is using NATO expansion for his own political ends. He, as a former KGB officer, and a student of Russian military history, knows that any real threat to Russia will take years to develop. He also knows that the Russian people have a deep commitment to defend their country whatever the cost.
Ukraine, due to the illegal coup d’etat in February, 2014, was ineligible for EU and/or NATO membership; thus. the two major organizations rejected the Kiev Junta’s requests for membership. Crimea seceded from Ukraine and rejoined Russia via referendum, which was won by a 97% majority vote. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which was stationed in Sevastopol, no longer had to pay rent to Ukraine, was freed from that obligation once Crimea rejoined Russia, and also has free access to the Mediterranean .. thus, it has access to the Atlantic via the Mediterranean, making your post only half right.
“We’ve got 300 Marines up here, we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight,” Neller added.
Sure, 3,000 Marines could take Moscow single-handed.
Let’s be honest Putin said it himself a war with Russia and America will be nuclear. He knows it we know it that’s why it hasn’t happen. Nuclear weapons keep us from going to war.
There is actually a second technological advance which makes a non-nuclear “Blitzkrieg” almost impossible. Satellites. If our side had had the current satellite warning system in the winter of 1944 then Hitler’s Ardenne attack would have failed because the miles and miles of men and materiel on the German side ready for attack would have been spotted well before it got rolling. It would have been completely destroyed by the combined US UK air forces.
The Ardennes offensive was not really an example of “Blitzkrieg,” and it did fail. The Germans did a good job of hiding their movements, but nevertheless the Allies knew the Germans were on the move. But even the evidence that the Allies did have was discounted because of the belief (accurate, as it turned out) that the Germans had insufficient resources and manpower to launch a successful offensive. What the Allies did not consider was that the Germans would launch an offensive even though they had no chance of succeeding.
You might be thinking of the Blitzkrieg assault on France in 1940 through the Ardennes forest. The Germans effectively used aerial reconnaissance and radio in the early days of the war, but the Allies did not. The French and British had the technological capacity to detect the movement of German forces through the Ardennes – airplanes – but failed to deploy reconnaissance aircraft. The report of the one British pilot – he was lost, if I recall – who did see the German troop movements was ignored.
And than there is the Chinese’s ability to shoot down satellites.. They have been practicing ever since we shot up their embassy accidently on purpose about 20 years ago . China will help Russia and vicea versa .
Is that why we want so many bases around Russia ? So we can hit them first and they won’t have so much to respond with ?.
The USA has absolutely no idea what a war with Russia would entail. If they had any understanding of history they would know: Rule #1, Don’t attack Russia in the winter. Rule #2, Don’t attack Russia period.
United States won’t send any ground troops we just bombs from high up . And use Muslim jihadists for the dirty work .. I suspect all NATO is very much like us . How ever Russia is likely to get rather pi–ed off about bombs dropping on them . I actually think we were more in the wrong in Syria , Ukraine , Iraq , Libya and the Arab spring than Russia . Russia and China seem fairly agreeable to me . Why don’t let them stay that way ?
NATO is us.
NATO is actually the North Atlantic Terrorist Organization, which is us.
There. fixed it for ya.
Thanks, Eileen!
Sorry, Eric, that’s not what General Neller is saying. What kind of “big-ass” war are you thinking about? It’s not about ground troops when he’s talking to US ground troops in Norway, of all places? Really?
Gotta love those generals. They spend their whole life with their noses buried up someone’s a** so lack of air has caused severe brain damage. Plus none of them would last 2 minutes in an actual firefight without wetting themselves.
All this Russian hatred, based on NO evidence, spread to NATO to give it some reason for existence since the USSR and communism disappeared from the “threats to the USA”, is just to increase fear, “defense” spending and possible destruction of many lives. There is absolutely no excuse for NATO’ s encroachment onto Russian territory, blaming Russia for US stupidity, treating Russia with complete disrespect and offensiveness (NB Obama and of course SoS H. Clinton and now the rest of the Dems). Look at what Russia, China and other countries are doing which is positive, not destructive, and observe how many world leaders realize this and avoid the unstable and unreliable US, preferring to work with reliable partners.
I wonder if Norway likes being included in NATO’s posturing and posing. It’s not like they face some imminent invasion by the evil Ruskies. If anything, it looks more like an occupation by US.
Might wanna fact check what you’re spinning. Last time I checked America led an alliance called NATO 28 nations and growing. Spare me the response I don’t deal with spin.
Exactly- you call it “US led”,but NATO is just a US gang trying to ensure there is never peace. Cowboys don’t know or care, I suppose.
