US and Nato troops begin Ukraine military exercise

[webfact]

US and Nato troops begin Ukraine military exercise

(BBC) About 1,300 troops from 15 countries - including the US and other Nato members - have begun a military exercise near Lviv in western Ukraine.

The US says the drill had been planned before the current crisis in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have been battling pro-Russian rebels.

Clashes have continued in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the city of Donetsk, despite a ceasefire deal.

Russia denies sending troops to aid the rebels, as alleged by Ukraine and Nato.

Over the weekend, Ukrainian Defence Minister Valery Heletey said Nato countries had begun arming his nation in the fight against the rebels.

He did not specify the type of weapons being delivered or name the countries involved.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29204505


-- BBC 2014-09-16

[DisparateDan]

Here's a solution....

Edited September 16, 2014 by DisparateDan

[Mosha]

I thought US was part of NATO

[shaurene]

I thought US was part of NATO

I believe the USA is not part of NATO. They never joined because they could not control it.

[iancnx]

USA is a member state ..... Goodness what schools did you guys go to?

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/nato_countries.htm

[ratcatcher]

I thought US was part of NATO

I believe the USA is not part of NATO. They never joined because they could not control it.

https://www.google.co.th/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=nato+founders&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDgykHnxCHfq6-gallSp6WenaylX5SaXFmXmpxMZwRn1-QWpRYkpmfZ5WWX5qXklq0JqE25OdO_ryV0qI-m4QfKbNN37INAPWLeO5SAAAA

[Mosha]

I thought US was part of NATO

I believe the USA is not part of NATO. They never joined because they could not control it.

Google is your friend, apology accepted.

[Nemo.]

We now could have the nightmare scenario where USA and Russian troops end up fighting each other and start ww3.

With ebola taking hold as well end of the world anyone? Nuclear winter even from a.limited nuclear war would cause havoc and two billion dead. Then ebola takes hold. <deleted> are nato doing!

[MZurf]

We now could have the nightmare scenario where USA and Russian troops end up fighting each other and start ww3.

With ebola taking hold as well end of the world anyone? Nuclear winter even from a.limited nuclear war would cause havoc and two billion dead. Then ebola takes hold. <deleted> are nato doing!

Standing up against a dictator who cannot be allowed to bully his way into getting what he wants any longer. We (Nato countries) either deal with this problem now or slink away like cowardly dogs, to be controlled by this in Moscow for the foreseeable future.

The sad thing is that the Russian public is so utterly brainwashed they actually believe all the insane propaganda and conspiracy theories that are being manufactured by Putin's propaganda machinery.

I have a Russian colleague and here is some of the mad sh!t he believes in:

-Stalin was of course the greatest leader ever, he never hurt anyone. And if he did, they deserved it.

-MH 370 was hijacked by the Americans and the plane was hidden away on Diego Garcia. This was because there were a number of Chinese scientist onboard. All passengers and crew were killed and the bodies were then loaded onto.....

-MH 17. That plane was blown up by the Americans and the bodies from MH 370 where added to the bodies from the passengers. That's why they found many more bodies than what should have been there according to the crew list. (Exactly why the Americans disposed of the bodies in this manner instead of burying them on Diego Garcia he cannot answer).

-The world is controlled by Jews, and the British Queen is one of their leaders.

-The meteor that caused an explosion over Cheliyabinsk in February 2013 was in fact an American attack.

-Gays are just as bad as pedophiles.

-Gulags never existed.

-The Molotov/Ribbentrop pact never existed.

-The Katyn massacre was perpetrated by the Germans.

- He firmly believes that a woman's place is in the kitchen, and that they should not be working. He says that a woman is happy if her husband is happy - simple as that. (Oh, how I wish that was true ).

All this are "facts" from Russia's Putin controlled "news" sources. I know we have some Russian TV members and I would love to hear your take on this.

Edited September 16, 2014 by MZurf

[rickirs]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I thought US was part of NATO

NATO has 28 member countries including the US. I would guess the news media wanted to report that the US was included in the military exercise that only included 15 member countries. Thus, "US and NATO." Given the US military predominance in NATO it would be hard to imagine any NATO military exercise being done without the US.

[rickirs]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I thought US was part of NATO

I believe the USA is not part of NATO. They never joined because they could not control it.

You must also believe that the US is not part of the UN because it could not control it too. In fact the US makes the largest percentage of funding contributions to both with its UN contribution almost 20% of total funding.

