NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Monday that the alliance will increase its high-readiness force from 40,000 troops to over 300,000 as part of a plan he called “the biggest overhaul of our collective defense and deterrence since the Cold War.”
The NATO Response Force was formed in 2003 and was first activated in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The entire force wasn’t deployed, but several thousand troops from the US and other NATO countries were sent to Eastern Europe as part of the Response Force.
The US currently has over 100,000 troops stationed in Europe for the first time since 2005 as a result of NATO boosting its forces on what it calls its “eastern flank.” Stoltenberg outlined plans to make the reinforcement more permanent that will be officially announced at the upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, which starts Tuesday.
“At the Summit, we will strengthen our forward defenses,” Stoltenberg said. “We will enhance our battlegroups in the eastern part of the alliance up to brigade levels.” Brigade levels would bring NATO’s battle groups to about 3,000 to 5,000 troops, which is the type of increase the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are hoping to see.
According to a NATO fact sheet from 2021, there are about 4,615 NATO troops spread across the four battlegroups that are currently deployed across Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Stoltenberg announced back in March that the alliance will deploy new battlegroups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.
Stoltenberg said Monday that NATO will also bolster its forces with “more pre-positioned equipment, and stockpiles of military supplies, more forward-deployed capabilities, like air defense, strengthened command and control, and upgraded defense plans, with forces pre-assigned to defend specific allies.”
While a major increase in NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe is expected, NATO members are at odds over where exactly to place troops, issues that will be worked out at the Madrid summit.
Another issue to be discussed is Sweden and Finland’s potential membership, which has been blocked by Turkey over the Nordic nations’ alleged ties with Kurdish militant groups. NATO is also set to release its new Strategic Concept document that will mention China by name for the first time as the alliance has its eyes on expanding into the Asia Pacific.
Stoltenberg has repeatedly stated that NATO members should be ready to support Ukraine in its war against Russia for a long time. He said at the upcoming summit, NATO allies will agree on more military aid for Kyiv and that the “longer-term” goal is to “help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era military equipment, to modern NATO equipment.”
As the US and other NATO members are flooding Ukraine with billions of dollars in weapons and NATO is expanding its presence in Eastern Europe, the risk of nuclear war is at its greatest height since the end of the Cold War. But the risk doesn’t appear to be factored into the US response to the war in Ukraine as Washington has abandoned diplomacy with Moscow and continues to escalate in every way possible short of sending troops to fight Russia.
I think virtually no one in the US understands how corrupt Ukraine is. Why we would bankrupt ourselves to support this regime is unfathomable. We are becoming ever more involved in this corruption with each passing dollar and day.
You might be right. But the big revelations this conflict have given me is that Ukraine has no monopoly on corruption, and that the leaders of our democratic countries seem to have an agenda that outweighs the welfare of their own people.
“Our democratic countries”
Can you name one?
Biden and the zombies in the congress may not be aware of corruption in Ukraine.And the American public. Why should know.They are all mute spectators.But those who pull the strings, the decision makers know fully well what is happening in Ukraine.They have their own agenda beyond that of what is called the U S of A which they don’t care at all.Zionists. USA is only a procurer for Israel
This is incredible. There is a sizeable group of posters on this site that find a “Zionist” (Jew) behind every misfortune and calamity in the world. Sorry Thomas, but I call this antisemitism
Q: How many legs does a dog have if you call its tail a leg?
A: Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.
Not all Zionists are Jews and not all Jews are Zionists.
In fact, most Zionists are probably evangelical Christians.
Do some anti-semites use “Zionist” as code for “Jew” because they know if they come out and say what they really mean they won’t be welcome in polite society (or at Antiwar.com)? Yes.
But unless they say what they really mean, they aren’t violating our guidelines.
I’m not commenting on your guidelines. It’s just an observation, and one with which you probably do not disagree. I had a quick look at this particular individual’s recent posts. A majority of them reference “Zionists” and their control of US policy no matter the article. This
obsession reveals, in my opinion, more than his politics
We all have the right to free speech right? Free Speech by definition is the right to offend.
Without question. I just wish people would be honest about their true motives. They shouldn’t whitewash their Jew-hatred with “anti Zionist” rhetoric.
Maybe cancel culture has led to a fear to say exactly what they think. I am banned on pretty much all media for my views.
Honesty has different connotations for different people. So also democracy, freedom of expression and any thing else. I see democracy as nothing but oligarchy as afar as U S of A is concerned.With no freedom of expression when matters of concern to certain groups are concerned.they are issues which can not be even discussed. Third rail.
Just see the credentials for a candidate to aspire for a congressional seat. How much money he/she can raise?Who has the money to spare for sponsoring candidates. Not the overwhelming majority of Americans.Whose interests the winning candidates will serve?
