A curious phenomenon: when Americans write about NATO in Europe, they almost never think about Turkey. Although the Turkish armed forces for the backbone of NATO in Europe. At the same time, the Turks are not idiots - they will not fight with either Russia or China. Maybe the Greeks will fight?
"Amazing" to see what the focus is here. The fact that none of the Western leaders are talking about peace is cruel and sadistic. Just imagine Russia wins this and people finally wake up. Millions of angry Ukrainians are already in Europe. Usually, you reap what you sow.
Here's something I haven't heard anyone talk about yet when it comes to European countries expanding their militaries: who is going to join the army? There are now millions of military-age young men originating from outside Europe living in Italy, Spain, France, UK, Germany, Sweden, etc. Are they going to join the national army voluntarily? Will they accept conscription? And if conscripted, could it be a security threat to now have millions of young Muslims, for example, wearing the national uniform and being trained to kill? Another way of putting it is, the demographics of these West European countries has changed, and therefore if the military expands it will likely reflect the new demographic reality. And can these immigrants be trusted to really have the interests of their new countries of residence at heart?
NATO militaries already can't fill in positions. Why do young no longer want to join the army? My guess is that western elites are actively destroying identity. Citizens feel no longer in their own country. hey try to erase our identities, delete our culture, rewrite history. The EU is even worse, they try to force this European identity, but there is no such thing. So why would I fight for a country not longer mine? Why should I fight for elites that not represent me? I'm willing to defend my home and family. I ive in a town, and also for the people I know in my town. But in 15 years the migrant population went from 2% to 12%, this destroyes our social cohesion. Not all migrants are bad, but we all know what kind of migrant is causing problems all over the world. Our elites have done nothing for us but to destroy what we value so they can stick it to themselves.
I agree with you 100%. In Europe especially, but also in recent decades in the USA, the elites have pushed to destroy patriotism and nationalism -- a sense of cohesion and identity. So no wonder people don't feel motivated to join the army. Under such circumstances, how would conscription go? I looked at the German proposal on renewed conscription, and if I understood it right, it allows for a civil service alternative. How many Europeans, especially recent immigrants from outside Europe, want to be forced into the national military?
And that raises another question: in our woke times, will only men be conscripted? If yes, that seems rather discriminatory and sexist to me. How will it go if men and women are conscripted equally?
Several russian minorities have been among Putins most faithful volunteers, whereas in western Europe, ethnic minorities and immigrants are (as usual) seen and treated like a problem or a threat.
Much emphasis has been put on integrating LGBTs in the armed forces, but not immigrants and minorities.
If they are not conscripted, it's a loss. If they are, I think they can be trusted to have the interests of their new countries at heart, at least as much or as little as ethnic swedes, germans etc., but many of them may not have US interests equally much at heart. I don't have an answer.
If you want more to worry about: At any given point of time, european shipping lines have many very expensive ships with equally expensive cargo all over the world. In a war, some of these ships could be critical for the outcome of the war, at least, so it was during WWI & WWII. Each of these ships is steered by two or three men, often indians, philippinos, etc., they are not even immigrants, just hired professionals, of diverse citizenships. Where is their loyalty, should they be called on to sail for years without being relieved, in convoys, to sink their ships etc.
"Should French President Emmanuel Macron make concessions to the left, it will be painful. The left wants a 90% "wealth tax" and far greater social spending. (“Wealth” is already leaving France.) France cannot do that and still put billions into Ukraine."
This is merely a matter of bargaining. Anyway, most of the Left in france are all-in for Ukraine. And yes, conscription is coming to germany and elsewhere in europe.
"NATO's Imperial Plans are mostly smoke, and if Asian countries have common sense, they will not tie themselves to NATO."
Nobody will ask them, except in the most formal sense.
We need to start by someone convincing the American people that we have the right Weapons and Strategy. A non specialist watching the Ukraine war can be forgiven for wondering if any more money spent on legacy systems will be just thrown away, together with the lives of the young men using them in battle. Where's our young Charles de Gaulle warning the Republic about coming Blitzkrieg tactics? How do you fight under conditions of total surveillance from the enemy, for example? Better yet, get the 55000 people in the diplomatic corps to start working to avoid a war or two.
NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The name should have been changed long ago in North American Treatment Organisation. Management: CIA
Which is commanded by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics Corporation, Northrop Grumman and some others. The latter have established 800 military bases in the world as point of sale.
The war in Ukraine is realy an US affair because they carefully prepared and caused it.
As I've said before, defeating the Collective West in Europe is a far safer and easier way for China to bring Taiwan back into the fold than directly attacking it. The Chinese can obviously gain geopolitical advantages through a proxy conflict just as we can.
Wait, so NATO has eight battlegroups deployed, i.e. in an expeditionary environment. One each in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Total is about 30,000 troops. The NATO Response Force is about 40,000 troops -- it's unclear if the 30,000 deployed battlegroups are included. Front line troops for NATO is about 800k - how many of these are expeditionary though? That's the huge question.
" Japan has longstanding, unresolved issues over the Northern Territories (the Kuril Islands), occupied by the USSR at the end of World War II. "
Long history in those islands...inhabited for centuries by an indigenous people and claimed by both Russia and Japan for centuries. Japan invaded Manchuria in 1939 but the Russians beat them and took control over the islands . The Russians and Japanese were on the verge of a compromise (the Russians willing to compromise) until (from what I recall) the US put it's nose in the tent insisting Japanese support the US in stationing medium range missiles in Japan, and then breakout of the SMO in Ukraine in which the US forced Japan further into an anti-Russian posture.
Nobody ever talks about US debt. I read more troops, more overseas military bases, more weapons, but you pay it with debt. The whole NATO/US global security architecture is build on debt. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. With everything happening if the US collapse things will get ugly. Military overreach...have we seen this before? But in general, nothing from those NATO plans will come into fruit, the west ran out of money long ago.
More madness from the world’s war mongers. God forbid anyone talks peace
A curious phenomenon: when Americans write about NATO in Europe, they almost never think about Turkey. Although the Turkish armed forces for the backbone of NATO in Europe. At the same time, the Turks are not idiots - they will not fight with either Russia or China. Maybe the Greeks will fight?
One of the most poorly kept secrets of NATO is that Greece funds their military to be a threat to the Turks. They’re not interested in Ukraine
This is well known. The Turks have told me many times that they are inside NATO only so that NATO does not attack Turkey.
"Amazing" to see what the focus is here. The fact that none of the Western leaders are talking about peace is cruel and sadistic. Just imagine Russia wins this and people finally wake up. Millions of angry Ukrainians are already in Europe. Usually, you reap what you sow.
Here's something I haven't heard anyone talk about yet when it comes to European countries expanding their militaries: who is going to join the army? There are now millions of military-age young men originating from outside Europe living in Italy, Spain, France, UK, Germany, Sweden, etc. Are they going to join the national army voluntarily? Will they accept conscription? And if conscripted, could it be a security threat to now have millions of young Muslims, for example, wearing the national uniform and being trained to kill? Another way of putting it is, the demographics of these West European countries has changed, and therefore if the military expands it will likely reflect the new demographic reality. And can these immigrants be trusted to really have the interests of their new countries of residence at heart?
NATO militaries already can't fill in positions. Why do young no longer want to join the army? My guess is that western elites are actively destroying identity. Citizens feel no longer in their own country. hey try to erase our identities, delete our culture, rewrite history. The EU is even worse, they try to force this European identity, but there is no such thing. So why would I fight for a country not longer mine? Why should I fight for elites that not represent me? I'm willing to defend my home and family. I ive in a town, and also for the people I know in my town. But in 15 years the migrant population went from 2% to 12%, this destroyes our social cohesion. Not all migrants are bad, but we all know what kind of migrant is causing problems all over the world. Our elites have done nothing for us but to destroy what we value so they can stick it to themselves.
I agree with you 100%. In Europe especially, but also in recent decades in the USA, the elites have pushed to destroy patriotism and nationalism -- a sense of cohesion and identity. So no wonder people don't feel motivated to join the army. Under such circumstances, how would conscription go? I looked at the German proposal on renewed conscription, and if I understood it right, it allows for a civil service alternative. How many Europeans, especially recent immigrants from outside Europe, want to be forced into the national military?
And that raises another question: in our woke times, will only men be conscripted? If yes, that seems rather discriminatory and sexist to me. How will it go if men and women are conscripted equally?
Good you raise the issue.