If Russia was such a Utopia why did it have a civil war that ended with a lot of break away nations? Why did those former Russian states leave and become there own nations? Why does Russia have to distract it’s own citizens with military campaigns is it because there Ruble is virtually worthless? Food for thought.
You need to google Strawman Fallacy.
You’re full of sh1t regarding Russia. Time to stop watching CNN @sshole.
Russia is surrounded by enemies and the US has surrounded it, AND YOU FAULT RUSSIA FOR REACTING!?!?
YOU’RE A F*CKING IDIOT!
You’re momma likes it.
Break away nations from Russia?
Lativia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine need I continue?
those countries broke away from the Soviet Union not Russia like Russia broke away from it as well.
Russia broke away from itself? Wow.
How many shots were fired when the soviet Union dissolved . But when states voted to separate from the United States . More soldiers were killed in that war than our revolutionary war or any war since . Imagine if the fly over states voted to separate from the two coastal states . Do you think they would let them go with out a fight ? I really don’t want to be in the same country as the coastal states . I think we would all be much happier in three smaller separate countries . If less than 2 million Albanians can have their own independent new country Kosovo . We all should be able to separate ? When do you suppose the US Air force will start bombing to make my dream come true .
Ukraine was a US engineered coup to topple the last freely and fairly elected government of Ukraine, by all of its people.
…….it wasn’t a “civil war” but a return to a non Warsaw Pact existence with the head in Moscow. They didn’t become their own nations any more than current NATO nations in Europe becoming their own “nations” if they would withdraw from NATO in the future, and who is the biggest distractor of their own citizens if that metric is determined by military influence all over the planet?
You are very lucky that you are not earning your food from your thoughts. Today, mainstream media on both left and tight are having a lovefest — with Trump becoming a grotesque version of his own movement — the joy of war profiteering is in full bloom. Fox has gone so far off into the nricin weeds while keeping Trump supporters glued to the tube by the absurd Russian probe.
Luckily, I really have faith in the common sense of Americans, as they are increasingly capable of recognizing BS when ghey smell one.
It is all about money, money, money — while pretending they care about jobs, jobs, jobs. The sad truth is — for as long as they scream war, war, war — we will be paying money, money and money. Wall street will go up, up and up, and American hands, minds, resources and land will remain idle, idle and more idle. The system is tilted and cannot be righted without some real harm to thise that manipulate it.
In all of this, Russia is irrelevant. Russia is relevant to thise people in Syria who are now in millions returning home, even if home is a rubble. And this Christmas Day, celebrations have returned to Damascys, Aleppo, and thiusands of Christian homes in Syria. And Christmas music snd decorations to streets. And the Moslem population is supporting them. All that in regions liberated by Syrian Army and Rusdian forces. What is happening in US/Kurdish liberated areas? Nobody is demining city of Raqqa, people in two large refugee camps not allowed to go home to the Syrian liberated regions. Russia had given all the humanitarian aid, including medical facilities, while US did not allow even a humanitarian corridor into “its” area of control. Credit to Trump goes for focusing the fight against ISIS — but there are now all kinds of murky games afoot to entangle America into getting stuck again.
And America last, again.
What’s she spinning? Where do you see fake news?
One of the many reasons why the German invasion of 1941 ended in spectacular defeat was the desire of Hitler to keep all the land taken. Hitler refused to allow strategic retreats to shorten lines and provide for effective defence.
The expansion of NATO is the same mistake. Bigger is not better when it comes to military science. Some NATO members (the Baltic States for example) greatly increase the area to be defended and contribute nothing to the defence. Number of members has nothing to do with actual military capabilities. Any professional soldier would prefer to have an army of just one nation with certain capabilities and dependable motivation. Vast armies have been wasted defending indefensible areas.
NATO soldiers defending there sovereignty is something Russia knows it doesn’t want to experience. America doesn’t fear Russia in fact America doesn’t even want a conflict with Russia but, as history has often proven we sometimes have no choice and are forced to act in the defense of freedom around the world including Russia. At times it’s been to help Russia defeat an evil empire and now it seems we have to act in the interests of smaller nations who can’t defend themselves from a larger nation Russia, it’s what we do.
“defense of freedom” I puked a little.
Yes the defense of freedom, the freedom that gives people like you the right to criticize your government and leaders on this very site. Try criticizing the Ayatollah in Iran on a site like this in Iran and see what happens better yet go to North Korea and bad mouth the leader Kim Jong Un and see what happens. I always find it amusing the extent of what people will say in defense of nations who’s citizens are truly oppressed and then turn around and bad mouth a country that has the freedom those very nations could only dream of. Brush your teeth.
