WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to substantially increase the deployment of heavy weapons, armored vehicles and other equipment to NATO countries in Central and Eastern Europe, a move that administration officials said was aimed at deterring Russia from further aggression in the region.
The White House plans to pay for the additional weapons and equipment with a budget request of more than $3.4 billion for military spending in Europe in 2017, several officials said Monday, more than quadrupling the current budget of $789 million. The weapons and equipment will be used by American and NATO forces, ensuring that the alliance can maintain a full armored combat brigade in the region at all times.
Though Russia’s military activity has quieted in eastern Ukraine in recent months, Moscow continues to maintain a presence there, working with pro-Russian local forces. Administration officials said the additional NATO forces were calculated to send a signal to President Vladimir V. Putin that the West remained deeply suspicious of his motives in the region.
“This is not a response to something that happened last Tuesday,” a senior administration official said. “This is a longer-term response to a changed security environment in Europe. This reflects a new situation, where Russia has become a more difficult actor.” (New York Times)
********************************
So the Pentagon wants to spend more than $3.4 billion in Europe in one year so they can menace the Russian Bear with a full armored combat brigade. Is this supposed to scare brother Vladimir into giving the Crimea back to Ukraine? Is brother Vladimir supposed to pull up stakes in Syria and leave Assad to the liver eaters? Apparently there are some in the Pentagon who believe that the total awesomeness of that armored brigade will accomplish just that.
********************************
"This is a really big deal, and the Russians are going to have a cow," Evelyn N. Farkas, the Pentagon's top policy official on Russia and Ukraine until October, told The Times on Tuesday. "It's a huge sign of commitment to deterring Russia, and to strengthening our alliance and our partnership with countries like Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia." (Business Insider)
********************************
This Farkas woman ought to be working with the HNC delegation that Colonel Lang just told us about. Farkas and the HNC are equally delusional.
I am firmly convinced Nuland, along with her cabal, and the rest of the Borgist horde are severely butthurt about losing the opportunity to fly the NATO flag over Sevastopol. That would have been the jewel in the crown. All they got out of their investment of five billion dollars was a failing country run by corrupt neo-Nazis and thieving oligarchs. To top it off, the revitalized Russian base at Sevastopol is now instrumental in crushing the Borgist dreams of the “Assad must go” crowd. How’s that for insult to injury.
A year ago we were talking about the pivot to Asia. Then we had to pivot back to the Middle East and another quick pivot to Europe and Russia. The Borg must be getting dizzy with all this pivoting.
TTG
TTG:
Ukraine is no longer a failing country, it is dead.
I wonder when the immigrants will start flooding East and West.
Babak,
We Westerners do like our zombies, don’t we?
TTG Sir
If we get the Madame Secretary or Ratatattat Rubio, then we’ll continue to be in Borgist heaven. But with The Donald or Grandpa Socialist the Borg maybe put out to pasture for a term.
A country is dead only when the emperor says it is dead. Well, if the emperor is also dead, we’ll a lot of fish to cover that up, and in the meantime, no country dies while we are still collecting the fish. (a terrible joke coupling a myth about the First Emperor of China and the present rudderlessness in Washington).
The NYTimes article also says:
“Administration officials said the new investments were not just about deterring Russia. The weapons and equipment could also be deployed along NATO’s southern flank, where they could help in the fight against the Islamic State …”
and,
“Mr. Obama, according to a defense official, is also going to ask Congress for a 35 percent increase — $7 billion — to fight Islamic State militants.”
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
Strange that, just as IS is nearing defeat, there is so such great interest in fighting it.
It seems likely to me that this new brigade – which must be formed ASAP! – gets used in Syria or Iraq. “Fighting IS” is really a smokescreen for anti-R+6 machinations.
It seems that just in case the Turkish air force gets another bad idea, the Russian air force is prepared to welcome them:
http://southfront.org/a-winged-stronghold-has-appeared-in-syria/
According to Landestroyer (today) and some others, Lybia is next in the US, UK, Italy scope.
A striking force of 6.000 is considered to figth 5.000 ISIS.
