American military build-up in Europe

Thousands Of US Troops Arrive In Europe In "One Of Largest Deployments Since The Cold War"

Zero Hedge,

9 January, 2016

Just days after we reported that the US had begun deploying some 2,800 tanks, trucks and other military equipment to Germany, from where they would be transported by rail and road to Eastern Europe as part of a buildup of NATO reinforcements against "Russian expansion", the next US deployment has made its way to Europe over the weekend, when some 4,000 US troops arrived in the German port of Bremerheven, on their way to Wroclaw, Poland under a planned NATO operation to "reassure the alliance’s Eastern European allies" in the face of what NATO has dubbed mounting Russian aggression.

The American soldiers landed in Wroclaw, home to a key Nato and Polish air base in south-west Poland. The troops will be followed by the roughly 2,800 tanks and other pieces of military equipment which are currently en route from Germany.

The delivery of US Abrams tanks, Paladin artillery, and Bradley fighting vehicles, as well as supporting troops, marks a new phase of America’s continuous presence in Europe, which will now be based on a nine-month rotation.

Why provoke Russia with yet another mass deployment? Because as NATO Major General Timothy McGuire told reporters, last week, when asked if the large deployment was meant to send a message to Russia, "The best way to maintain the peace is through preparation." And while we are quoting, here is another good line from the movie Spice Like Us: "A weapon unused is a useless weapon." The US military industrial complex is doing everything in its power to make sure a lot of weapons are used in the future.

As reported previously, NATO’s latest deployment along Russia’s western border falls under Operation Atlantic Resolve, a mission designed to demonstrate to Moscow Washington’s commitment to defend allies in Europe. Atlantic Resolve was launched in the immediate aftermath of the Ukraine proxy war and the partition of the Ukraine, which sparked fears in the Baltic nations that Vladimir Putin was planning a similar land-grab there.

The Polish embassy in Washington said the troops in Wroclaw were the first to arrive in Poland as part of Atlantic Resolve. As theIndependent dubs the US reinforcement, the deployment has been described as "one of the largest movements of US troops to Europe since the Cold War."

Quoted by Reuters, Lt Gen Tim Ray, deputy commander of US European Command, said: “Let me be very clear, this is one part of our efforts to deter Russian aggression, ensure territorial integrity of our allies and maintain a Europe that is whole, free, prosperous and at peace.”

Instead, what the deployment will do is bring the continent that much closer to a new cold, if not conventional, war.

The US troops are expected to be stationed at two training sites in western Poland in the short term before they are sent to sites at six other countries across the region.

In another faux-pacifist justification, Maj Gen Timothy McGuire, deputy commanding general of the US Army Europe, said that, “this is a tangible sign of the United States' commitment to maintaining peace on this continent. "It is a sign of the US commitment to this alliance and to peace and prosperity in Europe." Meanwhile, Russia has already deploy nuclear-capable ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad in response to this latest NATO build-up, from where it has a bird's eye view of most of central Europe. It has warned further deployment would lead to even more nukes.

The US Army said the process of deploying to Europe was part of the training and tested how American forces would be sent at short notice to counter Russia in the event of an outbreak of war. Troops will be on rotation in Poland and beyond for between four and six months and will work alongside local units.

The massive deployment means that the arrival of the 3rd Armoured Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, will see the start of a continuous presence and back-to-back rotations of US troops and equipment in the region. Among the deployments to Romania and Bulgaria will be the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment – dubbed the ‘Iron Knights’ and the oldest armoured unit in the US Army. The US is also increasing its presence in the Black Sea and in Western Europe at bases in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Russia blames the West for worsening relations and says the build-up of Nato troops in the Baltics is a provocation. Expect more complaints from the Kremlin: around 4,000 Nato troops are set be posted to Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia in the coming months.

In addition, Britain will send an 800-strong battalion to Estonia, supported by French and Danish troops, beginning in May. The deployment was criticised as “truly aggressive” by Moscow.

Meanwhile, an odd voice of reason when it comes to potential European war has emerged out of German politicians, who have raised concern about thethousands of NATO troops and equipment, along with hundreds of tanks, that have been sent to Poland and countries bordering Russia in what has been touted by Washington as “defense against Russian aggression.”

