NATO to massively increase reaction forces

[blue-wave]

Source: NBC News

NATO will increase the number of its forces at high readiness massively to over 300,000 amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.

“We will transform the NATO response force and increase the number of our high readiness forces to well over 300,000,” he told reporters ahead of a NATO summit in Madrid later this week.

NATO’s quick reaction force, the NATO response force, so far has some 40,000 troops.

At the Madrid summit, NATO will also change its language on Russia that in the alliance’s last strategy from 2010 was still described as a strategic partner.

“That will not be the case in the strategic concept that we will agree in Madrid,” Stoltenberg said.

“I expect that allies will state clearly that Russia poses a direct threat to our security, to our values, to the rules-based international order.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/nato-increase-high-readiness-forces-russia-ukraine-war-rcna35450

[PortTack]

1. I can't help but wish some idiot orc jet fighter pilot would invade air space of one of the NATO

Countries and drop a missile or bomb and trigger article 5. This devastation and death would be over in a week…or less

[former9thward]

14. It would not trigger Article 5.

And it would not be over in a week -- unless it amounted to WW III and after a Billion or so died it may be over in a week.

[OnDoutside]

2. Hmmm.... that's a big change

[blue-wave]

4. Yup, I said the same thing

[OnDoutside]

6. I presume that they're working off Intel to come up with a number

like that.

[Lonestarblue]

3. And Russia was reported to be shipping nuclear missiles to Belarus in a few weeks or months.

Saber rattling by Putin? NATO should move nuclear submarines and ships with long-range missiles to the the Baltic Sea, perhaps not too far from St. Petersburg. Russia has looted Ukrainian artifacts and art. How would they feel to see St. Petersburg in NATO’s sights.

Then move some of NATO’s long-range and nuclear missiles to Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania—or all three.

After reading a bit about why the NATO ships are not entering the Black Sea, I came across something called the Montreux Convention, which gives states bordering the Black Sea more privileges over it in spite of it being an international waterway. Turkey is one of those states, and it has not been open so far to allowing NATO shops transit through the Bosphorus Strait. The US is not a signatory to the Montreux Convention but has generally respected it. But imagine a US warship sailing right past Istanbul! I think most people there would love to see it! Many Ukrainians have sought refuge in Istanbul.

So the idea of a NATO escort to get Ukrainian cargo ships out of the Black Sea needs Erdogan’s approval, and he has not been eager to help. The next best thing would be for Ukraine to sink a few more Russian ships—a tough order. If nothing changes soon, their grain is likely to rot and any new harvest will have no place to be stored. What a mess.

[blue-wave]

5. "Saber rattling by Putin?"

I would venture to guess that our intelligence agencies and those of our allies, know something we don't. Are pooty and his lackeys in the kremlin crazy enough to expand his/their war into WWIII?

[Colbert]

7. The Turkiye Chess Board

Last edited Wed Jun 29, 2022, 04:54 PM - Edit history (1)

The Black Sea may technically be international waters, but the only real access to it from truly international waters requires going through the Dardanelles Strait, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus Strait - and all three are wholly contained within the Türkiyeish landmass (with the name change I'm going with Türkiyeish rather than Türkiyean, but I don't really know for sure). So you'd need Türkiyeish permission to transit those waterways just like you'd need Canadian permission to transit the St. Lawrence Seaway.



While Turkiye is a NATO member, dealing with it is always a chess game. They have ties with Russia; having purchased two batches of S400 missile systems from it (and are under US sanctions for having done so - they'd like those sanctions lifted). They also have technology transfer agreements with Russia and are working with them on fifth generation fighter jets. Turkiye is always looking for US and NATO backing to get concessions from Greece with respect to the ongoing Cyprus problem. Turkiye is also always looking for US and NATO backing to deal with its Kurdish problem. And on that front, Turkiye may block Sweden's and Finland's admission to NATO because of them having granted asylum to Kurdish rebels that Turkiye wants to prosecute. So getting any concessions from Turkiye to allow NATO entry to the Black Sea is off the table.

[EndlessWire]

8. It'll be off the table

until Russia attacks Turkey. Then, they'll expect NATO to live up to its pledges.

[Colbert]

12. Turkiye did make some concessions yesterday though

Last edited Wed Jun 29, 2022, 04:53 PM - Edit history (1)

Turkiye dropped its opposition to admitting Sweden and Finland to NATO. And it was supposedly without any tit for tat from the US and NATO (I sure would like to know what magic went on there).

So maybe there's hope

[LudwigPastorius]

10. Russia certainly doesn't need nukes in Belarus.

It already has the capability of launching nuclear strikes on most of the capital cities of Europe from Kaliningrad. So, I'd place this firmly in the 'saber rattling' category.

?t=1

[EndlessWire]

9. Very interesting.

I think it is in response to Russia's constant threat to NATO. Russia has threatened Finland, Sweden, the Baltics, Poland...who did I leave out? Russia brought this on itself. It doesn't matter if Russia appears to be able to muster an invading army or not. Run your mouth and you get a massive increase of NATO troops in your face.

[Cha]

11. TY, blue-wave!

Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!

[sodissa]

13. This makes sense

We need to be prepared against psychopath Putin.