Shootings and explosions in Paris

[Admiral Yi]

That's a bit of an oversimplification. The European countries that border Russia are definitely pulling their weight (as much as they can) and the UK and France both seem to take their military commitments seriously.

The Baltics are a joke from what I've read.

[Martinus]

That's a bit of an oversimplification. The European countries that border Russia are definitely pulling their weight (as much as they can) and the UK and France both seem to take their military commitments seriously.

The Baltics are a joke from what I've read.

Yeah but then their economies are a joke too. It's like Rhode Island having an army.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Yes, Rhode Island has a bigger economy than any one of the Baltic states.

Britain has sent a small number of troops to the Baltics to provide "training" and whatnot. Or, to put it another way, if the Russians invade the Baltics then they will probably have to kill a few British soldiers to do so.......a deterrent of sorts. I believe the French and Americans have also posted small numbers of troops in the area.

[Admiral Yi]

But what's their population, about 2 million per?

Equipment is expensive but grunts can be cheap, and IIRC the entire Lithuanian army consists of one battalion.  That's something like 600 men.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Doesn't look as bad as that according to wiki :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Armed_Forces

They have reintroduced conscription it seems.

[Martinus]

It seems Brussels is completely shut down today. I wonder when this stops being sustainable and what we will do then.

[Admiral Yi]

Doesn't look as bad as that according to wiki :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Armed_Forces

They have reintroduced conscription it seems.

Seems I was thinking of Latvia.  According to Wiki there are 971 troops in the Latvian Land Forces.

[Martinus]

But Latvia is not even a proper country.

[Archy]

The terrorists are winning Brussels is a city under hostage. No metros,  schools today. Shopping centers closed and a lot of evenements were canceled. And because of this my earlier bus didn't show without earlier warning. 

[Martinus]

The terrorists are winning Brussels is a city under hostage. No metros,  schools today. Shopping centers closed and a lot of evenements were canceled. And because of this my earlier bus didn't show without earlier warning. 

As I asked before, I wonder if the West is going to adapt to this new reality of living under the constant threat of terror or whether (assuming that things will continue going in the same direction) it eventually gets to a breaking point when the West comes to a conclusion that wiping out all followers of Islam from the face of the Earth is preferable to the alternative.

I am not actually advocating this or looking forward to this - I am just wondering.

[Jaron]

The terrorists are winning Brussels is a city under hostage. No metros,  schools today. Shopping centers closed and a lot of evenements were canceled. And because of this my earlier bus didn't show without earlier warning. 

As I asked before, I wonder if the West is going to adapt to this new reality of living under the constant threat of terror or whether (assuming that things will continue going in the same direction) it eventually gets to a breaking point when the West comes to a conclusion that wiping out all followers of Islam from the face of the Earth is preferable to the alternative.

I am not actually advocating this or looking forward to this - I am just wondering.

[Razgovory]

I find it dumbfounding that the Europeans continue to cut and starve their militaries while the Middle East blows up and Russia flexes its muscles. Is this some kind of weird suicide pact?

"Those goddamn warmongering Yanks will take care of it".

Not really. Countries that have no military power comparable to their economic potential are quite safe.

The worst what the US public could do is to stop fulfilling its treaty commitments to Poland because Belgium is not spending enough on its army.

Yes, really.  The NATO guideline for military spending is a minimum of 2% of GDP.  Of the 28 member states only five meet that this year.  US, UK, Greece, Estonia and Poland.  Last year it was four, Poland joined the club just this year.  From here it looks like a lot like Europe's strategy is to cut spending and let the Americans work it out.

[Tamas]

I find it dumbfounding that the Europeans continue to cut and starve their militaries while the Middle East blows up and Russia flexes its muscles. Is this some kind of weird suicide pact?

"Those goddamn warmongering Yanks will take care of it".

Not really. Countries that have no military power comparable to their economic potential are quite safe.

The worst what the US public could do is to stop fulfilling its treaty commitments to Poland because Belgium is not spending enough on its army.

Yes, really.  The NATO guideline for military spending is a minimum of 2% of GDP.  Of the 28 member states only five meet that this year.  US, UK, Greece, Estonia and Poland.  Last year it was four, Poland joined the club just this year.  From here it looks like a lot like Europe's strategy is to cut spending and let the Americans work it out.

Yes. All the while scoring cheap popularity points with their voters on being critical to US "warmongering" of course.

[Duque de Bragança]

I find it dumbfounding that the Europeans continue to cut and starve their militaries while the Middle East blows up and Russia flexes its muscles. Is this some kind of weird suicide pact?

"Those goddamn warmongering Yanks will take care of it".

Not really. Countries that have no military power comparable to their economic potential are quite safe.

The worst what the US public could do is to stop fulfilling its treaty commitments to Poland because Belgium is not spending enough on its army.

Yes, really.  The NATO guideline for military spending is a minimum of 2% of GDP.  Of the 28 member states only five meet that this year.  US, UK, Greece, Estonia and Poland.  Last year it was four, Poland joined the club just this year.  From here it looks like a lot like Europe's strategy is to cut spending and let the Americans work it out.

Seems you forgot France in your list. Even before the extra spending linked to the recent events: 2.2 %, more or less like the UK.

PS:  conflicting reports from NATO and the World bank. 

[Razgovory]

I find it dumbfounding that the Europeans continue to cut and starve their militaries while the Middle East blows up and Russia flexes its muscles. Is this some kind of weird suicide pact?

"Those goddamn warmongering Yanks will take care of it".

Not really. Countries that have no military power comparable to their economic potential are quite safe.

The worst what the US public could do is to stop fulfilling its treaty commitments to Poland because Belgium is not spending enough on its army.

Yes, really.  The NATO guideline for military spending is a minimum of 2% of GDP.  Of the 28 member states only five meet that this year.  US, UK, Greece, Estonia and Poland.  Last year it was four, Poland joined the club just this year.  From here it looks like a lot like Europe's strategy is to cut spending and let the Americans work it out.

Seems you forgot France in your list. Even before the extra spending linked to the recent events: 2.2 %, more or less like the UK.

PS:  conflicting reports from NATO and the World bank. 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/nato-calls-for-rise-in-defence-spending-by-alliance-members-1434978193

Nope, I didn't forget it.