Home
Baltic Conflict Would Spell Defeat for US, NATO Against Russia
Spending in Eastern Europe will increase from a current $800 million to some $3.4 billion.
While this announcement came as a shock to many, a report released by the RAND Corporation this week may offer an explanation. According to the think tank’s analysis of NATO war games in Eastern Europe, both the US and NATO would suffer a crushing defeat if forced to confront the Russian military.
"The games’ findings are unambiguous: As currently postured, NATO cannot successfully defend the territory of its most exposed members," the report states.
The report focuses on the Baltic region, examining a series of war games conducted between 2014-2015. The results show Russian troops reaching the Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian capitals within 36 to 60 hours.
"Such a rapid defeat would leave NATO with a limited number of options, all bad," the report reads.
Three options are provided. The first is a counterattack, which is predicted to result in an even stronger reaction from Moscow. The second option involves NATO threatening Russia with nuclear weapons, while the third would be to accept defeat.
In November 2015, an earlier study by the same consultancy group found that the United States is rapidly losing air superiority to the Chinese military.
"…Continuous improvements to Chinese air capabilities make it increasingly difficult for the United States to achieve air superiority within a politically and operationally effective timeframe, especially in a scenario close to the Chinese mainland," the earlier report stated.
Beijing’s growing military strength challenges Washington’s role in the Pacific, particularly in the South China Sea, where the US has vocally protested China’s construction of artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/us/20160204/1034185557/us-nato-baltic-hypothetical-defeat.html#ixzz3zAzCsgI4
Spending in Eastern Europe will increase from a current $800 million to some $3.4 billion.
While this announcement came as a shock to many, a report released by the RAND Corporation this week may offer an explanation. According to the think tank’s analysis of NATO war games in Eastern Europe, both the US and NATO would suffer a crushing defeat if forced to confront the Russian military.
"The games’ findings are unambiguous: As currently postured, NATO cannot successfully defend the territory of its most exposed members," the report states.
The report focuses on the Baltic region, examining a series of war games conducted between 2014-2015. The results show Russian troops reaching the Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian capitals within 36 to 60 hours.
"Such a rapid defeat would leave NATO with a limited number of options, all bad," the report reads.
Three options are provided. The first is a counterattack, which is predicted to result in an even stronger reaction from Moscow. The second option involves NATO threatening Russia with nuclear weapons, while the third would be to accept defeat.
In November 2015, an earlier study by the same consultancy group found that the United States is rapidly losing air superiority to the Chinese military.
"…Continuous improvements to Chinese air capabilities make it increasingly difficult for the United States to achieve air superiority within a politically and operationally effective timeframe, especially in a scenario close to the Chinese mainland," the earlier report stated.
Beijing’s growing military strength challenges Washington’s role in the Pacific, particularly in the South China Sea, where the US has vocally protested China’s construction of artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/us/20160204/1034185557/us-nato-baltic-hypothetical-defeat.html#ixzz3zAzCsgI4
» The National Union explains the reasons for not legislating the oil and gas law
» Iraq signs two memoranda of understanding with the Arab Tourism Organization
» Parliamentary Committee: Granting investment licenses reduces housing unit prices
» Parliamentary Finance: Amending the budget law will allow for changing useless paragraphs and items
» MP reveals latest developments in Personal Status Law
» Salary scale pushes towards hosting Al-Sudani inside the parliament dome
» Intensive meetings with British BP to develop Kirkuk fields
» "Al-Eqtisad News" publishes the full decisions of the Cabinet session
» Parliamentary Energy: Iraq continues its efforts to diversify gas supply sources
» What is Iraq's connection? Goldman Sachs: OPEC+ cuts may support oil in the short term
» New understandings between Baghdad and Erbil to export oil via Turkish Ceyhan
» Minister of Communications: We will deal with the global parent company Vodafone, not its branch in
» "Pessimism" about Trump's arrival to the US presidency.. Will it affect the Iraqi economy?