TTG,
The ‘borg’ must like ballet.
Much pivoting.
If I believed in actual Democracy in America, I would have some hope for change. But, I fear it is rigged and has been since at least 2008. I hope Trump or Sanders (either one) is elected and can at least put up some road blocks. But, I am 99% certain the Borg is in full control and has been for a very long time. Six coin toss wins? I am supposed to believe in that? If I had that luck I would be spending all my time in Las Vegas.
Kao, when I met Chinese students in London, I wondered about Chinese philosophy before and post revolution. Had it survived? They were really puzzled by my question. Which I have to admit was triggered by my interest in Lao Tze and the I Ging, I suppose. …
Will you guide me to the myth about Ying Zheng/Qin Shi Huang?
Of course, Babak’s position seems to be Confucian. As far as I can tell. Since he was a realist?
Britain has ruled out sending troops to Italy.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/02/philip-hammond-rules-out-sending-british-combat-troops-libya
So have France and Italy:
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/nation-world/world/article/Coalition-to-intensify-ISIS-fight-but-won-t-send-6802283.php
I look at their finances – IMF, EU, US are AWOL and Ukraine is not receiving any money from them.
SecDef Carter gave a talk yesterday on the DoD budget: http://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech-View/Article/648466/remarks-previewing-the-fy-2017-defense-budget
There were a number of interesting things in it but, because I’m interested in national security space stuff, I was struck by this:
“I also want to mention space because at times in the past, space was seen as a sanctuary, new and emerging threats make clear that that’s not the case anymore and we must be prepared for the possibility of a conflict that extends in space. Last year we added over $5 billion in new investments to make us better postured for that. And then in 2017 we’re doing even more, enhancing our ability to identify, attribute and negate all threatening actions in space. For so many commercial space endeavors, we want this domain to be just like the oceans and the Internet: free and safe for all.
“There are some in this world who don’t want that to happen – who see America’s dominance in these and other areas and want to take that away from us in the future so that we can’t operate effectively around the globe. So we’re not waiting to invest until the threats are fully realized. We’re investing now so we stay ahead of them.”
Read literally, this seems pretty ambitious and a considerable change from the way things have been done to date.
Yes, yesterday it was on and today it’s of.
I was just coming here to rectify.
What philosophy?
Chinks only love money.
re: “But, I am 99% certain the Borg is in full control and has been for a very long time.”
Yes! I didn’t used to think so, but since starting to ramp into retirement fifteen years ago I’ve been reading a lot of history, especially stuff recently written on the 20th century, the writers of which have had access to sources that weren’t previously available. I’ve come to believe that the nascent Borg (aka Deep State) has been in place since the coup d’etat in Hawaii and the Spanish American War, if not before.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overthrow_of_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War
Yes. In addition to the “incredible” odds of the coin toss, did you notice that all the “super delegates” went her way. That’s the party establishment backing her in totality.
The demographics of the Democrat caucus is amazing. Sanders won 80% of the below 29 age group, while Hillary won 70% of the over 65 group. Her woman card made no difference to the Millenial women who overwhelmingly supported Sanders. What’s up with the Boomers?
Carter obviously believes that America has the right to World domination.
Walrus,
That was made perfectly clear when the Pentagon was pushing the concept of full spectrum dominance… manifest destiny in its full ripeness.
Yes, the old pre-revolutionary Chinese Humanistic Ethos is dead and gone; only peasant greed remains.
Babak, YT… from olden days…
Tao Te Ching 53
If I have just an ounce of sense,
I follow the great Way,
And fear only to stray from it.
The great Way is very straight,
But people prefer to deviate.
When the palace is magnificent,
The fields are filled with weeds,
And the granaries are empty.
Some have lavish garments,
Carry sharp swords,
And feast on food and drink.
They possess more than they can spend.
This is called the vanity of robbers.
It is certainly not the Way.
http://www.taoistic.com/taoteching-laotzu/taoteching-53.htm
Robbery
Lao Tzu ends this chapter with what is also a joke. Robber, tao, is pronounced the same as Tao, the Way. But indeed, they are not the same. Lao Tzu deplores those who keep to themselves much more than they could ever consume. To him, that’s robbery. Sadly, such robbers take pride in their gluttony.
