Over the past several years the US had been cutting back its ground force in Europe as a cost-cutting measure. In 2012 the Pentagon cut two of its four Army brigades, but that may not last.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is now saying that adding a brigade, bringing it back up to three overall in Europe, is under consideration as a move to “counter Russia” in eastern Europe.
Hagel did not specify where the new “permanent brigade,” which would be roughly 5,000 troops, would be stations, but Poland is a likely candidate, as the Polish government is demanding 10,000 NATO troops on a permanent basis.
The US has been talking up military buildups in eastern Europe over the past few weeks, but mostly centering on very small deployment of a few hundred troops here or there, and nothing on this scale.
The cost of deploying a whole extra brigade to Europe will be billions of dollars, at a time when EUCOM was supposed to be seeing cuts, not dramatic growth.
The Europe cuts were supposed to be part of the “Asia pivot,” with the US increasing interventionism in the Pacific on the basis of savings in Europe. Despite the Europe cuts not materializing, the US still seems set to keep escalating in the Pacific as well, meaning the Pentagon’s budget will continue to grow.
The bellicosity and self-service of US and European imperialism is neigh-on stupefying. Studying the history, one easily grasps the concerns of Stalin about its designs on Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union after WWII and here we have the realization of those concerns in the present day.
Yes, Ernest, as you say, "US and European imperialism is neigh-on stupefying" except for the hidden fact that these former countries are actually partners in the Disguised Global Empire, the highly integrated (but hidden from their citizens)
Hope they bring some "gas" with them and not depend on Russian supply.
We could ship CONgress over to provide same…
So, that explains all the gloom and doom bandied about over the past few weeks. The Pentagon was just waiting for something to happen (Putin feeling frisky) so they could reverse the cuts being demanded of them by the politicians. Nothing works better than fear and loathing (sorry Gonzo) to get the pols and the people riled up and malleable.
Here's a suggestion, Mr. Hagel, if the Poles and Baltic countries are so afraid of the possibility of tanks rolling over the border from the east, why don' they get Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania to provide the troops, materiel, and infrastructure for this new brigade. The US can provide management guidance and encouragement from Mons.
I wouldn't be getting too many Europeans (especially out of Poland, Greece, Spain, etc.) to patrol
Russian borders – as soon as they learn that they might be able get a civilian job in Russia, or at least not suffer any more austerity, they will probably defect..
I think I'd rather have them defect instead of developing a hair-trigger that might start something they can't stop and which the rest of the world will have to pay for.
Extra forces in Europe will probably not be needed for that long. On the one hand, Putin has made such a thorough fool of himself that he may well be forced from office fairly soon. Equally, now that Europe has realised that the US is an unreliable ally, some sort of European defence structure will probably be set up and will include Russia. Since what Putin objects to is a NATO from which Russia is excluded and which the US has perverted into an anti-Russian alliance, that should resolve the problem once and for all. At the end of the day, the big winner in all of this is the EU and the big loser is Israel.
5,000 troops. Hitler had 3,300,000 when he began operation Barbarossa.
This is hilarious! Twenty years we have been retreating from Europe. 25 years ago, we had over 300,000 troops in western Europe on the Warsaw Bloc's eastern borders and for 50 years after WWII we had relative peace and stability. Now that twinkle toes has deactivated the last A10 Squadron last year, (i.e., the 81st Fighter Squadron,) our retreat from Europe is complete. Now Putin is sensing that the time is right to reestablish their former empire. We maintain troops not to fight wars, but to prevent them.
There is an anti russian hystery going on for many months.It started with Pyssy Riots, than anti olympic games position, then Ukraine (snipers who killed people are arrested in Kiev but those who killed policemen are not searched).Nato was supposed to diseapear after the fall of the wall.In practice it has been developping.If US leaders knew a little bit history they could maybe understand russian position.
Well OK then.. It's on!
After 12 years of fighting to a draw with hill people and dirt farmers, US/NATO is ready to move on up to the East side and take on the Russians!! Can you hear the cheering from the troops!!? The roaring of patriotic lock step solidarity!! No? Me neither.
Because unlike the dirt farmers, the Russians really do have aircraft, choppers, artillery, MLRS, cluster bombs, armor, drones, cruise missiles, S-300/400, satellites, etc., etc., etc.
Boy howdy, just can't wait, eh? And I reckon the mercenary hired guns are just chomping at the bit to 'have at it' with the Russian Spetsnaz and Marines! You know, those unarmed civilians and farmer warriors are just sooo boringly yesterday..Well, here's your chance, hired heroes! Hahaha! Have a nice day. And don't forget … no malingering.
can they send a brigade to new York to counter the domestic threat of the federal reserve?
That's what God really invented cruise missiles for!
Jct: Yankee warmongers always looking to get into a fight somewhere. The USA needs regime change before anywhere else. The constant warring sickens and offends the rest of the world watching. What makes it especially funny to us on the outside is to see the truth kept from the American booboisie on the inside.