So when we backed al Qaeda against Assad in Syria was that protecting my right to criticize my “leaders”? Or was our destruction of Iraq over the last 25 years the reason I can bi**h? How about our backing of the Saudi’s that is causing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Yemen? Does that put me above those in Iran and North Korea who aren’t allowed to speak out against the atrocities that their respective governments might inflict on others? Wow, I feel so lucky.
In all honesty you make a good point but, I don’t have to tell you they all do it from China claiming all the resources in the South China Sea, to the Russians using hybrid warfare to create frozen conflicts so former Russian states don’t join the EU NATO, to America and the way we operate I agree. It’s not right but, it seems like they all do it.
So then we’re not defending freedom after all or is China and Russia also defending freedom?
China and Russia are keeping there smaller neighbors from doing what they want as a sovereign nation so I wouldn’t say there defending freedom. When China claims all the mineral rights and all the fishing rights in the South China Sea and isn’t allowing it’s smaller neighboring countries the right to those resources even though they share the same ocean that’s not allowing them freedom. When Russia uses hybrid warfare to create a frozen conflict like it did in Georgia and Ukraine to keep them from joining the EU and possibly NATO it’s interfering in it’s smaller neighbors right as a sovereign nation to choose it’s own path essentially denying those countries there freedom to do what they want. It’s just like in America I understand why we went to Afghanistan but, I know we had no business in Iraq and removing Saddam Hussein was a huge mistake that blew up in our face. That’s why I said that they all do it when it comes down to it. Hope this answered your question.
So if Russia and China are doing what you say “they all do it”, then what we do can’t be called the “defense of freedom around the world”. If we are doing the same thing as them, then we are either all freedom fighters or we are all self serving imperialists.
hey, is this a rehash of the “they hate us for our freedom?
Freedom fries anyone?
🙂
Who is talking about the sh1tholes of North Korea and Iran???
Among many other things, your God damned country is putting raw milk farmers in jail, running alternative cancer treatment doctors out of the country, throwing mothers in jail for not vaccinating their children, throwing a man in jail for leaving bacon at a God damned mosque AND YOU TALK ABOUT DEFENSE OF FREEDOM?!?!
YOU HAVE NO CLUE, YOU STUPID, INSUFFERABLE, BRAINDEAD F*CK!
Get off the gas you ignorant p-on maybe you should read what happened to a Russian citizen for trying to protect the Khimiki Forest her name is Evgenia Chirikova. Doesn’t matter either way what you think you’re just mad because when it comes down to it Russia is afraid. Peace through strength that’s how we operate. Another thing maybe we wouldn’t be arming the Ukrainians if the Russians weren’t arming the Taliban in Afghanistan with weapons that are being used on our soldiers. One good turn deserves another.
The Taliban uses US weapons on our soldiers also. Every conflict in the world uses weapons made in the USA regardless how they acquired them. Using your logic, we are responsible for our own soldiers deaths. Saying Russia is directly supplying the Taliban is some neocon wet dream.
If you are thinking of the 3 little Baltic states that tore down the statues of the allied soldiers that freed them from the NAZIs . They want new statues of NAZI soldiers . People that live in those Baltic states are not allowed to vote unless they can trace back their ancestory to before 1940 . Imagine how our immigrant would feel if their children and their children’s children were not allowed to vote in our elections Those NAZI Baltic states have NATO defending some rather odd democracies
It is no surprise to me that even a half-assed capitalist Russia is perceived to be a greater threat than Soviet Russia.
Oh but I do believe Russia today is stronger than the Soviet Union ever was . A whole lot wealthier too . The Russian people are united behind their united political party and pleased with their government and leaders . The Russians are about where we were in say 1910 . Not to far in debt but making progress. .
All this lovely war mongering, yes time for a major cull of the earths human
population. Remember, that every resourch of the US miliary and government, will be used to keep President Trump, and HIS family SAFE.
YOU and YOUR family, hum,,not so much.
And I guess Putin and his family will be out on the front line A.K.’s in there hands fighting til the end with the Russian military, hahaha, aren’t those the same messages the Ukrainian soldiers were receiving when they were trying to defend there sovereign nation from Russian military personnel that are there on holiday in Ukraine fighting for the rebels Putin’s words not mine. Next time you try an sow discord why don’t you answer the question your asking yourself.
YOU are the one sowing discord with your ignorance, you piece of sh1t!
You’re momma likes it…So strong spit boxing on a website knowing you don’t have the nuts to ever attempt to say something like that to my face. If you don’t like what I’m saying respond with a alternate explanation don’t hurl insults it makes you look weak.
Putin and his family will be out on the front line A.K.’s in there hands fighting til the end with the Russian military, hahaha
Til the end?.. I don’t think the US will hold out that long.
It’s Red Dawn in America, ha ha ha.