U.S. tanks, trucks and other military equipment is are unloaded in the harbour of

Bremerhaven, Germany, January 8, 2017

“It does not help us if tanks will be going up and down on both sides of the border,” Brandenburg’s leader and SPD party member, Dietmar Woidke, told RBB. “I hope everyone will keep calm. I believe that despite all the difficulties, we should seek dialogue with Russia,” he added on Thursday, warning that relations with Moscow could worsen even further.

NATO’s buildup in Europe also came under fire from Germany’s Die Linke party. “Tanks do not create peace, anywhere,” Christian Görke stressed in a statement, RBB reported. Tobias Pflueger of Die Linke slammed the stationing of US tanks and military equipment in Poland, saying this will trigger an arms race and lead to an “escalation in relations with Russia,” Focus Online reported.

Crowds of people marched through Bremerhaven on Saturday to protest the deployment and transport of NATO troops and weapons through the city, RT reported. Hundreds of American tanks, trucks, and other military equipment bound for Poland, said to be the largest arms shipment since the fall of the Soviet Union, arrived at the German port on Friday to be transferred to Eastern Europe. The protesters marched through the city holding signs and banners reading, “No NATO deployments! End the militaristic march against Russia!” and “Out of NATO.”

“There is, starting from Washington DC, a major push to do everything possible in the next two weeks to create unending hostility between the West and Russia that can’t be undone by Donald Trump or anyone else. Even at the risk of open violence, rather than simply Cold War hostility. This is highly preferable to weapons profiteers as against actual peace breaking out, which is their greatest fear,” author and journalist David Swanson told RT on Monday.

“It is clearly an escalation that involves numerous facets including propaganda about Russian crimes in the US media; that includes shipping troops and equipment to the border; that includes expanding NATO and pushing hard on other NATO members to join in this escalation where you have serious protests in Germany by those who want peace [and are] against sending Germans or Americans from Germany eastward, as they should. There are not enough of us in the US similarly protesting,” he added.

Naturally, anyone who shares Swanson's view will be dubbed a purveyor of "fake news" and promptly deported to Russia on allegations of being a Russian spy

Over a Thousand Russian Tanks and Military Vehicles Bordering Ukraine!

US Build Up Forces in Poland is it for Ukraine?

Сonvoy of combat vehicles of Armed Forces of Ukraine 2. Going to war

Obama sends hundreds of tanks to Russian border

Fort Russ News,

January 8th, 2016 - - 

- SVP - Interview with Andrei Polunin - 

On Friday, January 6th, at the German port of Bremerhaven, hundreds of tanks, trucks, and other military equipment began arriving from the US. The transport ship Resolve has delivered the goods to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, United States located in  Eastern Europe, as reported by Reuters.

According to the agency, the two other American transports - Freedom and Endurance - should reach the coast of Germany today, 8th of January. In Bremerhaven, the military equipment is to be loaded into rail cars, and then sent to their destination via the territory of Germany and Poland. According to the Bundeswehr, 900 cars will be required for the transportation with a total length of 14 kilometers. 

We recall that Washington's plans to deploy in Eastern Europe an armored brigade group became known in late April 2016. As the commander of the European Command of the US Armed Forces (EUCOM), General Philip Breedlove , this is a reaction to the "aggressive" policy of the Kremlin. On paper, the Americans plan looks impressive: 4,200 troops, 250 tanks and howitzers, military equipment and 1,700 additional vehicles.

The decision to deploy a third brigade in Europe is more costly to the Pentagon. The White House announced its intention to allocate over $ 3.4 billion in 2017, for additional weapons and equipment in Europe. The given figure is four times higher than the amount provided in the budget for 2016.

The new team will be different from the other two brigades of the US Army stationed in Germany and Italy. New barracks in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and the Baltic States will not be built. Personnel and equipment will change every nine months. The brigade will break into small units, which will then be placed in rotation in various countries. This approach Washington intend to ensure respect for the fundamental act of the NATO - Russia in 1997. Under its provisions, the alliance should refrain from the permanent deployment in Eastern Europe "substantial combat forces".

SP: Pentagon plans immediately caused a sharp reaction from the Kremlin. As Russia's permanent representative to NATO, Alexander Grushko said "they further complicate the already difficult relations" between Russia and NATO. The Permanent Representative described the intention of the US military leadership as taking "the next step, setting up a transition of NATO from watchdog to aggressive."

Will they will correct these plans once Donald Trump comes to power in the United States, how will Russia respond to the strengthening of NATO in Eastern Europe?

