NATO reinforcement: Why turn Europe into a theater of potential war?

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES – Washington and London have intensified their anti-Kremlin rhetoric with recent statements, followed by the announcement that the U.S. is to deploy three fully-manned military brigades to Eastern Europe to counter Russian “aggression.” Foreign affairs analyst Vladimir Mikheev says this is reckless and short-sighted action that only heightens the risk of conflict in Europe

Moscow has duly noted the recent surge in anti-Kremlin rhetoric from top U.S. and UK officials, supported by detailed plans to enhance NATO’s military potential in Europe.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said reforms were necessary to make the U.S. military more “agile” and able to address five strategic challeges, which he defined as “Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and terrorism.”

Almost simultaneously, the British foreign secretary Philip Hammond branded Russia a “challenge and a threat” and rejected cooperation with Moscow until it “respects” the rules of the international system. How exactly Moscow “disrespects” the international system Hammond did not disclose.

To support these bellicose statements, Air Force General Philip M. Breedlove of the U.S. European Command revealed that the Pentagon is to boost its military presence in Europe in what will amount to a deployment of three fully-manned military brigades by the end of 2017: one armored, one airborne and one Stryker brigade.

Besides this, the U.S. general has promised to upgrade the military hardware of the European armed force by substituting their current equipment with “the most modern the army has to offer.” It all comes as part of a build-up in what he described as “the European theater.” Omitted was the last part of the phrase: the “theater” of a potential war.

No more ‘business as usual’

The announcement of the planned deployment of extra military hardware and troops in Europe comes in the wake of the Obama administration’s decision to modernize its nuclear arsenal, unprecedented in scale since the end of the Cold War. In the next 10 years, the American military-industrial complex, once vilified for its omnipotency by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, will cash in on the almost $350 billion budget.

CONTINUE READING