“I just wish people would be honest about their true motives.”
And what are your true motives!!!
I think they’re evident. I express my opinion pretty clearly. I’m not afraid to say what I really mean…unlike some
To quote TLK:
“you’re not too bright.”
Oh that one hurt!
Doesn’t all these”Bright” accusations inuendos & and even the mere mention of the intelligence of posters, fall afoul of the rules, as an attack on the poster and not a poster”s argumenr, contentions or reasoning, as ad hominen?
TLK used it earlier with reference to T. Eagleton!!!
Which rules are you referring to? The commenting guidelines here do not forbid ad hominem.
There are third rails. At least in America, the ultimate in democracy and free speech. American democracy as good as Argo City Democracy.You have the “freedom” to abuse the president the so called”most powerful man on earth” with no fear of retribution but not certain ideas and ideology held by a tiny but powerful group. That is American democracy and freedom
Facts are facts.You as well as me and any one else knows very well who control America.
Well, if you know who controls America, why are you always hinting that it’s someone else?
You know the answer
Yes, I do.
What I don’t know is if you’re just making up your own fake answer for opportunistic reasons, or because you’re not too bright.
I have no fake answer. it is the answer as you do have.Nor I am bright. Thank you Moderator
Why do you beat around the bush? Do you have a problem with Jews?
That’s like saying someone that doesn’t like our governmental policies, has a problem with American
I didn’t ask him if he has a problem with Israeli policy. I asked if he has a problem with Jews. His posts are replete with references to “zionists” who control the US government. And you’ll find these references in most of his posts, not just those involving Mideast issues.
“A majority of them reference “Zionists” and their control of US policy no matter the article. ”
Netanyahu Unaware of the Camera ‘America can easily be moved’
What guidelines.. ??? I have been requesting Antiwar’s rules or guide lines for two decades, and the aforementioned have never been posted. If they exist, please post them for all to see, or admit that there are NO written rules or guidlines.. !!!!!!!
It’s kind of silly to lie about something like that. EVERY time you’ve asked (and lied about the previous times), they’ve been posted. As follows:
—–
Stuff Up With Which We Will Not Put:
SPAM — Our comment spaces are reserved for reader discussion of Antiwar.com’s articles and the issues they relate to. This is not the place to advertise penis enlargement pills, work from home opportunities, essay writing services, etc. That does NOT mean you can’t link to a relevant/topical book, video, article, etc., but not repetitively and not if the primary purpose of your commenting is to sell stuff.
HATE SPEECH — You’re entitled to your opinion. You’re not entitled to use Antiwar.com’s facilities to publish slurs or supremacist claims based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, or to link to sites promoting such material. We don’t want that stuff here.
ILLEGAL/ILLICIT MATERIAL — We do not tolerate posting of threats of violence against people or groups; plagiarism, i.e unattributed or falsely self-attributed lengthy postings of material created by other people; or pornographic material no matter the format.
ATTACKS ON ANTIWAR.COM ITSELF — Attempts to hack or otherwise technically damage the site are obviously forbidden, as are non-technical attempts to damage our ability to operate (including our ability to raise funds) and personal abuse of Antiwar.com’s writers and staff. If you don’t want to support Antiwar.com, don’t support Antiwar.com. If you want to ask others to not support Antiwar.com, ask them somewhere else. Our willingness to host reader discussions is not a suicide pact.
What We Do About That Stuff:
Our commenting system includes both pre-installed and custom-created filters to hold comments which may violate our guidelines until a moderator can have a look at those comments and approve or delete them. Those filters are not perfect, which is why we make every effort to have a human look over any automatically held comments. Please be patient.
Our moderators are empowered to enforce the guidelines by deleting, or deleting offending material from, comments which violate them and by banning egregious or persistent violators from further participation in commenting/discussion at Antiwar.com.
—–
They only use the former term instead of the latter is because one is allowed and one isn’t. However, they mean the same thing, so if they want to make a point, they have to use code. The way they treat the people under their control (the Palestinians) warrants criticism. If only “the world” had criticized Nazi Germany with their treatment of minorities instead of holding their tongues. Was no one allowed to call them Nazis back then for political correctness reasons, but had to call them Germans?
Right observation.So much for moderation.
And they call it antiwar.com as if war is only with guns bomb or other physical means. Even in Ukraine affair the real war is with other means, sanctions de platforming etc. And the real motive is not territorial integrity of Ukraine.Ukraine is non issue for the Zionists.The real aim is to steal the assets of Russia. But unlike Milosevic, Saddam, Qaddafi or
Jovenel Moïsewhom they murdered and stole their gold Putin will prove a hard steel lump to break. Let us see how the situation unravels.
