It's fair to say that most people could not locate Kaliningrad on a map. It's a tiny bit of Russia along the Baltic Sea that is separated from the rest of Russia by about 200 miles. It's the northern part of what used to be called Prussia. It's hardly an area of world importance, but that has now changed. The Russians have just moved nuclear capable missiles into Kaliningrad. These missiles are mid range ones that could easily hit Berlin, Warsaw or many other parts of NATO countries. It's something that the Russians have threatened in the past but have not done.
The American media seems to interested on whether or not Donald Trump said something nasty or what Hillary said to Wall Street in her speeches to even mention this news. Nevertheless, the move by the Russians is extremely important. First, let's point out what this is not: it is not something that actually changes the nuclear balance of terror. Were Russia to launch nuclear weapons against the USA, even President Obama would launch a counterstrike. It's end of the world stuff. On the other hand, there's a question if Obama would launch US nukes in response to a Russian strike on a non-nuclear NATO nation. Would Obama destroy the world if Russia took out Berlin? How about Warsaw? How about Estonia? In reality, that is just the point that Putin is making by putting Russian nukes into Kaliningrad.
For many decades, the Russians have threatened to put nukes in Kaliningrad right next to Poland and Germany. America faced them down each time until 2009, when Hillary Clinton and Obama traded our anti-missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic for a Russian agreement to keep nukes out of Kaliningrad. The Poles and Czechs were extremely unhappy with that trade, but were powerless to stop it. Now, they are facing the Russians with their nukes next door and no anti-missile system. Russia is trying with this move to undermine the belief in central and eastern Europe that the USA is an ally they can count on.
This move by the Russians comes within hours of the Russian commander in the Middle East telling the USA that it better keep its planes away from the Assad forces or the Russians would shoot them down. Russia has not leveled threats of that sort at the USA since the USSR collapsed at the end of the Cold War. Now, thanks to Obama (and Clinton) those threats are back. The world is a much more dangerous place because of American weakness and the refusal of Obama to use American power in the Middle East.
The old audio and video tapes from the candidates will soon be forgotten. The loss of American influence and the damage to our alliances will be a problem, however, for the foreseeable future. Just for once, can't our government realize that what we do is more important than what we say?
The American media seems to interested on whether or not Donald Trump said something nasty or what Hillary said to Wall Street in her speeches to even mention this news. Nevertheless, the move by the Russians is extremely important. First, let's point out what this is not: it is not something that actually changes the nuclear balance of terror. Were Russia to launch nuclear weapons against the USA, even President Obama would launch a counterstrike. It's end of the world stuff. On the other hand, there's a question if Obama would launch US nukes in response to a Russian strike on a non-nuclear NATO nation. Would Obama destroy the world if Russia took out Berlin? How about Warsaw? How about Estonia? In reality, that is just the point that Putin is making by putting Russian nukes into Kaliningrad.
For many decades, the Russians have threatened to put nukes in Kaliningrad right next to Poland and Germany. America faced them down each time until 2009, when Hillary Clinton and Obama traded our anti-missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic for a Russian agreement to keep nukes out of Kaliningrad. The Poles and Czechs were extremely unhappy with that trade, but were powerless to stop it. Now, they are facing the Russians with their nukes next door and no anti-missile system. Russia is trying with this move to undermine the belief in central and eastern Europe that the USA is an ally they can count on.
This move by the Russians comes within hours of the Russian commander in the Middle East telling the USA that it better keep its planes away from the Assad forces or the Russians would shoot them down. Russia has not leveled threats of that sort at the USA since the USSR collapsed at the end of the Cold War. Now, thanks to Obama (and Clinton) those threats are back. The world is a much more dangerous place because of American weakness and the refusal of Obama to use American power in the Middle East.
The old audio and video tapes from the candidates will soon be forgotten. The loss of American influence and the damage to our alliances will be a problem, however, for the foreseeable future. Just for once, can't our government realize that what we do is more important than what we say?
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