"Would Russia Attack & Invade the Baltics?" Topic

"Could NATO, drones, F-35s and US Special Operations Forces deter further Russian aggression and potentially stop an invasion of the Baltics?

That clearly seems to be part of the calculus motivating current SOF deployments and previous F-35 training operations in Eastern Europe, US officials said.

At the time of the F-35 deployment, a NATO statement said "the deployment is part of the European Reassurance Initiative, implemented by the United States to provide effective deterrence and assurance measures in Eastern Europe. In the wake of a more aggressive Russia, the move aims to reassure NATO Allies."…"
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Why would the Russians possibly need the aggravation or garrisoning hostile Baltic states and risking a major war with NATO? Cui bono?

Most of this situation seems to my eyes being part and parcel of a long-running US/NATO strategy of encircling Russia with belligerent states and bases, seeking to neutralize or cow the Russians. The Baltic states are being either paranoid or slyly playing on US fears in order to get the aid and attention.

"Aggressive Russia" -- it is to laugh. Who has been invading and breaking countries in the Mideast since 2001? Who has over 180 military bases overseas? Where are the foreign bases in the Americas? Who is being "aggressive"?

Putin will expand Russia when and where he can. Only thing that will stop him is the price he will have to pay to take them.

Can't say that I agree with the idea of NATO encircling Russia being a policy. The expansion of NATO is due to countries who spent years under Soviet, and by extension Russian, control doing their best to make sure it doesn't happen again. As to Russian aggression being a laugh, ask Georgia, the Ukraine, Chechnya. Russia has been as involved in the Middle East providing support to regimes as anyone else, and is active in Syria. Because they are not active on the USA's doorstep does not mean that they not active elsewhere. Russian jets are once again regularly being intercepted in UK airspace, something not seen since the height of the Cold War and there have been a number of incidents in the Baltic recently. Modern Russia seems to be just as willing to show off its muscles as the Soviet Union did. Whether or not this would go as far as a shooting war with NATO is debatable, but it should not be ignored as fantasy, better to be prepared than occupied.

I'd think even Putin in today's current environment would see the folly of such invasions. But never underestimate your enemy. And both Putin, the USA/NATO know that.

The west has been steadily encroaching into Russia's sphere-of-influence or "near abroad" since the collapse of the Soviet Union. NATO and EU expansion over the last two-and-a-half decades have effectively encircled Russia and, due to its economic woes, Russia was unable to push back against it until Putin came into power. When the Western Globalist Establishment tried to wrest Georgia and Ukraine away, it crossed the "red line" and Russia reacted militarily. Any self-respecting power in a similar geopolitical situation would have done the same.

And while we're all caught up in the frenzy over Russia's meddling in our last election, we conveniently forget that we incited political unrest during the 2011 presidential elections in Russia in a bid to oust Putin.

we incited political unrest during the 2011

That is one of the reasons why Putin "hated" one of the candidates so vehemently, etc. And never forget, "Once KGB, Always KGB."

What for?
Only if compelled by extreme bad treatment of the big Russian minorities there, despite the repeated E.U condemnations of them.

Piper- Putin has a well organized and funded propaganda arm of his government. He does not require your help. As someone who is half Polish and half Lithuanian, did it ever occur to you that these nations joined NATO so that they not get reabsorbed into Russia?
And if he could do it quickly without a NATO response, Putin would reabsorb the Baltics in a heartbeat. Do you really think he gives a darn about the population's opinions?

My husbands brother is SF, and he is in Latvia as we speak.

Training the Lats for this very idea.

SF is doing those sort of missions all over the world. It's one of their primary functions.

We saw the SF lead "Mike Forces", etc., in SE Asia as a very effective use of the locals. Training and in that case leading them as well. That sort of "technique" can be quite a "combat multiplier" so to speak. E.g. One or two SF A Teams training and leading @ 600 locals like the Montagards, Hmong, etc.

SF is trying to do the same in many places in Africa the Mid East, A'stan etc. But it seems in many cases the local forces still don't seem to "get it" … sadly …

I hope your husband's brother comes back safe and sound. I wish him and his fellow soldier all the best.

By training and running exercsies with the local militaries in the Baltic States, Poland, etc. It is a signal to Putin. To not to do anything too "aggressive". As not only will he be attacking the locals, but the US and [some ?] NATO members. And I certainly agree with Pan Marek's post.

Who has been invading and breaking countries in the Mideast since 2001? Who has over 180 military bases overseas? Where are the foreign bases in the Americas? Who is being "aggressive"?

The only reason the Russians are not doing some of those things is they can't. Their military is not the same as it was during the Cold War. And during the USSR's adventure in A'stan. That war cost the USSR massively in many areas. With their military being in the forefront. And again … Mr. Putin knows and remembers that … Every time someone says, "Russia" not the "USSR". I'd think ….

Actually Legion 4, Russia is just being 'Russia.'

So was the USSR…

Yes but I believe Putin actually thinks that the fall of the USSR was the worse event of the late 20th Century. The USSR lost some of it's territory, breaking up the old map, he liked and was "use" to.

Their military under went huge downsizing. The Warsaw Pact, under the USSR's control/under their thumb basically "disappeared".

The USSR was gone and lost a lot of prestige, etc. Which that alone would upset a former KGB type like Putin, I'd think.

Of course my statements are based on all the various media sources. I do not know or ever met him personally. So I could be wrong ?

You are not entirely wrong. The people over there, certainly those who knew CCCP, do have that sort of feeling. From top player to secondary.
Most hav/ had no clue of the economy, lies behind the doomed model they lived in.
Just found memories where everything was "safe" and garanteed. Or they thought so.
On the other end we in the west think of them as threats which I dicovered (for I fought them a lot when commies) is more a paranoia, not unreasonable considering their history which they do keep alive contrary to here. Ww2 was a major trauma, ever present, of a scale no one west (except maybe Poland?) has known. Then 17 th cty plus Mongols.
The Mongols had entire cities disapear for centuries, put the place backwards for 2-3 centuries…
So better have buffers, not believe foreigners, have wars elsewhere than in rodina. These things in their psyche have no equivalent in anglo saxon world, hence the major misunderstanding.

Yes, that is the way I understood it. Some of the old school "CCCP-philes". Liked the "good days" … Putin is one of them.

DOH !!!! That should read … the "good old days" …