A. Polunin: Barack Obama began the transfer of 3rd Armoured Brigade in Europe earlier than planned - said a leading expert of the Center for Military-Political Studies of MGIMO, doctor of political science Mikhail Alexandrov . Initially, I remind you, the operation was scheduled for February 2017. This is done, of course, within the framework of the decisions of the Warsaw Summit of NATO to deploy four battalion tactical groups in Poland and the Baltic States.

Here it is necessary to understand that battalion tactical groups have the infrastructure for rapid deployment in the full team. Personnel can be airlifted and equipment is already in stock. This will be the most capable  team of the West in Europe, plus they will support the Polish army, which is quite an impressive effect - taking into account that the aircraft can be quickly deployed from Germany and even from the United States.

As a result, the United States will be able to in two weeks to create the most powerful striking force on the borders of the Kaliningrad region.

On our side, I remember, there are only three divisions, plus the Baltic Fleet. However, NATO members could delay our fleet forces by bringing additional naval groups in the Baltic, where, incidentally, there is also the German Navy, and Polish. In other words, the West is really able to quickly establish superiority of forces in the region of Kaliningrad.

SP: How can we resist such a deployment?

A. Polunin: We can increase the grouping in  most of the Kaliningrad region. But there is a small area, and we did not place a lot of troops on it. In addition, these compounds will be in direct impact zone. This means that if NATO decided to strike first, our troops will for the most part be destroyed.

In my opinion, the best option is to create two tank armies on the borders of Latvia and Lithuania. In this case, the alliance will not have illusions that it can capture the Kaliningrad region. Even if Belarus will remain neutral - given the current "wobbly" policy of Alexander Lukashenko - our armored army rolls and passes through Latvia, Lithuania, and quickly come to the borders of the Kaliningrad region.

As a result, our group in Kaliningrad will need to hold out for two or three days, and then crush the Polish army, and American teams with our tank armies.

The main thing, I repeat, NATO should have no doubt that we will crush them in the region even without the use of nuclear weapons. Because now the alliance expects that we do not dare go to the use of nuclear weapons, and hopes for predominance in conventional weapons

SP: - Can Trump push back the Obama administration plans to strengthen in Eastern Europe?

A. Polunin: - I think he can. But Obama just does everything to hinder this coming together. If what was planned is postponed until February, Trump - whose inauguration will be held January 20th - could postpone the transfer of troops to the talks with Vladimir Putin , and then completely abolish it.

But now Trump can not withdraw troops  - otherwise he would be serious attacked on the part of all Russophobes and representatives of the US Democratic Party. Therefore, he will have to proceed with caution

SP: - What's the Kremlin to do in such a situation ?

A. Polunin - Putin, I believe he needs to have a conversation about making NATO return to its promise - not to deploy substantial forces in Eastern Europe - and that US troops were withdrawn. Otherwise we will be forced to take retaliatory measures that are adequate.

However, Trump himself must decide whether he aims at the continuation of confrontation with Russia, or wants to change the vector of  foreign policy. In theory, he could blackmail us increasing in Eastern Europe in the hope that we will bargain on Syria, as well as with regard to Iran and China.

But if Trump really dares such blackmail, it will be a failing policy. In this case we are not going to retreat, and force Americans to delay more forces on the Eastern European front. As a result, Washington has no strength left to resist Beijing or solve problems in the Middle East. So that Trump should think twice before he goes to the escalation of tensions on the Russia-US line.

A correction of the NATO course in Eastern Europe is possible, but not in the near future, according to the deputy director of the Tauride information-analytical center Sergey Ermakov RISS . 

An advanced military presence is a very important thing for the Americans. In addition, anti-Russian legislative initiatives, which came from Obama at the end of his presidency, has a certain inertia. With that Trump will have to be considered. It's no coincidence that American political scientists believe that the way of the new US president delivered a maximum of barriers, so that he too came closer to Russia.

In addition, the question now acutely rise, what will come of NATO? The alliance in recent years formed several centers of power - Western Europe, the neophytes, who are ready to support the United States in every way, plus Turkey, which is now playing a big foreign game.

This makes NATO an important tool for the United States, despite Trump's claims  about the futility of the alliance. It is realized through the NATO military policy of the USA. And in order to support the alliance, keep it afloat and justify its appropriateness, the Americans really need a military presence in Eastern Europe.