Members of the Massachusetts Air National Guard load equipment onto a C-17 that departed Barnes Air National Guard Base headed for Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands, as part of a theater security package. (Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Sarah Watson-Kirwin/U.S. Air National Guard)
Defense News: Poking the bear: US Air Force builds in Russia’s backyard
WASHINGTON — As the U.S. Defense Department expands its presence in Europe, the Air Force has quietly ramped up investments that would enable it to deploy to allied bases in Eastern Europe and operate close to Russia’s western flank.
The Trump administration wants to spend $828 million in 2019 to build up military infrastructure in Europe as part of an ongoing initiative to deter Russian aggression and reinforce allies. Almost half of that construction funding would go toward U.S. Air Force projects.
The request would more than double military construction funding under the European Deterrence Initiative, or EDI, from the 2018 request — when not so long ago, the U.S. military was shrinking its Cold War-era footprint in Europe.
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WNU Editor: All that I can say is "do not poke the bear".
3 comments:
You want more fake news? Ok, it is an article of faith in European press to state "Trump doesn't like NATO" or "Trump soft on NATO".
Yet Trump authorized spending billions more than Obama to reinforce NATO in significant ways. These air bases are just one axis where the Trump admin is working to strengthen NATO. More exercises, sending back some armor that Obama completely withdrew, working to help Europe create energy alternatives to Russia.
It's almost like Trump is showing the Euro's he's all in on their defense. Now its up to Europe to prove they are too. If they don't do it, Europe will have the vapors on more than the price of steel.
he U.S. is placing pre-positioned Air Force basing assets in original NATO nations, like Germany and the United Kingdom, and making significant airfield improvements in Eastern Bloc countries and beyond.
To be clear, the U.S. is not looking at building up new major bases in former Soviet bloc countries, but it’s making improvements to existing infrastructure to ensure it supports U.S.-specific requirements.
Same can be said, Don't F with the Eagle too.
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