What I am referring to is NATO sending troops and armor into Lithuania and Estonia. Is it really necessary to do so? Maybe, but do they need to send in an armored division? In my opinion no. And please forgive me if it seems like Im pro-Russian, but from my prospective its seems that NATO is the one being the aggressor. Setting up bases, air-defense radars and missiles, now more troops and armor. They are piratically surrounding Russia. Did the Baltic States request NATO? Like you said Penguin they might have requested assistance, because they feel threatened. As far as I know they did not I could be wrong. If they did, then completely different story. From my understanding the only country that I am aware of of that has requested permanent NATO presence is Poland.
Battallion! Not division.
A
division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several
regiments or
brigades . A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of three to six
battalions plus supporting elements.Typically a battalion consists of 300 to 800 soldiers and is divided into a number of
companies. A
company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–250 soldiers. Most companies are formed of three to six
platoons
Nato is not 'setting up bases'. That is not how it works.
With the collaps of the Soviet Union, Russian/Soviet forces left, allowing these countries to be independent once more again. Lithuania, Estonia etc as independent countries have elected to join NATO and become NATO members.
Accession to the alliance is governed with individual
Membership Action Plans, and requires approval by each current member. A country's participation in MAP entails the annual presentation of reports concerning its progress on five different measures:
- Willingness to settle international, ethnic or external territorial disputes by peaceful means, commitment to the rule of law and human rights, and democratic control of armed forces
- Ability to contribute to the organization's defence and missions
- Devotion of sufficient resources to armed forces to be able to meet the commitments of membership
- Security of sensitive information, and safeguards ensuring it
- Compatibility of domestic legislation with NATO cooperation
To a greater or lesser extent, NATO members make some of their existing military infrastructure available to thd alliance as well as a portion of their military forces.
NATO cannot just move troops from one country into the next. It always needs the approval if not explicit invitation of the NATO member that is the host nation.
Example:
The
Baltic air-policing mission is a
NATO air defence
Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in order to guard the airspace over the three
Baltic states of
Estonia,
Latvia and
Lithuania.
In March 2004, Lithuania became a full member of the NATO. Since then, fighter jets of NATO members are deployed in Zokniai airport and provide safety for the Baltic airspace. This is because Lithuania's best combat aircraft is the Czech Aero L-39 subsonic light attack airplane. Lithuania has 1 such jet operational.
Since March 2004, when the
Baltic states joined NATO, fighter jets of NATO members have been deployed on a rotational basis for the
Baltic Air Policing mission at
Šiauliai Airport in Lithuania to guard the Baltic airspace. Latvia's air force only has 4 transport helicopters.
Likewise, the Estonia air force main combat unit consists of 2 Aero L-39
By becoming nato members, they can have other nato countries fly their aircraft in defence of of these three state's airspace, while these three state develop their own military (they are often stuck with old Soviet stuff, if having stuff at all)
I can go down the list of former-WP nations in Eastern Europe if you like. But it is all pretty similar.
Should you wish to find out how the alliance actually work, visit
http://www.nato.int/docu/Review/2016/Also-in-2016/security-baltic-defense-nato/EN/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Wales_summit
AND YEAH, THE STATES REQUESTED NATO
Lithuania: NATO Keeps Mum On 'Baltic Brigade' Request
By:
Agence France-Presse, July 1, 2015 (Photo Credit: Sgt. James Avery/US Army)
VILNIUS, Lithuania — NATO has vowed to hold "continuous" military exercises in Eastern Europe to deter Russia but has yet to respond to a
request by Baltic states for a permanent brigade, Lithuania said Wednesday.
In May, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia formally asked NATO's top commander to deploy a "permanent rotational" battalion-sized unit in each country amid concerns triggered by Russia's military resurgence.
http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...to-keeps-mum-baltic-brigade-request/29595545/
Defense chiefs request permanent NATO presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
5/14/2015 4:54 PM
The three Baltic countries are planning to ask for the permanent presence of NATO troops on their soil, Capt. Mindaugas Neimontas, spokesman for Lithuania's chief of defense, told Reuters on Thursday. The troops would serve as further deterrent against Russia, which has been conducting an increasing number of military drills in the region.
According to Neimontas, the Baltic states will ask for 700-800 men units to be permanently stationed in each country on a rotational basis.
Poland too is considering a similar request, although General Stanislaw Koziej, head of the National Security Bureau, told Reuters that Warsaw's position could change before the summit – for example, in the unlikely event that Russia were to comply with the Minsk peace agreement for eastern Ukraine.
Estonian Defense Forces spokesman Roland Murof told uudised.err.ee that Estonia, in cooperation with Latvia and Lithuania, is in the course of preparing a request for more NATO troops in the region.
"It's important to note that while the focus is primarily on the infantry, we are also negotiating air and naval capacities," Murof said. "Russia sees NATO as its main nemesis and this has put the Baltic countries on the front line, so to say. Hence, NATO's deterrence needs to involve real military presence and advance presence of the equipment."
The Baltic countries currently host NATO's air policing mission and a rotating unit of 150 US troops each. The latter are mainly involved in various drills and training exercises, including Estonia's largest ever mobilization exercise Hedgehog (Siil) that concludes this week.
According to Murof, the exercise proved that Estonia is capable of fending off first attacks to its sovereignty, but the events in Ukraine show that the presence of the Allies is vital to ensuring effective deterrence and a swift reaction.
http://news.err.ee/v/news/Internati...ent-nato-presence-in-estonia-latvia-lithuania
On May 27, Latvian prime minister Laimota Straujuma confirmed Latvia’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a request to ensure a permanent NATO military presence in the country.
In addition to Latvia, generals from Lithuania and Estonia will also request NATO deploys several thousand ground troops in their countries to act as a deterrent to increasing aggression from the Kremlin.
"We are seeking a brigade-size unit so that every Baltic nation would have a battalion," said Lithuanian military spokesman Captain Mindaugas Neimontas.
http://www.baltictimes.com/cabinet_...equest_for_permanent_nato_presence_in_latvia/
The US Air Force and the Bulgarian Air Force will jointly conduct air policing to protect Bulgarian airspace starting on 9 September 2016. Two US F-15 fighter jets will join Bulgaria’s MIG-29s for a week on this mission, which is part of NATO’s enhanced air policing measures for eastern Allies.
Until now, air policing over Bulgaria has been conducted by national means. The enhanced air policing measures for Bulgaria are being launched by NATO for the first time, in response to a request by the Bulgarian authorities.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_134483.htm
The United States will pre-position tanks, artillery and other military equipment in six CEE states including Romania. The news comes as the Romanian Parliament also approved on Tuesday a request by President Klaus Iohannis to allow the establishment of a NATO Force Integration Unit and a Multinational Commandment on Romanian territory. US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced in Estonia on Tuesday and Romania agreed, along with Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to host US military equipment.
http://lbhn-1602388572.eu-west-1.elb.amazonaws.com/stire/20252042
