Russian Paratroopers Stage War Games Simulating NATO Attack

[Grog]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aiP27dME9EX4


Russian Paratroopers Stage War Games Simulating NATO Attack

By Lucian Kim

Sept. 27 (Bloomberg) -- More than 1,000 paratroopers dropped down near St. Petersburg, as Russia wraps up three weeks of war games simulating a NATO attack.

Russia, together with ally Belarus, is conducting land, air and sea maneuvers dubbed “West 2009” to test command coordination in the event of an invasion from Poland and the Baltic states, state broadcaster Vesti-24 reported today.

Parallel war games took place at nine Russian sites under the code name “Ladoga 2009,” after the lake near Russia’s border with Finland. Vesti showed soldiers warding off imaginary enemies in pouring rain and under the cover of night.

“The purpose of the exercises is to prepare the Belarusian and Russian armed forces for securing the strategic stability of the eastern European region,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on its Web site as the war games started on Sept. 8.

More than 12,500 servicemen, 100 aircraft and 470 armored vehicles and artillery pieces are taking part in the “exclusively defensive” maneuvers, which end on Sept. 29, according to the ministry.

Russia, which was invaded three times from the west in the last 200 years, has seen former communist allies in eastern Europe join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Relations with the alliance reached a low last year after Russia went to war with Georgia and President Dmitry Medvedev said it has “privileged interests” in surrounding countries.

U.S. President Barack Obama came to office this year pledging to “reset” relations with Russia. He canceled plans to station a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic earlier this month, removing a long-standing irritant in relations with Moscow.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lucian Kim in Moscow at lkim3@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: September 27, 2009 08:57 EDT

[Tuatara]

(In my opinion) perhaps we are at a stage in world history where a line-in-the-sand needs to be re-drawn; namely a "balance of power" restored.

I think Russia is (today) too much of an "unknown quantity". In the days of the USSR we could read Russian intentions much more clearly, i.e., they wished to export the creed of communism. Today this philosophy is dead and the Russian outlook has narrowed to a much more deadly nationalistic-type sentiment.

While I didn't agree with the Soviet system - it did however have far greater control over the peoples of the former USSR. In Soviet times any deviation from the official Party line was crushed. As a result we (the West) pretty much knew where we stood. We faced them off at the Berlin Wall and there was a "stalemate" (our threat was as equally potent to them - as theirs' was to us). Granted: proxy wars were waged throughout the globe (communist groupings versus capitalist) - but aside from Vietnam and Afghanistan - troops from the (then) 2 Super Powers never directly or "officially" took part in the fighting.

(In my opinion) the Russian Federation of today leaves too much room and scope for the rise of rogue politicians/elements in Government. History has shown us (up until recent times) that Russia has always been ruled by "one man" - whether it be a Tsar or Joe Stalin. Until that type of authority is once again re-established in Moscow - I believe we will be hard pressed to go to them and say: "Enough is enough Ivan!"

Having said that though; do we have any politicians with the gumption of Ronald Reagan or Margaret Thatcher - who would be prepared to stand up to them? While many would perhaps view these 2 politicians as warmongers - they were however respected in Moscow. Firmness and and an iron hand are seemingly 2 virtues the Russians (traditionally) admire; it was after all them who first referred to Maggie Thatcher as "the Iron Lady".

Just a few thoughts...

[Canuck In Denver]

Russia is somewhat of an unknown right now. During the previous eight years Bush treated Putin as the leader of a has been or second class country. A lot of what Putin said during that period was "take us seriously" and "treat us as equals". The problem is that in economic terms they have surpassed the US and most people fail to realize that.

I don't want a return to the USSR, I would like to see Russia continue down the road and continue its change to a capitalist country. Although there are many who think that is nothing but a ruse to allow Russia time to rebuild. Time will tell.

I'm very much of the old school believing that America should keep its nose out of other country's business for the most part.