I come from antiwar Vietnam life dealing with my local draft board. Without the
sincere dedication and especially the savvy of Jewish people, the Vietnam War would have lasted decades longer and killed triple the 60,000 Americans officially acknowledged and probably millions more Asians. I am an equal opportunity blaster of murderous behavior & of the clean your own house first branch of thought. So my principle focus is on American murder and mayhem which seems to be a seldom if ever ending project. So what goes on in Palestine/ Israel which I am complicit by my forced tax support of awful goings on there is of immediate concern to me and I calls it like I sees it. Bad people stealing the land and killing those who have lived there for eons in not millennia in my view. I see it as an organized genocide that all should oppose.
Q: How many legs does a dog have if you call its tail a leg?
A: Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.
Not all Zionists are Jews and not all Jews are Zionists.
In fact, most Zionists are probably evangelical Christians.
Do some anti-semites use “Zionist” as code for “Jew” because they know if they come out and say what they really mean they won’t be welcome in polite society (or at Antiwar.com)? Yes.
But unless they say what they really mean, they aren’t violating our guidelines.
Q: How many legs does a dog have if you call its tail a leg?
A: Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.
Not all Zionists are Jews and not all Jews are Zionists.
In fact, most Zionists are probably evangelical Christians.
Do some anti-semites use “Zionist” as code for “Jew” because they know if they come out and say what they really mean they won’t be welcome in polite society (or at Antiwar.com)? Yes.
But unless they say what they really mean, they aren’t violating our guidelines.
NOT every misfortune and calamity in the world, but WAY to many, and WAY TOO much appropriation of the money and property of others like the billions fleeced from me & my fellow American Taxpayers by their 5th column.
Billions,Epsteins’ make democracy work America.. Who fund American “democracy” with their billions?Adelson, Mercer, Wexner, Kochs the list gores on.But you can not even whine about these facts. Can you ask the FBI to release the dossiers seized from Epstein’s estates,(if at all their claim that they raided his estates was true)
Antisemitism? What is it? It is an oversold stock.
Relax. The moderator got your message. Facts will be published only selectively.
I am relaxed. I’m just surprised that you’re holding back on the “facts”
I know you are relaxed. Always. Not even a whine against you will be allowed any where. Even in “antiwar>com”.
As for holding back the facts you know why. Or else ask your ‘moderator’
While I agree that Ukraine is indeed corrupt, at least their corruption is obvious. How corrupt are we, who use any excuse, including a real war with real danger of spiraling into nuclear Armageddon, to sell billions of $$ more weapons for MICIMATT? The Ukrainians could take lessons from us …
Corruption is in the family. They learned that from Russia.
And BTW, Russia tops Ukraine in corruption.
https://disq.us/url?url=https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021?gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzbnpYroF9jeqW-AnxybunEd-AIxPb2lvJS8BJB1G5zXH4_tV-zew0RoCi5gQAvD_BwE:rHnIeflMBgdwRY3QM0iXtgzywnI&cuid=18764
Ukraine index: 122 / Russia index 136
In this one, showing 2021 and 2022, Ukraine is worse than Russia. At last Russia’s corruption doesn’t use OUR money for it.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-corrupt-countries. I looked it up myself because someone neglected to show it.
So we will sacrifice hundreds of thousands of people to protect the corrupt régime ruling Ukraine.Who cares about the real Ukrainians, the majority who are not allowed to decide on their own future, who follow the comedy/clown script and scene-setting of “Russian destruction of maternity wards, kindergartens, apartment blocks” and all the other atrocities the Ukies really perform, but use the media to try to hide.
It’s obvious you don’t care about Ukrainians as you only cheer for Putin and believe his BS propaganda.
And call Ukraine corrupt as much as you want however, Russia beats Ukraine in the World Corruption Index. But I’m sure you won’t care about this fact either.
https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021?gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzbnpYroF9jeqW-AnxybunEd-AIxPb2lvJS8BJB1G5zXH4_tV-zew0RoCi5gQAvD_BwE
Ukraine is corrupt and that’s who we are defending with our taxpayer’s money. And that taxpayer money is causing more Ukrainian deaths which YOU pretend to care about.
Not in this study: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-corrupt-countries
DJ:
You should mind your manners, which are terribly lacking…
Anaisanesse is a productive contributor to this website and she does so constructively.
Whilst you, on the other hand, are about as productive as a flee on a dog.
Watch your manners or we will douse you with delouser…
I do not cheer for any violence, but corruption in Ukraine far exceeds anywhere else.
You sacrifice hundreds of lives not for Ukraine.Ukraine is only incidental.Your sacrifice is for serving agenda of Zionists
Why did NATO even continue to exist after the Cold War was over?
