{"id":192070,"date":"2019-07-24T05:15:50","date_gmt":"2019-07-24T05:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=192070"},"modified":"2019-07-27T05:49:21","modified_gmt":"2019-07-27T05:49:21","slug":"the-us-nato-military-alliance-continues-confrontation-along-russias-borders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=192070","title":{"rendered":"The US-NATO Military Alliance Continues Confrontation Along Russia\u2019s Borders"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Brian Cloughley \u2013 Strategic Review July 23, 2019<\/strong><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_166407\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Western-military-on-Russian-border.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-166407\" class=\"wp-image-166407\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Western-military-on-Russian-border-1024x611.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"322\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-166407\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Western military on Russian border. Click to enlarge<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">The Pentagon and its sub-office in Brussels, HQ NATO, in its new billion dollar building, are intent on maintaining military pressure around the globe. The US itself is much more widely spread, having bases tentacled from continent to continent, with the Pentagon <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.acq.osd.mil\/eie\/Downloads\/BSI\/Base%20Structure%20Report%20FY17.pdf\">admitting<\/a><\/strong><\/span> to 514 but omitting mention of many countries, including Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">Independent researchers came up with the more <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.911tap.org\/557-news-releases\/768-2019-defense-budget-supports-883-overseas-bases-and-is-lethal-to-humanity\">realistic total<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of 883 bases, and <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.911tap.org\/557-news-releases\/768-2019-defense-budget-supports-883-overseas-bases-and-is-lethal-to-humanity\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>examination<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of the current US defence budget shows that the Pentagon\u2019s spending priorities are far from modest in regard to spreading its wings, hulls and boots-on-the-ground to maintain military domination by what Trump <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realdonaldtrump\/status\/1150381395078000643\">calls<\/a><\/strong><\/span> \u201cthe greatest and most powerful Nation on earth.\u201d To this end its vast military spending programme includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">increasing the strength of the Army, Navy, and Air Force by almost 26,000;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">building another ten combat ships for $18.4 billion;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">increasing production of the most expensive aircraft in world history, the F-35, costing over eleven billion; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">upgrading and expanding the triad of nuclear weapons deliverable from air, land and sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">The US military budget for 2020 is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/dod.defense.gov\/News\/News-Releases\/News-Release-View\/Article\/1782623\/dod-releases-fiscal-year-2020-budget-proposal\/\">officially<\/a><\/strong><\/span> $750 billion. According to the<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong> <a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sipri.org\/media\/press-release\/2019\/world-military-expenditure-grows-18-trillion-2018\">Stockholm International Peace Research Institute<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, total US-NATO military expenditure in 2018 was \u201c$963\u00a0billion, which represents 53 per cent of world spending.\u201d In striking (no humour intended) contrast, Russia\u2019s entire defence budget was $61.4 billion, its annual outlay having \u201cdecreased by 3.5 per cent,\u201d which even the most brainwashed western war-drummer would have to agree does not reflect the policy of a nation preparing to invade anybody.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">Yet the US-NATO alliance is increasing the number and scope of military manoeuvres along Russia\u2019s borders, and <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nato.int\/nato_static_fl2014\/...2019...\/1902-factsheet_exercises_en.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>announced<\/strong><\/span><\/a> that \u201cin 2019, a total of 102 NATO exercises are planned; 39 of them are open to partner participation.\u201d The exercises include 25 land, 27 air and 12 maritime-centred groups of manoeuvres.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">\u201cPartner participation\u201d is a disguised way of saying that non-NATO countries around Russia\u2019s borders have been encouraged to join in all the expensive military jamborees aimed at convincing their citizens they should follow \u201cthe greatest and most powerful Nation on earth\u201d in its never-ending conquests.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_190022\" style=\"width: 370px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/baltops-19.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-190022\" class=\"wp-image-190022\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/baltops-19-768x511.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/baltops-19-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/baltops-19-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/baltops-19-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/baltops-19.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-190022\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Baltops 2019. Click to enlarge<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">HQ NATO <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nato.int\/cps\/en\/natohq\/news_166717.htm\">announced<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>that from 8-22 June military forces of 18 nations took part in the BALTOPS naval manoeuvres which involved \u201cmaritime, air and ground forces with about 50 ships and submarines and 40 aircraft\u201d in and around the Baltic. The NATO spokesperson said, presumably with a straight face and no hint of the wry amusement felt by independent observers, that \u201cBALTOPS is now in its 47th year and is not directed against anyone.\u201d Sure. And the Easter Bunny just landed on Mars.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">In the most recent example of US-NATO confrontation, according to <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dvidshub.net\/news\/331543\/operation-rapid-forge-tests-department-defenses-dynamic-force-employment-and-f-35s-europe\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>US European Command<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, \u201cthe US Air Force deployed F-35 Lightning and F-15E Strike Eagles to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, as part of Operation Rapid Forge under the Department of Defense\u2019s Dynamic Force Employment Concept. Rapid Forge will involve forward deployments to bases in the territory of NATO allies in order to enhance readiness\u2026 and are conducted in coordination with US allies and partners in Europe. Rapid Forge aircraft are forward deploying to the territory of NATO allies\u2026 The goal of the operation is to increase the readiness and responsiveness of US forces in Europe\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">Then on July 16 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stripes.com\/news\/air-force-sends-f-35s-f-15s-to-europe-in-combat-readiness-test-1.590507\">Stars and Stripes<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (a remarkably objective commentator, incidentally) reported that the Rapid Forge strike aircraft had been sent to Poland, Lithuania and Estonia \u201cin a test of the service\u2019s ability to quickly deploy air power overseas\u201d These aircraft were specifically deployed to operate as closely as possible to Russian airspace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">The manoeuvres are part of ongoing refinement of the Pentagon\u2019s new Dynamic Force Employment strategy \u201cwhich is focused on using more unpredictable deployments to demonstrate military agility to possible adversaries.