News from Ukraine Conflict

[GDS_Starfury]

[Centurion40]

You have think of it as another test of NATO, after Georgian adventure. If Putin thinks he can get away with it, he will try going for Estonia and Latvia. I can give you a scenario: A city of Daugavpils in Latvia is just near the border with Russia. It has a sizable Russian population. If armed men in unmarked uniforms take over the city , quickly "vote" to join Russia, Russia accepts send in some troops, all in 48 hours, what should NATO do?

Nothing.

[Centurion40]

If armed men in unmarked uniforms take over the city , quickly "vote" to join Russia, Russia accepts send in some troops, all in 48 hours, what should NATO do? 

I would suspect that the first step is to start arresting guys in those uniforms and if there's resistance, then you're going to get shooters.  And the first uniformed Russian to cross the border of a NATO country will ignite a war the Russians don't want, can't afford, and won't win.

If it were to happen that way.

But if it was quick & surgical, with Estonian authorities rapidly overpowered and then shown the gate, a la Crimea; my opinion is that nothing would happen.

But if Estonian police/troops were to exchange fire with Russian regulars- then cry havoc, maybe.

[Centurion40]

Meanwhile, this is what we are doing in Lithuania...

[Gusington]

Germans on the move...oy vey.

[JasonPratt]

^^ I was thinking the same thing. Not at all the same situation of course, but seeing the iron cross on modern mechanized APCs... shivery.

Not necessarily in a bad way. More in a "reformed supervillain is about to kick ass" sort of way.  8)

[Centurion40]

Germans on the move...oy vey.

What?!!  Where??

[Airborne Rifles]

NATO has to respond to any direct attack on a member nation, and I don't see any evidence why we wouldn't. It's an interesting strategic situation right now. Neither Russia nor NATO has the ability to prosecute a major offensive into the others' territory, but both have sufficient forces to defend. With nukes in the equation, maybe it's best it stays this way. Ukraine isn't NATO's fight.

[GDS_Starfury]

more to the point those pictures show US Army units training with regional forces.
and German armor and US cavalry working together should give and has given the Soviet Russian military heartburn.

[mirth]

Time to unleash Zombie Patton!

[LongBlade]

more to the point those pictures show US Army units training with regional forces.
and German armor and US cavalry working together should give and has given the Soviet Russian military heartburn.

Indeed.

[LongBlade]

Boots in Ukraine.

A battalion of around 600 American paratroopers will be heading to Ukraine next month to train national guard troops there, a Pentagon spokesman told Fox News Wednesday.

The unit heading to the war-torn country is from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based out of Vicenza, Italy.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/02/11/fighting-rages-on-in-ukraine-ahead-peace-talks/

[Barthheart]

Boots in Ukraine.

A battalion of around 600 American paratroopers will be heading to Ukraine next month to train national guard troops there, a Pentagon spokesman told Fox News Wednesday.

The unit heading to the war-torn country is from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based out of Vicenza, Italy.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/02/11/fighting-rages-on-in-ukraine-ahead-peace-talks/

Interesting.... do they now become a trip wire? How far do you go if one of them is killed by Ukrainian separatists? by Russians?

[GDS_Starfury]

I doubt that they will be that far forward for the time being.

[Barthheart]

I doubt that they will be that far forward for the time being.

Never the less.... shit does, sometimes, happen....