Baltic States, Eastern Europe Worried; US Budget Cuts Critical Defense Funding
Joseph R. Carducci
April 9, 2015
As reported several days earlier, the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are very concerned about the possibility of a Russian invasion. They have seen what happened in Ukraine and are worried that Vladimir Putin is in the process of making good on his threats to reunify the old Soviet Union.
Pentagon Slashes Baltic, Ukraine Defense Spending
Judging by the reaction of the United States and President Obama to all of this, they have good reason to worry. This is because the 2016 Pentagon budget significantly cuts funding for US military programs in the Baltics and Eastern Europe. Here are just some of what is being proposed:
•Funding for Baltic Air Policing is being cut from $15.5 million to $4.5 million.
•Air Force Baltic Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance will drop from $4.4 million to $0.3 million.
•The Navy Marine Corps Baltic Operations Multinational Exercises will be cut from $1.5 million down to just $0.5 million.
•The budget will also eliminate $175 million in funding given to Ukraine.
While all of Eastern Europe is also worried about falling under Russian domination again, the situation in the Baltics is a bit different. Why? Because they are members of NATO. Under the terms of the NATO agreement, an attack on any member nation (or an invasion) is considered an attack on all, and the alliance is obligated to respond.
Would US Defend Allies From Russia?
The real question, though, is whether or not the US would be willing to really take on Russia, or respond in a manner that could actually help the invaded nation(s) in such a case. After all, we pretty much sat back and watched when Russia engaged in their aggression in Ukraine. Many political leaders and lawmakers in Europe (and the Baltics) are very worried about the potential US response to further Russian aggression.
According to Latvian MEP Roberts Zile:
“The views on this situation if it should happen are very different among my colleagues in the European Parliament. There are some supporters of the position that NATO Article 5 works in this situation and all member states will do necessary steps to fight not only for Baltic States in a case like that. If NATO will not work under the famous Article number 5…NATO will soon be broken in pieces. I really can say that the European Parliament is very divided in this way.”
These countries are already beginning to prepare on their own. Many are increasing defense spending, some have even called for a draft. Lithuania has even published and distributed a 100-page pamphlet instructing citizens what to do in case of an invasion.
Of course, many Eastern European countries are also concerned. However, they are much less outspoken, since they feel if any invasion is to come, it will likely be up north, in the Baltic States, giving them a bit more time to prepare.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Putin might be calculating that an invasion or intervention into even a single Baltic State might be a good way to potentially break NATO. If the US is not willing to take any response stronger than weak-willed sanctions, he might be correct. What do YOU think?
http://downtrend.com/jrc410/baltic-states-eastern-europe-worried-us-budget-cuts-critical-defense-funding
