From Fort Russ
February 12, 2018 – FRN –
From Fort Russ
February 12, 2018 – FRN –
Norway is debating a “long-standing US wish” to allow American marines to deploy troops in the Scandinavian nation, furthering NATO’s encirclement of Russia.
Norway may allow the United States to deploy up to 300 marines “on a rotational basis” on its soil, advancing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) long-standing goal of encircling Russia’s border with US-allied military assets.
The marines would be stationed in Vaernes, an air station just outside the Norwegian city of Trondheim – only 100 kilometers from Russia. NATO has claimed that this move is part of a long-standing effort to deter “Russian aggression” despite the fact that Russia has in no way threatened Norway or other countries on its borders. NATO ended cooperation with Russia following the Ukrainian coup of 2014, which led Russia to annex Crimea. According to Norwegian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Ann Kristin Salbuvik, “there is no question of permanent deployment” as the presence of the Marines would be temporary, though no timeline has been specified.
Credit – USMC Life
Not everyone in the Norwegian government was aware of the plan until it was publicly announced last week. Several members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee were kept unaware of the plan, which has allegedly been in the planning stages for quite some time, according to local media. The plan, before being enacted, must first be approved by the Norwegian Parliament, where it faces opposition from several political parties. US officials, however, maintain that 300 US marines in Norway would be “beneficial.” Norway s already stockpiling NATO weapons and, according to some reports, has enough military equipment to support around 15,000 US Marines.
The move will undoubtedly further escalate tensions between Russia and Norway as any presence of US troops in the country would break Norway’s promise not to deploy foreign troops in its territory – a promise it made in 1949. However, the promise was conditional on Norway not feeling threatened. Norway has not publicly announced feeling threatened by Russia or any other country. Meanwhile, NATO has also announced plans to deploy 4,000 more troops to the Baltic region, also on Russia’s border, by next May. According to the commanding officer of NATO’s European forces, Czech Army General Petr Pavel, the troops will “serve as a deterrent and if necessary a fighting force.”
Since the Ukrainian coup of 2014, NATO has overseen a military buildup unprecedented since 1941, when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. Russia has been on edge regarding the buildup and has threatened to respond numerous time, but neglected to militarize its Western border until relatively recently. The buildup has also coincided with increasingly dangerous developments in US-Russian relations over the Syrian conflict, with each side accusing the other of helping ISIS and needlessly killing civilians. With US-dominated NATO rubbing salt in the wound, it is no small wonder that Russians are preparing for the worst case scenario – a full-scale, global war between NATO and those who oppose its interests.
Translation from Fort Russ
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“Uschi” (Ursula Von Der Leyen, German Defense Minister), with some German troops |
Sputnik Germany, April 30, 2016
Translated from German by Tom Winter
The announcement of a possible deployment of German troops to Lithuania for “containment” of Russia has made quite a stir in the media and the social networks in Germany.
The opinions are often widely divergent. From the perspective of the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Berlin faces a dilemma. If Germany would refuse the deployment of troops, that would be a lack of solidarity towards the Baltic States. Should it agree, that would strain relations with Russia. However Deutsche Rundfunk [The German Radio] considers these plans quite sound: NATO must guarantee the “territorial integrity of the countries” that “feel unsafe” near Russia.
But this reason, that the states felt threatened by Russia, the Left-politician Gregor Gysi considers unconvincing. “First, it is not about feelings, but the question of whether a real threat exists. Second, these 250 soldiers would be in case of a real war more than superfluous,” said Gysi on his Facebook page. To make his point even clearer, the politician thinks back on history: “Therefore, it is historically oblivious, and escalating, to send troops now to the Russian border”
The Member of Parliament Sahra Wagenknecht supported her party comrade: “Chancellor Angela Merkel is committing an irresponsible provocation, when she sends the Bundeswehr to the Russian border 75 years after the Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union.” [for her press release, click]
In the comments on the Internet, many readers have aired their displeasure about the plan of the Federal Government.
“The border to Africa / Turkey / Syria is open, but the danger comes from Russia. Right! Just crazy,” wrote one user in comments to the article in Die Welt.
Another reader, J89, pointed out that a NATO battalion constitutes no appreciable risk on the border with Russia: This is “symbolic politics.” Other Internet users are unenthusiastic at the prospect of German soldiers in the direction of Russia. A sample:
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Bundeswehr as a deterrent? Are the guns straightened out already? |
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/04/forgetting-history-german-politicians.html
From Fort Russ
Die LINKE [The Left Party]
April 29, 2016
Translated from German by Tom Winter April 30, 2016
New peace policy instead of NATO aggression
“Chancellor Angela Merkel is committing an irresponsible provocation, when, 75 years after the attack on the Soviet Union, she is sending the Bundeswehr to the Russian border,” said Sahra Wagenknecht, Chairman of DIE LINKE.