Here are some recent comments from Vladimir Putin on the end of the unipolar world order:
https://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2022/06/vladimir-putin-and-end-of-obsolete.html
Russia is doing very well under the current toothless sanctions regime and is quite pragmatic about its new role (and that of China) in the multipolar geopolitical reality.
“But the risk doesn’t appear to be factored into the US response to the war in Ukraine as Washington has abandoned diplomacy with Moscow and continues to escalate in every way possible short of sending troops to fight Russia.”
First you must engage in diplomacy before you can talk about abandoning diplomacy.
That 300,000 NATO troops will be mostly mercenaries paid for by U.S. taxpayers.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO….. I’m sure the 300,000 mercenaries will provide a gargantuan slush fund of ”Ghost soldiers pay” to replace the opium profit being lost or redirected due to lost control in Afghanistan. It’s a wonderful world atop the ponzi scheme of money and power and never having to admit being wrong or suffering any loss in status. No WMDs in Iraq, so they hung Saddam. Justice American Empire style!!
So now we see how war happens in our own time as before, with no one having the slightest idea why.
If people don’t know why war happens it is because they refuse to do the research and pay attention to what their nation’s leaders have been doing to instigate war. The war in Ukraine has been a long time coming, and anyone paying attention for the last 8 years should know why this proxy war in Ukraine is occurring.
Agreed. My why implied reasons of sense, honesty, justness.
Russia’s gas monopoly. That’s all.
No NATO, no US, no Neo Nazis. No 8 years of BS.
Just CONTROL OF GAS.
France24 publishes a video interviewing the people at Lysichansk, who declared loud and clear their opposition to Ukraine, denounced the Ukrainian troops as criminals, and openly expressed their support for Russia, whose troops they are waiting for to free them from the criminal UkroWerhmacht.
Nearly 4 months of lies and now this truth. One has to ask how did this truth see the light of day? The Ukraine is a Nazi Dictatorship and covered up by a Jewish President. The Jewish President was overseeing the attempted ethnic cleansing of the Donbass. Historically The OUN (Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists) during WW2 ethnically cleansed West Ukraine. Over 100,000 Poles, Jews and Russians were mass murdered because the OUN had realised that the Nazi’s were going to loose the war and that Poland would claim Western Ukraine. So the OUN brutally murdered them all.
Today in Eastern Ukraine we see OUN (Stepan Banderites) attempting the brutal mass murder of the ethnic Russians in the Donbass so that Russia cannot make a claim on the Donbass. History never repeats……………
The actions by our government and NATO feels like a military build-up with a purpose and the only possible purpose would seem to be preparing for war. I have no intention of getting my backside nuked under any conditions and I intend to get very VOCAL about it!
In WW2 it was called the phony war. NATO has declared war on Russia but its a period of phony war.
Maybe it’s time for the organ grinder to kill a few chickens….. To Scare the monkeys…. !!!!!
So they pour 300,000 troops in Europe. Ukraine had 200-250,000 (not counting reserves), and was the second-largest army in Europe after Turkey, trained to NATO standards – how’d that work out for them, up against ten-15% of Russia’s military? NATO is a paper tiger.
That’s great news. 300.000. no less. The only fly in the ointment is most of their weapons have been sent to Ukraine. The ruling class of the “west” is made up of some of the stupidest people ever assembled in history.
This war is not for the Ukraine. Though Washington has wanted, and prepared for, war with Russia since 1949. It settled for containment and proxy wars until the collapse in ’91, when they thought to have won on the cheap. And for a decade of grandiose looting they were happy as pigs in shit, and thought they had it all, Kapitalist Nirvana & the end of history. Then came Putin and chased them out of Pig Paradise. This was maddening and intolerable. And two decades later the Kapitalist Pigs have recruited and convinced themselves they’re ready to kill the Devil Putin and his Kremlin myrmidons. But, while they, like their Pig poster-boys, the Jeffrey Epstein & crowd, consider themselves irresistibly lovely, for humanity in general they’re repulsive in the extreme. So it remains to see how far they can carry this thing. And while the Pigs are clever at finding truffles, they’re very small minded and very stubborn, … and, which is most to be considered, they have their finger on the thermonuclear trigger. So that while we know well how blithely they can set about slaughtering millions, it comes down to: Will their Pig elan vital preclude self-slaughter?
You sound like someone who dosen’t know the Russians have ran the Republican party since the 70s. The first cia operative was a russian turn coat. This is old news in the Intelligence world.
NATO To Increase High-Readiness Force To Over 300,000,000 Troops
Who’s paying for this increase? We’ll see how willing European taxpayers are after a cold winter.