One the one hand you argue the supiority of the USA and its political systems, “hollow freedumbs ” then in the same vien, you draw a direct comparison of the leadership. It’s adolencent reasoning.
Multiple hackers have pleaded guilty and confessed to attacking America under orders from Russia, read this story it’s in the Raw Story site and see for yourselves how the Russians operate. It’s written by Frank Vyan Walton.
The only campaign influence was Russia and Hillary the Crook and her DNC.
Interfering in other countries elections is as American as apple pie. As my mother used to say, “get your own house in order before you start criticizing others”. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-us-intervention-foreign-elections-20161213-story.html
So post it.. Sounds like another yellowcake memo to me.
The Generals should get to the front lines dressed as a grunt to fulfill their big desires for a “big ass fight”.
A war with Russia will be a war with Russia and China . As Russia and China will fight together like NATO has agreed to fight together . NATO won the first round of the war in the Balkans and defeated and humiliated both Russia and China.. After the 1999 Balkans war where NATO’s commander issued orders to shoot the Russian soldiers because they will try to protect Christian civilians . And this is where NATO fired a missile into the Chinese embassy accidently on purpose . Since this time Russia and China have colluded to share top secrets on new weapons development so they won’t be both humiliated again . They have both made tremendous progress over the last 18 years . I believe they are now in a position to challenge NATO in certain situations . They both have developed a lot of new technology that they would love to demonstrate to us . I don’t believe they can be bullied much any more by the world one and only super power ..
War is sweet to those who have not experienced it. – Desiderius Erasmus
A “big ass fight”…well thanks to Wal Mart and the commercial “food” industries, that’s the only kind of fight to be had anymore…
Murka, eff yeah!
Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller should be “retired” immediately. Whatever his motivations, his remarks are over-the-top irresponsible.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Jeffry; Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller should be “retired” immediately for his sheer idiocy pimping for a war that must inevitably lead to a nuclear exchange. Whatever his motivations, his remarks are over-the-top irresponsible, to say the least. The man’s a total idiot.
If he wants to pimp war so much, Jeffry, let’s equip him with a helmet, a rifle with some 5 rounds of ammo and a parachute, put him on a C-130 aircraft, and drop him right on the border with Russia.
I would not worry about Russia. Russia never
forgets the long term implications, while remaining flexible in the present. In Ukraine, taking a laid back, long term view is the best. Crimea has been returned to Russia, and East Ukraine will be ready to become part of Ukraine anytime Kiev has the political will to allow regions their local autonomy. It is all spelled out in Minsk II, fifth grade reading comprehension required to understand it. But Ukraine has internal contradictions, and our by-partisan war party continues to push for reshaping Ukraine into war garrison on Rusdia’s border. It will not wotk. Economy has been destroyed, population plunged into poverty, and the internal divisions shifting — not favorable to Washington. Meaning that there are all sorts of Ukrainians — and while many were willing to trust West sponsored Maidan revolution, not any more. Now, they are looking back, sorting out the wreck, and getting back to identity politics. And here is what is shaping up. Western region, Galicia, the only authentic Ukrainian speaking area, is frustrated by the inability of Kiev to quickly impose Ukrainian language and defeat rebellious East. Thus region was the core of all anti-Russian militia — with more then obvious Nazi symbolism, past and present. Other Ukrainians, those who do not consider themselves ethnic Russians, but whise mother tongue is Russian — are now less inclined to give endless blank check to Kiev politicians. They are now more incluned to think that Russia was right, and that Maidan was a naive faith in “Europe”, whatever that meant. Besides, now millions are working in Russia, supplimenting their family incomes back in Ukraine. Many are trying to stay permanently in Russia. Then there are ethnic Russians throughout Ukraine, but most heavily concentrated in regions such as Karkhiv, Dnyepropetrovsk, Zaporozhye, Odessa and others. Then there are minorities — just as unhappy with the prihibition of their language. The most affected are minorities in the West, Hungarian, Romanian, Carpathian Russins, Belorussians. Add to that very unhappy Armenians and Greeks, and the picture gets clearer. Kiev has tried to create a center, by caving in to rabid anti- Russian elements from Galicia, and adding a mixture of all others, pretending to curb extremists . This is a sham, as Western encouraged anti-Russian hysteria is pumped up. This undermines even the shred of credibility of thise “moderates” Kiev used as a fig leaf. The center, always dubious, cannot hold. Voters can be manipulated to a point. The deep seated unhappiness will come to the surface, ready or not.
In the meantime, Russia does not need anything from us, does not cost us, and minds its own business. Science is moving into new teritories, and economic relationship with the world has increased manifold. It has to invest premium on defence, but that is a role it is accustomed to.
Expect a big ass whoopin’… Tell that to the Marines, herr commandant.