Several russian minorities have been among Putins most faithful volunteers, whereas in western Europe, ethnic minorities and immigrants are (as usual) seen and treated like a problem or a threat.
Much emphasis has been put on integrating LGBTs in the armed forces, but not immigrants and minorities.
If they are not conscripted, it's a loss. If they are, I think they can be trusted to have the interests of their new countries at heart, at least as much or as little as ethnic swedes, germans etc., but many of them may not have US interests equally much at heart. I don't have an answer.
If you want more to worry about: At any given point of time, european shipping lines have many very expensive ships with equally expensive cargo all over the world. In a war, some of these ships could be critical for the outcome of the war, at least, so it was during WWI & WWII. Each of these ships is steered by two or three men, often indians, philippinos, etc., they are not even immigrants, just hired professionals, of diverse citizenships. Where is their loyalty, should they be called on to sail for years without being relieved, in convoys, to sink their ships etc.
Our airplanes, I have no idea who's flying them.
"Should French President Emmanuel Macron make concessions to the left, it will be painful. The left wants a 90% "wealth tax" and far greater social spending. (“Wealth” is already leaving France.) France cannot do that and still put billions into Ukraine."
This is merely a matter of bargaining. Anyway, most of the Left in france are all-in for Ukraine. And yes, conscription is coming to germany and elsewhere in europe.
"NATO's Imperial Plans are mostly smoke, and if Asian countries have common sense, they will not tie themselves to NATO."
Nobody will ask them, except in the most formal sense.
Forced conscription doesn't make an army. Ask the Ukrainians.
Well, they are still in the field and fighting.
oh we call dying fighting now?
They do both, unless Ukrainian lines have been overrun and nobody told anyone.
Have you watched the development of the battlefield lately?
Yes.
<<<<<<Anyway, most of the Left in france are all-in for Ukraine. And yes, conscription is coming to germany and elsewhere in europe.<<<<<<
Not true about the left in France.
Good.
We need to start by someone convincing the American people that we have the right Weapons and Strategy. A non specialist watching the Ukraine war can be forgiven for wondering if any more money spent on legacy systems will be just thrown away, together with the lives of the young men using them in battle. Where's our young Charles de Gaulle warning the Republic about coming Blitzkrieg tactics? How do you fight under conditions of total surveillance from the enemy, for example? Better yet, get the 55000 people in the diplomatic corps to start working to avoid a war or two.
Seems a rather transparent scam, to make European governments buy overpriced US weapons systems.
NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The name should have been changed long ago in North American Treatment Organisation. Management: CIA
Which is commanded by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics Corporation, Northrop Grumman and some others. The latter have established 800 military bases in the world as point of sale.
The war in Ukraine is realy an US affair because they carefully prepared and caused it.
As I've said before, defeating the Collective West in Europe is a far safer and easier way for China to bring Taiwan back into the fold than directly attacking it. The Chinese can obviously gain geopolitical advantages through a proxy conflict just as we can.
Wait, so NATO has eight battlegroups deployed, i.e. in an expeditionary environment. One each in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Total is about 30,000 troops. The NATO Response Force is about 40,000 troops -- it's unclear if the 30,000 deployed battlegroups are included. Front line troops for NATO is about 800k - how many of these are expeditionary though? That's the huge question.
" Japan has longstanding, unresolved issues over the Northern Territories (the Kuril Islands), occupied by the USSR at the end of World War II. "
Long history in those islands...inhabited for centuries by an indigenous people and claimed by both Russia and Japan for centuries. Japan invaded Manchuria in 1939 but the Russians beat them and took control over the islands . The Russians and Japanese were on the verge of a compromise (the Russians willing to compromise) until (from what I recall) the US put it's nose in the tent insisting Japanese support the US in stationing medium range missiles in Japan, and then breakout of the SMO in Ukraine in which the US forced Japan further into an anti-Russian posture.
Wow... Stephen just reassured me that provoking China is the right course of action. Go USA.
I'm not getting that at all from reading this...
Nobody ever talks about US debt. I read more troops, more overseas military bases, more weapons, but you pay it with debt. The whole NATO/US global security architecture is build on debt. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. With everything happening if the US collapse things will get ugly. Military overreach...have we seen this before? But in general, nothing from those NATO plans will come into fruit, the west ran out of money long ago.