Anybody in Europe concerned?

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Sea Demon

I'm wondering if any of our European members here are concerned about Russia's missile exercises off your coasts. Think it's a little provacative? Maybe even a little destabilizing? Is this a shot across America's bow, Europe's, or the entire NATO as a whole?

I myself don't believe it's directly threatening to us. And I wasn't overly impressed with the display. But I'm surprised Europe has been so quiet about it.

No, I don't see it as a threat, I see it as a gesture of showing "We're back", but no immediate threat. what has potential to become threatening if europe drops it's guard is the Russian's strategy of trying to make Europe depend on Russian energy exclusively. they try to acchieve this by enforcing market shares for GASPROM's distribution network in europe, and building their own new pipeline in direct rivalry to a western-American project.

From their perspectives, these attemopts are legal and logical. Europe is a strong and potent hightech economy, and a political rival. To raise options to influence it's decisions is a tactic that recommends itself. the many broken promises by NATO concenring the expansion to the EAST, and the obvious betrayal that took place, did not helpt to calm ressentiments, but alarmed them and raised additonal new suspicions. Since they can afford to rebuilt their military now, they do it.

The day I cannot understand the motives behind their policy-making anymore will be the day I get nervous about them. But today? No. since being confronted with a Russian wall the EU cannot brake through may be a healthy experience for the EU and may even save the EU from itself, I even see some value in a stronger Russia - from a European perspective, even more so when considering that a world having fallen off balance after 1989 has been a world that is worse off than before, and the US not being able to act responsible as the globe' only temporary superpower. Obviously a counter-balance is needed to bring some stability back to the global military balance. China currently can do that on a regional scale only, but is not yet a global military player. But Russia is, and it was a great mistake by NATO to ignore all previous deals the Russians were willing to put their trust in. They got betrayed, and now react irritated and draw their conseqeunces. Washington also would not like to see Canada and middle america turning into russian satellites, with sensors and troops standing immediately at the border. And Washington would not have liked if promises were made that this would not happen - and then these promises were broken and facts created.