\u201d This concept involves \u201ca shift away from traditional six-month naval deployments to a flexible system that can involve shorter but more frequent stints at sea. And in March, the Army dispatched 1,500 soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Germany and onward to Poland in one of the service\u2019s largest snap mobilizations to Europe in years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">It was intriguing that the surge in US-NATO military deployment confrontation occurred at the same time it was revealed that the US has been storing nuclear weapons all over Europe for years. Most analysts knew this, although nothing had been admitted, but, as noted in the brilliant BBC TV satire <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quotes.net\/mquote\/956591\">Yes, Minister<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>by the lead character: \u201cFirst rule in politics: never believe anything until it\u2019s officially denied.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">As the Washington Post <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2019\/07\/16\/location-us-nuclear-weapons-europe-accidentally-revealed-report-nato-body\/?utm_term=.1bd3395ad380\">reported<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, \u201cA recently released \u2014 and subsequently deleted \u2014 document published by a NATO-affiliated body has sparked headlines in Europe with an apparent confirmation of a long-held open secret: some 150 US nuclear weapons are being stored in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.\u201d The moment a \u201cNATO official\u201d announced that \u201cwe do not comment on the details of NATO\u2019s nuclear posture\u2026 this is not an official NATO document,\u201d it was obvious that the deleted details given in the document must be accurate. And now many questions must be answered. For example : under whose guard are these weapons held? Are officials, politicians and military personnel of host countries permitted access to US nuclear storage facilities? What are the nuclear readiness states, and are the host nations informed of these? And it would be very interesting to know if US practice deployments involve nuclear bombs and missiles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">One of the most important aspects of the nuclear bases saga is the likely connection between these US weapons and this year\u2019s US-NATO military manoeuvres. The \u2018Rapid Forge\u2019 deployments to Russia\u2019s borders involve F-35A and F15E strike aircraft, and Lockheed Martin <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ccffff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.f35.com\/about\/carrytheload\/weaponry\">tells us<\/a><\/strong><\/span> that \u201conce air dominance is established, the F-35 converts to beast mode, carrying up to 22,000 pounds of combined internal and external weapons.\u201d Similarly, the F-15E <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/theaviationist.com\/2015\/12\/30\/f-15e-carrying-two-dummy-nukes-nellis\/\">is now capable<\/a> of delivering B61-12 nuclear bombs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">As reported by the Belgian daily <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.demorgen.be\/nieuws\/eindelijk-zwart-op-wit-er-liggen-amerikaanse-kernwapens-in-belgie~b051dc18\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>De Morgen<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (in English in the <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brusselstimes.com\/belgium\/60741\/nato-document-confirms-us-nuclear-bombs-stored-in-belgium\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Brussels Times<\/strong><\/span><\/a> on 16 July), the document stated that \u201cIn the context of NATO, the United States [has deployed] around 150 nuclear weapons in Europe, in particular B61 free-bombs, which can be [delivered] by both US and Allied planes.\u201d But we can be certain that the citizens of the countries concerned, or of any of the other NATO nations, will never be told on what terms the United States is storing nuclear weapons in their countries and what international developments might govern their use.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">Presumably it is the President of the United States who will give approval for release of the nuclear bombs being stored in six of the US bases in Belgium, Germany, Italy (2), the Netherlands and Turkey \u2014 but is he going to seek agreement from the governments of these countries to use these weapons? It is far from certain that there would be concurrence on the part of Turkey, for example, whose relations with Trump Washington are extremely <a style=\"color: #ccffff;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/1465221\/middle-east\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>precarious<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">What would happen if President Erdo\u011fan objected to an obviously indicated US intention to convert the USAF\u2019s F-35s to \u201cbeast mode\u201d, loading B61 nuclear bombs at Incirlik airbase?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">Nobody knows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">And nobody know if all these US-NATO martial fandangos in the skies around Russia\u2019s borders involve test deployment of strike aircraft in \u201cbeast mode\u201d, as nuclear attack preparedness is so aptly described by Lockheed Martin, that prominent member of Washington\u2019s Military-Industrial Complex.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ccffff;\">Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland seem to be delighted that US-NATO is continuing to confront Russia by flying nuclear strike aircraft in their airspace. But have they really thought all this through?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.strategic-culture.org\/news\/2019\/07\/23\/us-nato-military-alliance-continues-confrontation-along-russia-borders\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Total US-NATO military expenditure in 2018 was estimated to be \u201c$963\u00a0billion, which represents 53 per cent of world spending.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39262,"featured_media":190022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[61,91],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-192070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-Commentary","category-russia"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/39262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=192070"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":192089,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192070\/revisions\/192089"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/190022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=192070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=192070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=192070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}