On Tuesday, President Biden ordered the deployment of US forces that are already in Europe to the Baltic states, a move he said was a response to Russia’s decision to keep troops in Belarus after drills concluded.
“Today, in response to Russia’s admission that it will not withdraw its forces from Belarus, I have authorized additional movements of US forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen our Baltic allies — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania,” Biden said.
According to Military Times, the forces being sent to the Baltics include 800 soldiers from an Italy-based infantry battalion, up to eight Germany-based F-35 fighter jets, and a German-based attack aviation battalion with 20 Apache helicopters. The US is also moving 12 Apaches from Greece to Poland.
Biden framed the deployment as “defensive” in nature and insisted that the US has “no intention of fighting Russia.” He also announced fresh sanctions on Russia in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move to formally recognize the breakaway republics of Donestk and Luhansk in the Donbas.
The US and NATO have been working to build up forces in what they call the alliance’s “eastern flank,” which includes the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. Last week, NATO defense ministers agreed to work on plans for new battlegroup deployments in Eastern Europe.
Germany said Tuesday that it is ready to deploy more troops to Lithuania and other “eastern flank” countries after Putin’s Donbas recognition.
More waste of taxpayer dollars. I’m glad I don’t pay taxes. Unless Biden is willing to send a few hundred thousand troops to Europe, none of this is going to change the military balance. Particularly since Russia has no interest in “invading” any of those countries they’re being sent to. Russia will react if any additional strategic weapons systems are sent.
Yes, in other words, this does not change Russia’s calculation whatsoever. If, for example, the Baltics go on a tirade against their ethnic Russian citizens and Russia feels it has to do something kinetic to stop that, they will go ahead and do so. And there’s nothing NATO can do to stop them either.
Anyone who spends dollars is paying the cost to deploy those troops, even if they don’t pay taxes. They pay through the reduction in the purchasing power of their dollars (price inflation), caused by the fed creating dollars out of thin air.
Biden is and always was a fool
A fool with an awfully powerful arsenal is a dangerous man…
Biden, like most politicians, is more concerned about his image than he is doing the right thing for the right reasons. If he had come clean with the American people and told them that NATO has been menacing Russia for many years and did not honor the promise America made that NATO would not extend one inch eastward if Russia broke up the Warsaw Pact, he would have been reviled as an “appeaser,” as “weak,” and as another Neville Chamberlain by Neocons and Republicans like Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Mitt Romney etc. Biden would rather take us to war with Russia than be seen as all the names he would have been called by his detractors. It is because we don’t have any honest politicians in power that world wars get started.
The main complaint I’m seeing from Democrats about Republicans and vice-versa is that both believe their opposite number is doing a poor job of scaring us all shitless by jumping out from behind the door in a Putin mask and yelling GAHH! IT’S THE BOOGEYMAN OF THE WEEK!
“… The promise America made that NATO would not extend one inch eastward if Russia broke up the Warsaw Pact….”
The promise was that NATO would not extend one inch east of a united Germany if Russia agreed to unification.
True. But at least I’m not directly supporting US wars.
If you are an American, who flushes the toilet, you are paying for these wars…
I don’t own a home. The building pays for the water. I just pay the rent – which is controlled. OTOH, where I live is pretty crappy. 🙂
I understand your point Richard.
What is your secret to not having to pay taxes? Just curious.
I’m an anarchist. I don’t pay taxes. Also, being retired, my income is next to zilch. But I haven’t filed a tax return in, I don’t know, forty years – along with, last time I heard, about five million other Americans.
If you did violate the tax code I sincerely hope you get away with it.
I have for forty years. And besides, at my current income, good luck to the IRS getting any of it back. The IRS doesn’t pursue stones.
I appreciate all your commentary here. You obviously put a lot of time into it.
Way too much time. As I’m sure some people agree 🙂
So an anarchist gets to be like a conscientious objector?
Nope. Anarchists just do it.
And the government doesn’t come after Anarchists?
Since most anarchists are broke, you can’t get blood from a stone. 🙂 So the IRS just doesn’t bother. I understand there’s like five million Americans for whom that’s true as well. My tax bill back when I did pay taxes was never more than $100. It’s just not worth it for the IRS.
It’s been 22 years for me. Most, if not all, years, I wouldn’t have enough income to “owe” the Dane any Danegeld anyway. I just decided I was tired of filling out paperwork to assist them in pretending it was a legitimate business transaction rather than an extortion racket, and that they’d stolen “enough.”
I occasionally got letters from the IRS “estimating” that I made five times what I actually made in some previous year and asserting that I “owe” some amount also larger than what I actually made in that year. But it’s been a few years since even that.
Early on, I took them up on their offer to offer a “settlement” of my “debt.” I offered them $10. I got a letter back agreeing to my supposed offer of $10 a week. Haven’t talked with them since. They’ll either drag me away and put me in a cage or they won’t.
Wonder what percentage of US troops are thinking to themselves “I don’t want to die or be maimed because of this itt presidency of ours”
President Biden Orders More Fries With His Burger
Pepe Escobar
@RealPepeEscobar
·
4h
Russian electronic warfare EW Leer-3 system is rollin’.
Ukro soldiers are receiving SMSs on their mobiles:
“Moscow gave the green light to the use of RF Armed Forces in the Donbass. There is still time to save your life and leave the OOC zone.”
Heavy metal thunder next.
Biden apparently didn’t get the message.
Here we go!… “Send lawyers, guns and money, the sh-t has hit the fan…”
I’m gonna drink Black Russians during this war…
Biggest regret of Neoliberals:
1. Fall of the iron curtain
2. Russia debt free from IMF
3. Russia thriving financially
4. Putin is still in charge
New mission of Neoliberals:
1. Prop up the iron curtain
2. Cut off Russia financial ties with Europe
3. Place Russia in the poorhouse
4. Force Putin out.
All to save their precious petrodollar.
More empty posture.
He should send to our southern border to protect our borders, none some basket case country half way around the world.
LOL Someone posted this link over at The Saker to illustrate Russia’s attitude toward the West and what’s going to happen in Ukraine.
Christopher Walken – The Lion
By what authority does the President send armed forces into regions of war danger?
Under the Constitution, it is up to Congress, not the executive, to make such decisions.
Members of Congress: You have the power. Use it or lose it.