Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 44 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 1/21/19

Small Baltic battalions for a big war

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   No comments
Message Lukas Ramonas

Allies implemented the 2016 Warsaw Summit decisions to establish NATO's forward presence in the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland) and to develop presence in the Black Sea region. In general, the Alliance has decided to strengthen its presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states.

Officially, it was aimed to demonstrate, as part of an overall posture, allies' solidarity, determination, and ability to act by triggering an immediate mutual response to any aggression.

But in fact, the Baltic region has turned into a huge warehouse of weapons and military equipment. NATO's military infrastructure is just expanding.

As a result, four multinational battle groups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (of about 1,200 troops each), led by the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the United States respectively, have been deployed near the Russian borders.

It seems that Washington is trying hard to provoke an armed conflict between Russia and NATO. And these multinational battalion-sized groups, creating and developing NATO's military infrastructure in the Baltic countries, prepare the ground for the future aggressive actions.

Beyond dispute, such actions heighten instability in the region.

By the way, General Philip Breedlove, former supreme allied commander Europe, and Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, former NATO deputy secretary general, made a report "Permanent Deterrence: Enhancements to the US Military Presence in North Central Europe" lately.

It's possible to mention its main points: bolster and support of the NATO Command Structure and reduce mobility problems through Europe; enhance the United States' and NATO's deterrent posture for the broader region, not just for the nation hosting the US deployment; increase naval and air deployments in the region, alongside additional ground forces and enablers; ensure maximum operational flexibility to employ US deployed forces to other regions of the Alliance and globally; expand opportunities for allied burden-sharing, including multilateral deployments in the region and beyond.

As we can see, all these points aimed to increase dominance and US military presence.

Unfortunately, the system of European security, evolving over the decades, is becoming a thing of the past. It was aimed to preventing regional armed conflicts and endless exercises near the borders of Russia. But now this system is replaced by aggressive propaganda from Washington, completely clear provocations and preparations for war against Russia.

Moreover the US officials publicly call the Baltics as "front-line states" and do everything to transform them into such ones. At the same time the governments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland persistently promote the US policy, demanding the further deployment of NATO troops on their territory. All this taken together undermines the foundations of European security.

Must Read 1   Well Said 1   Valuable 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Lukas Ramonas Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Interested in Politics, economics, The Baltics and sport

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

What threatens Lithuania in 2019

Doctors and firefighters take to the streets in the Baltics

NATO uses snake to defeat Russia

Dressed in NATO uniform criminals operate in the Baltic States

New Era of Anti-Russian Policy Begins In EU

Russia has a problem in the Baltics

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend