Russia's nuclear threats 'deeply troubling': NATO chief

[bananas]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Russia's provocative rhetoric and its dramatic expansion of flights by nuclear bombers are deeply troubling and dangerous, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.

Russia's plans to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad -- near Poland's border -- and its threat to move nuclear forces in Crimea would "fundamentally change the balance of security in Europe," Stoltenberg warned, in speech during a visit to Washington.

In blunt language, the NATO chief delivered a scathing critique of Russia's behavior over the past year -- including Moscow's armed intervention in Ukraine -- and vowed the transatlantic alliance would redouble its commitment to "collective defense."

"Russia's recent use of nuclear rhetoric, exercises and operations are deeply troubling," he told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

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Read more: http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/international/340617/russia-s-nuclear-threats-deeply-troubling-nato-chief

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Cold War II is heating up.

[Joe Chi Minh]

1. It's meant to be, you fools! Now, will you stop threatening Russia by

NATO's encroachment on the former USSR territories?

Cold War II, bananas? That's a good one. How about WWIII?

Putin must be reasoning, 'Heck, if they routinely wreak such murder and mayhem on the rest of the world in the good times, what are they gonna do if/when their own SHTownF?'

[davidpdx]

2. Are you going to post the bullshit NATO map now?

The one that claims NATO has a base in every country around Russia. Because that is essentially what you are claiming.

[nyabingi]

5. If not NATO (which is basically the US with some help)

then by the US directly. We have military personnel in Ukraine right now training their neo-Nazi battalions in making war against their own citizens.

The pro-war Democratic crowd is more wretched and despicable than their pro-war Republican counterparts, supporting Empire expansion and domination at all costs.

[davidpdx]

9. First of all, I'm not a "pro-war Democrat"

Second, the map I was referring to was a complete lie because it claimed that there were NATO bases in Japan and South Korea. Third, I live in South Korea and I can tell you there are no NATO bases here. So you might want to rethink the bullshit you are selling.

[nyabingi]

20. NATO is run and directed by the US

and the last time I checked there are US military bases in both South Korea and Japan, are there not?

Also, I didn't say there were NATO bases in either of these countries because I haven't seen this map you're referring to.

[davidpdx]

22. I'm stating that is the map I am talking about

Yes, the US has bases in both countries. There are 28,500 military personal serving in the Republic of Korea. The number of Japan is about twice that if I remember correctly (but don't know for sure). In terms of the military bases in Korea, given there is a mad man with nuclear weapons on the other side of the DMZ, I would say there is a pretty good reason for us to be here. By the way, my house (the one I live in most of the time) is about 26 km from the DMZ.

[cstanleytech]

3. BS, former USSR countries have every right to join NATO if they want

just like they have every right to join a similar group under Russia and 2nd NATO hasnt invaded any part of Russia and is not an active threat where as Russia has invaded its neighbors and thus is an active threat.

[nyabingi]

6. These countries want all of that US military hardware

and they foolishly think buddying up to the big dogs on the block (the US) is going to bring their countries some sort of benefit. The US/IMF/World Bank will make slaves of all their people just as they have done to every country who has bowed to their wishes.

How can you say that NATO is not an active threat to Russia? Are you being sarcastic or serious? Wow.

[cstanleytech]

13. I mean it, NATO never invaded for conquest Russia however has recently done so.

[nyabingi]

21. If you're referring to Crimea

then that doesn't count as an invasion because the people of Crimea wanted to rejoin Russia. There was no fighting or killing of Crimeans and the people there were celebrating in the streets upon rejoining Russia.

What the US did to Afghanistan and Iraq were invasions (you know, sending troops there and killing a bunch of their people).

NATO's only reason for existence at this point is to militarily enforce US-directed political and economic objectives.

[NuclearDem]

23. "doesn't count as an invasion"

Wow, you guys aren't even trying anymore.

[geek tragedy]

7. FORMER ussr territories are free to make their own alliances nt

[nyabingi]

4. Stoltenberg says this with a straight face

while furiously building up NATO's military hardware and troops in the Baltic states at Russia's doorstep.

We're getting all the pieces in place for a war and no one is paying attention, most of all the fabulous American media establishment...

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. His hair is permanently on fire.

[roamer65]

10. Former NSA analyst John Schindler is report a Senior NATO source as saying...

"We will very likely be in a war this summer, and we will be very lucky if it's not nuclear."

Some one in NATO is leaking what's coming.

[bigdarryl]

11. The answer is to leave Russia the fuck alone

[MBS]

31. Unfortunately, ignoring the situation will not solve the problem.

. . as events of the 1 1/2 years have demonstrated.
I'm not advocating military action-- but there has to be some response. Russia can't be allowed to run willy-nilly over international borders -- borders long guaranteed by international treaty and general consensus -- and indulge in provocative actions, such as, most dangerously, nuclear saber-rattling.
Same goes for China.
Same, actually, goes for everyone.
But Russia and China have really been especially flagrant violators of international law lately.
It's a very dangerous situation, and, I for one, am very worried.

The situation is really a job for the UN, if only the UN had the means to enforce international laws.