In this respect, nothing has changed since the days of Lao Tzu. There are still those who have much more than they can spend, although they try hard with meaningless luxury, while there are many others who don’t have even nearly enough. Those who follow the Way weep over this.
It must have been a daring statement by a man living in ancient China, where those who were rich had all the sharp swords at their command, and didn’t hesitate to use them.
According to the legend, Lao Tzu wrote his book upon leaving the country for good. That may have given him the courage to be this outspoken.
———–
Not so different times. Neither the idealism nor the reality.
Ah, Valissa, you impress me with knowledge of our phonetic.
Are you a scholar of our history & ways?
Yes. Thanks to that peasant mao.
YT, I have no phonetic knowledge of Chinese, that was a quote from the link I posted. However, I have an interest in Taoism and Chinese Buddhism and have studied both (there are many similarities) out of personal interest, though I am no sort of expert or scholar. I simply have much appreciation for their philosophical approaches and spiritual wisdom.
In particular I have enjoyed the writings of John Blofeld https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Blofeld and have read several of his books.
In pride of place in my meditation room is a Chinese dragon statue that originally belonged to an American Chinese family that moved back to China to be Christian missionaries. As I am an ex-Christian who favors Taoism and Buddhism it seemed to be kismet when a friend gave me that dragon statue as a housewarming gift some years ago (they had bought it from the Chinese family’s yard sale).
[apologies if this is a double post… when I was finishing up this comment the first time I inadvertently closed my browser and can’t remember if I had sent it off or not]
Great imagery YT, thanks!
No shortage of cartoons on the Pivot to Asia thingy…
http://bit.ly/1SuvUSO
http://bit.ly/1P8hWBC
http://bit.ly/1S1RvBu
🙂
Walrus, TTG,
Messrs, cui bono?
“Ironically, the First Emperor’s determination to cheat death may have hastened his demise at around 50 years of age. He regarded mercury as a special substance with life-enhancing properties, and it appears that others may have prescribed this as an ingredient in his medicines or potions. He suddenly fell ill and died on one of numerous tours of his empire. His son and eunuchs feared that any sudden news of his death would cause political unrest, so he was transported back to his palace with only a few trusted advisers aware of the event. To disguise the smell of his decaying flesh, cartloads of dried fish were positioned to the front and rear of his carriage.”
YT,
Defense contractors will surely get a large chunk of the billions the Pentagon is requesting. Government program managers will also justify expanding their pet programs just as they did with the GWOT. However, I believe there is a religious, almost messianic, aspect to this drive for total dominance that transcends any earthly desire for increased money and power.
In a conversation with Malraux, de Gaulle quoted Kosygin: “Once Mao dies, China is will become capitalist.”
And then there are those who wish America to have World Dominion, such as Australia & New Zealand.
There is a boat from New Zealand patrolling “Gulfo de Persicos” – protecting Arabs from the Manichean-ly Evil Persicos.
Persicos – Persians – Iran – you know; where Dart Vader and Emperor Palpatin go for much needed R&R.
TTG, agreed on the messianic drive for dominance that transcends mere dreams of money and power… but they are all related in a complex feedback system. If there was NOT enough money (if the US was not so rich a country and world dominant financially) and if we could not afford this path I think things would be quite different. The US ability to “print money” is surely a big piece of the power & dominance equation.
Babak:
Explain, will you?
Australia and New Zealand, of all possible places?
Besides, what made you shift language-wise here? Any superficial guess, I could attempt would probably fail. The first I tried, wouldn’t fit at all whatever tags I attached to you so far.
thanks, a lot Will.
that at least looked at superficially helps at least concerning “fish”.
Sorry about not responding. The (attempted) joke about the proverbial emperor in Washington DC today, who refuse to acknowledge the reality and is insisting that the world abide his demands, even as his power and influence may well be as dying as the First Emperor’s and this decline is concealed in 21st century equivalent of the stinky fish.