Flashpoint Latvia

[viper37]

No objection. Spain will put forward our creaky, munition-less, and fuel-less Hornets for NATO's service.

Still probably a match for whatever shit the Russians have.

I started the same conversation on another forum and there's a dude there who is quite into defense politics in the area. He's saying that the St. Petersburg based Russian Baltic navy is pretty shit (with a Vice admiral and his immediate staff recently dismissed for incompetence), and that the Swedes alone could probably defeat it with even the Finns or Danes on their own being able to give them a run for their money (assuming no nukes).

Furthermore, the geography means that naval bombardment could provide excellent precision artillery support for the fraction of the cost of an air campaign, whether that's against "little green men" or a more conventional military offense.

If that's true, then the Crimean playbook may be less viable for the Russians presuming the Scandinavians and Poles get involved - as they very well might.

Sweden isn't part of NATO, neither is Finland.

[Jacob]

Sweden isn't part of NATO, neither is Finland.

That is true, but neither are fans of Russia throwing their weight around in the Baltic and both are friends of the Baltic states. Additionally, the same person I was referring to said that overt Russian action in the area would likely push both to join NATO as well.

[Valmy]

Sweden isn't part of NATO, neither is Finland.

I thought those countries were close friends of the Baltic States though, particularly Estonia. Would Finland stand by and let the only other Finnic country in the world be taken over without doing anything about it?

[Grey Fox]

Other States have to start spending money too, not just the USA.

True.  Canada should spend more.  Oh, wait.  You voted for a guy who promised to spend less... 

No, I did not.

No party actually increases our military spending even the Cons failed to deliver that.

[Jacob]

No party actually increases our military spending even the Cons failed to deliver that.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/government-gets-poor-grade-for-military-spending-1.3030862

[Grey Fox]

So they achieve & then roll back? WTF Stephen?!

[The Brain]

Of course Sweden will fight Russia over Estonia if NATO does not.

[Valmy]

FFS Canada. We don't ask much and you cannot even fulfill your minimal obligations. At least you are better than the perfidious Belgians, who are without a doubt the worst shirkers in the alliance.

[Jacob]

FFS Canada. We don't ask much and you cannot even fulfill your minimal obligations. At least you are better than the perfidious Belgians, who are without a doubt the worst shirkers in the alliance.

At least we send our people in harms way in support of our American allies. That's got to count for something?

[Valmy]

FFS Canada. We don't ask much and you cannot even fulfill your minimal obligations. At least you are better than the perfidious Belgians, who are without a doubt the worst shirkers in the alliance.

At least we send our people in harms way in support of our American allies. That's got to count for something?

Sure. I just hope we send our people into harms way in support of our allies.

[The Minsky Moment]

Pretty sure Greece also more than met those targets, unless they have really slashed their defence budget this year.

They have it easier, the denominator keeps going down.

[Eddie Teach]

Sure. I just hope we send our people into harms way in support of our allies.

We did it for our close friends in Kuwait. 

[viper37]

Sweden isn't part of NATO, neither is Finland.

I thought those countries were close friends of the Baltic States though, particularly Estonia. Would Finland stand by and let the only other Finnic country in the world be taken over without doing anything about it?

I don't know.  Finland would likely not see Russian expansion on its border with a keen eye.  Sweden on the other hand... Maybe they'll start waking up when Russia annexes Finland, but I doubt they'd get entangle in any kind of conflict that does not pose a clear & present danger to them.  And it's highly unlikely that any movement to join NATO would gain sufficient ground to achieve something meaningful, especially if there's open war between Russia and the US.

[Valmy]

Sure. I just hope we send our people into harms way in support of our allies.

We did it for our close friends in Kuwait. 

If Papa Bush and Colin Powell were in charge I wouldn't be worried

Well maybe. Papa is pretty elderly.

[viper37]

So they achieve & then roll back? WTF Stephen?!

2008 economic crisis and the following coup by the NDP&Libs that forced Harper to shift his priorities to civilian infrastructure spending.  And then the F-35 program got delayed further.  And then the Liberals promised to make Canada great again.