[Monk06]

12. But Patriot missiles proposed for Denmark are no threat to Russia. Even though they are only 400

miles away from Kaliningrad RUSSIA and on the same latitude!

The US is also trying to sneak missiles into Poland and the Ukraine.


NATO leaders need a serious helping of STFU.

[cstanleytech]

14. They could be 20 miles from Kaliningrad and they still would not be a threat

since the patriot is a surface to "air" missile not a surface to ground one.

[Monk06]

15. The Patriot missile system is being used in the NATO context to neutralize the Russian

nuclear force. That is an offensive strategy from Russia's point of view given the whole point of the START treaty is nuclear parity between Russia and the US.

The US via NATO is trying to render START superfluous and gain nuclear superiority in the process.

That is on the face of it an offensive strategy and the US is fooling nobody.

[cstanleytech]

16. And if NATO invaded another country to conquer them like Russia did the Ukraine I would

probably agree with you.

[Monk06]

18. The Ukraine is a gangster state run by neo nazis. Russia is also a gangster state.

Neither country is worth fighting with or over. Especially when nuclear weapons are involved.

There are still enough warheads left in the world in the hands of the US, Russia, Israel, Pakistan, India, and on and on to send us all back into caves..

But don't let your pet peeve against a pip squeak like Putin stop you from backing a very ugly horse.

[cstanleytech]

19. That is immaterial to the fact that Russia did invade a sovereign country. nt

[Monk06]

25. It is not immaterial. The Ukrainian RW have as their hero a nazi collaborator. The Kiev government

is a neo nazi mafia organization. You don't support a neo nazi gangster state because you hate the Russian gangster state.

The Kiev government is not made up of valiant freedom fighters. Any more than the Nicaraguan Contras were freedom fighters. They are nazis backed by right wing militias who are trying to continue skimming oil revenues from Russian oil and gas being transmitted to Europe through the Kiev oil hub.

The Western Ukrainians formed volunteer SS Einsatz battalions during the WWII who killed Jews en mass allowing the Germans to roll right into Russia. Same with the Romanians and Estonians. They have a lot of Jewish blood on their hands.

This is all relevant because the past is prologue.

[cstanleytech]

27. I am not supporting the Ukraine government I am supporting the rule of law

and according to the international rule of law the Crimean Peninsula was Ukrainian territory and it was taken by Russia by force using the Russian military thus Russia invaded the Ukraine and the reasons you are attempting to use to justify the invasion sound like excuses just like how Bush and his supporters tried to make up new excuses for invading Iraq after the whole WMD excuse blew up in their face.

[Monk06]

29. There is no rule of law in this situation because no treaty exists recognizing Ukrainian control

Last edited Sun May 31, 2015, 04:18 AM - Edit history (2)

over the Crimean peninsula.

All you have is the Budapest memorandum which is just an informal agreement to respect Ukraine's borders while Russian nuclear weapons based in the Ukraine could be shipped back to Russia and brought under control of START II. That was in 1994 when it looked like Russian ICBMs would be under control of the Ukrainian government whichever gangster oligarch was in control at the time.

In hindsight we dodged a bullet. Can you imagine Russian ICBMs in the hands of the Kiev mafia as it exists today?

Also the Crimean Tatars were given political autonomy under the Budapest Memorandum which Kiev revoked after the uprising in 2013 at which time they banned the teaching of the Russian language in schools and attempted to eliminate Russian speaking politicians from holding office.

So it is Kiev that is breaking international agreements in the vain hope that US foreign policy hawks will cover their asses.

You don't know what you are talking about because you haven't done some basic research regarding the politics of the post Soviet era starting in 1990 and the typical ham fisted attempts of the US government to destroy Russia as an international power.

Your attempt to equate my views with Bush and his supporters reinforces my point that you are naive and ill informed.

[cstanleytech]

30. Two words though sink your whole argument "Kharkiv Pact"

Even though it was broken later by signing it Russia essentially acknowledged that the peninsula was sovereign property of the Ukraine.

[Telcontar]

32. Boom! Headshot

Drop the mike

Good job

[Blue_Tires]

17. Between Russia and China getting pretty ballsy in recent months

this thing has the potential to turn ugly fast...

I would like to point out the convenient coincidence how much of China/Russia's aggression has ramped up over the past two years, which happens to fit very nicely in the timeframe of Snowden's defection...But that will be a discussion for another thread...

[MattSh]

26. And the USA has been so even-handed and rational?

[Blue_Tires]

33. Nobody's hands are ever 100% clean...

I'm just calling it as I see it...

[Cha]

28. Shh.. can't talk about Russia and China.. "whatabout the USA".. forget Russia and China.. it's Obama

you have to watch out for!

"I would like to point out the convenient coincidence how much of China/Russia's aggression has ramped up over the past two years, which happens to fit very nicely in the timeframe of Snowden's defection...But that will be a discussion for another thread..." Coincidence?

[daleo]

24. Russia has had nuclear bombs and bombers since 1950

Granted, that's only 65 years that they haven't nuked us, but we should still be afraid every day.