Wagenknecht further: “The federal government is playing with fire if they blindly support NATO’s aggressive game. A permanent presence of NATO combat troops on the Russian border is contrary to the existing agreements with Russia.
EU eastward expansion and the NATO troop parades are poison for peace and stability in Europe. The deployment of combat units of the Bundeswehr to the Russian border threatens the vital interests of the German population. The German Bundestag must debate it.”
_____________________________
On the same subject, click “Forgetting History”
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/04/wagenknecht-press-release-on-sending.html
From Fort Russ
Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ
16th December, 2015
Tvzvezda
http://www.fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/12/ukraine-is-preparing-to-seize-over-400.html
From Sputnik News, April 11, 2015
The US RC-135U reconnaissance plane was flying towards the Russian border with its transponder switched off, a Defense Ministry spokesman said in Moscow Saturday.
Maj.-General Igor Konashenkov said that an unidentified airborne target was spotted over the Baltic Sea by Russian air defenders on April 7 flying directly towards the Russian border.
A Su-27 fighter jet was scrambled to inspect the target. Moving up to the unidentified aircraft the Russian pilot flew around it several times, made sure it was a US RC-135U reconnaissance plane and reported its tail number to ground control.
“I want to emphasize that the RC-135U was moving towards the Russian border with its transponder switched off… As to the professional qualities of our pilots, this is something for the Russian military command to assess. Moreover, US reconnaissance planes are supposed to fly along US borders only and nowhere else,” Konashenkov said, adding that no “emergency situations” were registered during Tuesday’s mid-air encounter.
A Pentagon spokesman said on Saturday that a Russian Su-27 jet fighter on Tuesday flew dangerously close to and nearly collided with a US reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea.
http://sputniknews.com/military/20150411/1020753530.html
…”On the morning of April 7th, a US RC-135U flying a routine route in international airspace was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 Flanker in an unsafe and unprofessional manner. The United States is raising this incident with Russia through the appropriate diplomatic and official channels,” Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said in Washington.
The Su-27 conducted the close-in intercept in international waters over the Baltic Sea of an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, which was monitoring Russian military activities in western Russia and Kaliningrad.
US media try to persuade that the Russian fighter jet flew within just six meters of the reconnaissance plane in what is described as a “reckless” encounter that endangered the lives of the RC-135 crew.
The Russian Defense Ministry earlier said that all flights by Russian military aircraft are conducted in strict conformity with internationally-recognized rules of flights in international airspace and over neutral waters without violating other countries’ borders.
NATO officials have in recent months complained about an increased presence of Russian military aircraft in European airspace, including over the Baltic Sea.
Russia’s Air Force Commander, Col.-General Viktor Bondarev, dismissed the reports as a propaganda ploy, meant to divert public attention from NATO’s ongoing military buildup in close vicinity of the Russian borders.
Posted on Fort Russ
April 11, 2015
Rossiyskaya Gazeta (rg.ru)
Translated by Kristina Rus
The official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov stated that American reconnaissance aircraft RC-135U was heading for the border of the Russian Federation. This is why a Russian fighter jet Su-27 approached it over the Baltic sea. This was reported by TASS.
According to Konashenkov, on April 7 at 13:18 Moscow time on-duty air defense forces over the Baltic discovered an unidentified aerial target, which was heading towards the Russian state border.
As a result a Su-27 fighter was raised, which approached the unidentified aircraft, flew around it several times, identified it as a spy plane RC-135U of the United States Air Force and its fleet number, which was reported to the command.
After the American spy plane was circled around by a Russian fighter jet plane, the U.S. air plane changed course and retreated from the Russian border.
It was also noted that the spy plane shut off its transponder. Meanwhile, according to Konashenkov, during the flight there were no emergency situations.
Earlier today the representative of the US Ministry of Defense, Mark Wright stated that the Russian Su-27 fighter flew dangerously close to the American reconnaissance aircraft in the skies over the Baltic sea.
It was reported that “the US is preparing to raise the issue through appropriate official diplomatic channels”.
The head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Konstantin Kosachev has urged the US to stop escalating the atmosphere around the flights of Russian military aircraft in the Baltic region.
“In connection with the incident over the Baltic sea it is necessary to remember about one thing: Russia is a Baltic country, and the United States is not,” – added the Senator.