» Iraq is the fourth largest Arab country and the 51st largest in the world in the list of the world's
» Parliamentary criticism follows granting Vodafone the national mobile phone license
» Oil Markets: OPEC+ Plans to Increase Production, Trump's Promises Spark Controversy
» Natural barriers to stop desertification in the country
» Parliament Legality to Al-Sabah: Extending the Legislative Session Aims to Pass Important Laws
» The Council of Ministers takes 19 important decisions
» Al-Sudani: We succeeded in sparing Iraq the consequences of conflicts
» 20 schools with international standards in Babylon
» Transport to {Sabah}: One million passengers on board the Green Bird in 4 months
» Agriculture to {Sabah}: Strategic work programs to stop desertification in the country
» Food Basket: Improved Quality, Delayed Distribution
» Parliament extends its term and ends reading of three laws
» Great government achievements.. Model school buildings project
» Parliamentary meeting to discuss four important oil files
» Parliamentary Committee: We support amending the budget law and we submitted a request to add a new
» Al-Sudani stresses the importance of relations between Iraq and Kuwait and the government's efforts
» Al-Sudani leaves Baghdad for Spain on an official visit
» Economist: Non-oil revenues to achieve significant growth in 2024
» Transport signs a consulting contract with an Italian company regarding the first phase of the devel
» Iraqi Exhibitions Announce New Exhibitions Next Month
» Integrity: Iraq signs Mecca Agreement to enhance cooperation in combating corruption
» Despite setting the first session... the talks to form the regional government are at a standstill a
» Speaker of the House of Representatives discusses a number of important national issues with the Pre
» Iraqi oil falls again on third day of trading
» Economist: Iraq has a reliable database and the census does not create development but rather facili
» Decisive moves to propose salary scale amendment under the parliament dome
» To solve the overcrowding crisis, Iraq needs to build 10,000 schools
» 64% of Anbar power plant in Hit completed: A qualitative step to enhance energy
» Minister of Interior: We discussed with the United Kingdom ways of security and intelligence coopera
» The possibility of an Israeli strike on Iraq is increasing.. Will the factions stop the attacks if a
» Halt of Iranian gas supplies threatens operation of power plants in Iraq
» The Presidency of the Region announces: The new parliament will hold its first session on the second
» America: Factions in Iraq expose the country to the risk of instability
» Planning reveals the next step of the census: We will visit these families
» Health: Opening of three new factories to produce various medicines
» Health: Ongoing work to develop and create new specialized centers throughout Iraq
» The House of Representatives completes the first reading of the draft law amending the first three-y
» President of the Republic: The necessity of unifying efforts to establish peace and stability in the
» Al-Mandlawi to Kuwaiti Ambassador: The security of the region is indivisible
» Indian Oil Corporation maintains deal to import Iraqi oil
» Iraq's oil exports exceed 103 million barrels last month
» MP angry over obstruction of defense minister’s interrogation: Files threaten Iraq’s security collap
» Cabinet decisions include those related to “voluntary deduction” and Iraqi airports
» For the first time since 2003, non-oil revenues achieve significant growth during 2024 (tables)
» Find out the dollar prices in the Iraqi markets
» A new suspicion in the railways, its heroes are the “22 billion contract team”.. Signing a contract
» Prime Minister sponsors signing of two memoranda of understanding in the field of tourism
» utube 11/23/24 MM&C Reporting-Expectations are High-IMF-Flexible Exchange Rate Regime-Pr
» Parliamentary Finance Committee discusses amending the three-year budget
» utube 11/26/24 MM&C MM&C Iraq News-Central Bank Iraq-Monetary Stability Excellent-Budget Law 2023,
» "Rich Iraq" seeks "money" to combat methane emissions: internal and external obstacles
» Increase in foreign remittance sales at the Central Bank of Iraq auction
» Its area is 2.5 million acres, and these are its details.. Work begins on a "large" residential city
» Kurdistan Finance delivers employees' salary schedule to the federal government
» Beggars are sweeping the streets of Iraq.. Their numbers are "large" and 90% of them receive welfare
» Settling tax trust claims
» Launching the National School Health Strategy
» Approval to implement service projects in Babylon
» New container handling berths at ports
» Work: Demand for registration in social security
» Reconstruction: Land Bank to be completed next year
» Aiming to enhance services in schools and prevent diseases, the National School Health Strategy for
» Karmian Festival witnesses the conclusion of commercial and industrial contracts
» Focus on the banking sector
» Minister of Trade: Studies Center is a turning point that serves the Iraqi economy
» Economists: Census is a roadmap for development
» Today's newspapers are interested in Al-Sudani's announcement that the population of Iraq exceeds 45
» International Development Bank: Today's incident was an extortion attempt that did not affect our wo
» thirty-sixth session, chaired by the Minister of Planning
» Closed meeting of the Parliamentary Finance Committee to discuss seven files
» The demographic boom in Iraq: an economic opportunity or a social burden?
» Al-Sudani confirms to Russian delegation Iraq's desire to establish a mechanism that brings mutual b
» Parliament holds its session headed by Al-Mashhadani and attended by 168 MPs
» The Iraqi government deducts 1% of the salaries of employees and retirees to donate to Gaza and Leba
» Iran announces its commitment to continuing gas exports to Iraq
» Iraq, Russia discuss energy cooperation
» British Home Secretary to visit Iraq tomorrow
» The next parliament will have 450 members.. Officially, Al-Sudani announces that the population of I
» US Ambassador Warns of 'Frightening Actions': Iraq Does Not Want to Be Drawn into Regional Conflict
» Planning: The announced census results are not preliminary and the number will increase
» Election “hype” begins early.. Al-Maliki insists on holding it and Al-Sudani prepares
» “No more delays”.. Parliament changes the mechanism of holding sessions: “Controversial” laws are re
» Al-Mashhadani to the heads of the blocs: I prefer to vote on the general amnesty law before anything
» Iraq ranks 8th in the Arab world in achieving work-life balance in 2025
» Labor announces issuance of more than a quarter of a million national cards for social protection be