China's Dangerous Game-Russia's military strengh

[JOHN THURSTON]

I was able to tag into a DOD "mirror site" and I will be posting on the above mentioned subject.

Generally the articles post the US in the more favorable position, but I am presently a bit more sanguine.

The US is tied down in The middle East to some extent and it will be unlikely to pull it hands out of "the Tar Baby" .

The arbitrary date set of a US pullout from Afghanistan, although music to the ears of many, is outrageous, given the goals in Afghanistan. Do our Troops continually have to be put in harm's way for only slightly varying reasons in the middle east and Afghanistan.

A 2015 pullout will leave Afghanistan is roughly the same shape as Iraq after our pullout. It was too soon and, more to the point, too complete. A large force should have maintained a presence in Kuwait (and Kuwaitis are probably very frightened at the moment.) to deter the occurrence of a "power vacuum".

Is 2015 going to prove to be the US' 1938, ie: the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, and the setting of a more dangerous stage for a conflagration of considerable size.

Nato has added many members.

However who can say what the French will do? They did not put forth a full effort in 1940, but the considerable losses they inflicted on the "Nazi Gangsters' were underreported and minimized for some reason. L'Armee de L'air put up a stiff fight in only moderately obsolescent aircraft. The DeWontine 320 went on to serve in the air defence of the Reich, and the Chezch Skoda Built T-28 comprised a not inconsequential part of invading force in 1940 and in Operation Barbarossa. You may pick it out of Nazi tank formations as it is noticibly higher than German designs deployed. More later on the PZFKW's deployed by Germany.

Newish members are Slovakia, Spain, Lithuania, Romania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia (they were a part of Yugoslavia and make great skis) And Bulgaria. middileish member include Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. I was surprised to note Spain's entry in 2004 as I thought they wished to stay and play Switzerland and Sweden type role(s).

I omit to neighborbors of Greece that I cannot make out as they appear unnamed on the map I was fortunate enough to find online. Turkey only remains (I believe) because of the economic gain to be made from a membership in the EU. otherwise they appear to be doing little yet-I stress yet-to aid in the ISIL crisis.