Another example: the U.S. and South Korea hold frequent war games next to North Korea. Yet, anything North Korea does is termed an act of aggression, while South Korea and the United States are only supposedly engaged in benign activity, even though their exercises involved simulated invasions of North Korea.
This type of intimidation and threat should be completely unacceptable to all good people.
Xinhua News Agency
February 25, 2015
Soldiers attend the U.S.-Lithuanian combined training in Pabrade, Lithuania, on Feb. 25, 2015. Lithuania held combined training with 250 U.S. soldiers on Wednesday’s media day. (Xinhua/Alfredas Pliadis)
Here are more photos from Estonia.
Washington Post
February 25, 2015
US military vehicles paraded 300 yards from the Russian border
By Michael Birnbaum
[Excerpt]
MOSCOW: U.S. military combat vehicles paraded Wednesday through an Estonian city that juts into Russia, a symbolic act that highlighted the stakes for both sides amid the worst tensions between the West and Russia since the Cold War.
https://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/u-s-combat-vehicles-300-yards-from-russian-border/
Posted on Global Research, February 25, 2015
Original article in joostniemoller.nl
By Joost Niemöller
In the video below you can see a long column of military vehicles, including tanks and armored cars. This column, according to the caption, was filmed on 23 February in the border city of Narva, Estonia, The city is located on a reservoir that provides St. Petersburg [electric] power.
UPDATE: The following video is no longer available, scroll down and click the second video Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLUiYaNcfkk – 06:27 min — Танки и бронетехника, военный конвой под флагами США. Нарва. Эстония, 23.02.2015
What is striking about these images is that this military convoy is openly displayed to the public.
Some vehicles are harboring US flags.
U.S. tanks in Narva, on Russia’s border
The convoy is crossing the city [of Narva within less than a kilometer from the Russian border]. It can be filmed by anybody. [Note the picture below, Estonia on the left. Russia on the right on the other side of the bridge].
It is a symbol of military superiority. [Or is it ? Rather low tech in terms of military technology]
You can imagine how Putin might feel in this regard, [a US-NATO convoy] close to his former power base of Saint Petersburg. That might well be the underlying intent [of this military convoy].
This may be part of a major NATO exercise to be held in the area. The Netherlands is also involved.
Of course, NATO military exercises can occur anywhere. But why specifically are they taking place in Estonia [at Russia’s doorstep]? And why are they displaying American flags right on the Russian border? And why now, with the resurgence of war in Ukraine? (See map right of the city of Narva, Russia’s border town Ivangorod is on the other side of the River).
According to NATO, Putin has a destabilizing influence in the Baltics, and the Cold war is increasingly becoming a Hot War.
…
Original Dutch, translated from the Dutch. Edited by Michel Chossudovsky, annotations and images by Global Research
* * *
De Nieuwe Realist, 24 FEBRUARI 2015 – http://joostniemoller.nl/2015/02/lange-amerikaanse-colonne-aan-russische-grens-estland-video/#more-5061
Op de onderstaande video is een lange colonne legervoertuigen te zien, waaronder tanks en pantserwagens. Het is, blijkens het onderschrift, gisteren gefilmd in Estland, in de grensstad Narva. Die stad is gelegen aan een stuwmeer dat St. Petersburg van stroom voorziet.
Opvallend aan deze beelden is dat het openlijk gebeurt. Een aantal voertuigen hebben zichtbaar Amerikaanse vlaggen. Er wordt door een stad gereden. Het kan door iedereen gefilmd worden. Het is een teken van militair overwicht. Je kunt je voorstellen hoe dit door Poetin ervaren wordt, zo dicht bij zijn vroegere machtsbasis St. Petersburg. En zo is het ook bedoeld.
Een en ander kan onderdeel zijn van een grootscheepse NAVO oefening die in het gebied wordt gehouden. Ook Nederland doet daaraan mee. Nu kun je natuurlijk overal NAVO oefeningen houden. Maar waarom specifiek in Estland? En waarom ga je met Amerikaanse vlaggen zo pal langs de grens rijden? En waarom juist nu, met de weer oplaaiende oorlog in Oekraïne?
Van de NAVO kant uit wordt ervoor gewaarschuwd dat Poetin in de Baltische staten een destabliserende invloed zou gaan uitoefenen, en dat de koude oorlog daar steeds meer een warme oorlog dreigt te worden. (…)
Original source:
http://joostniemoller.nl/2015/02/lange-amerikaanse-colonne-aan-russische-grens-estland-video/#more-5061