[ABCer]

There is no apology for ignorance.

There is no excuse for stupidity.

The devil is always coming from Moscow.

The angels are always coming from the West.

Military exercise of NATO in Ukrane is figment of imagination of Ukraine Defence Minister.

The armaments supplies from NATO to Ukraine are not specified.

The Moscow military build up at Ukraine border is an act of aggression - past, present and future.

Did I miss anything?...

Oh, yes, - Putin is Hitler... Obama is a White Knight...

There is WAR going on in Ukraine!

Ukrainian people need food, medicaments, Law and Order.

What they get is Armaments, Military exercises and more confrontation with Moscow!

Congratulations to all parties involved! - EU, USA, Russia and Ukraine - they all deserve what is coming...

The funny part is - not one party involved can afford the mayhem. ALL of them have huge unresolved internal problems.

It looks like a 'little war' is their agreed upon solution for their problems

.

I am being sceptical about this solution.

Edited September 17, 2014 by ABCer

[MZurf]

I know we have some Russian TV members and I would love to hear your take on this.

Well, in this forum only reports from mainstream Western media are allowed, everything else from any other source in any other language is not. We can discuss only what's published here and not bring those outside sources. I cannot relay things mentioned there either, it would be considered controversial and punished as trolling. Those are the rules.

If you say Russians are brainwashed I would have to find a BBC article saying otherwise and I can't be bothered to look, you are on your own.

Just out of curiosity which of the theories my Russian colleague believes in do you also believe in?

"-Stalin was of course the greatest leader ever, he never hurt anyone. And if he did, they deserved it.

-MH 370 was hijacked by the Americans and the plane was hidden away on Diego Garcia. This was because there were a number of Chinese scientist onboard. All passengers and crew were killed and the bodies were then loaded onto.....

-MH 17. That plane was blown up by the Americans and the bodies from MH 370 where added to the bodies from the passengers. That's why they found many more bodies than what should have been there according to the crew list. (Exactly why the Americans disposed of the bodies in this manner instead of burying them on Diego Garcia he cannot answer).

-The world is controlled by Jews, and the British Queen is one of their leaders.

-The meteor that caused an explosion over Cheliyabinsk in February 2013 was in fact an American attack.

-Gays are just as bad as pedophiles.

-Gulags never existed.

-The Molotov/Ribbentrop pact never existed.

-The Katyn massacre was perpetrated by the Germans.

- He firmly believes that a woman's place is in the kitchen, and that they should not be working. He says that a woman is happy if her husband is happy - simple as that"

[BATHIK]

None.

[gigman]

5555....

The whole western world is brainwashed this days......why to blame only Russians or another third countries population....555

Just look on your life anywhere you are....and starting from all those stupid advertisements in your belowed TV ...starting from "artificial butter...which is good for you or veggies full of poison ....555...if you know what I mean...

This days we live with advanced mobile phone in the hand but with sword in another and ready to kill .....

And if you believe in everything they say to you then you are lost in lies whatever it is small or big.

21'st century and nothing change really.....except people have no time to use own brain or they are lazy. Media's "brain" is working for them ...

Like in broken marriage....;

You never know who's fault was until you are husband or wife of the situation......others only knows each side story to judge.

[Publicus]

Putin has nuclear bomber aircraft flying in to the North American air defense zone and against European countries at their borders too.

Putin is not playing with nuclear weapons. Putin has turned away from the West in general to align himself and Russia with China and the rest of the loser Brics countries that are fast going nowhere, same as the Russian and China economies .

Vladimir Putin is a dangerous Rasputin man and character. Rasputin himself didn't have nuclear weapons to toss around and about, while Putin does have WMD and he keeps getting closer to using a couple of "baby" ones against small Nato countries of eastern Europe and probably Poland also. The Nato doctrine since 1949 always has been clear that an attack on one is an attack on all.

All propaganda aside, neither Washington nor Burssels (Nato, EU) are brandishing nuclear weapons against those with whom they disagree, Kim Jong Un style and fashion. People who support Putin need to declare themselves as rational and sane to contrast themselves against RasPutin and the Russian General Staff of Cold Warriors.

U.S. and Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept 8 Russian Planes

American and Canadian fighter jets scrambled this week to investigate why Russian planes were flying in international airspace west of Alaska — on the same day Ukraine's president addressed lawmakers in Canada and Washington, D.C.

Authorities say two F-22 fighter jets intercepted six Russian military airplanes that neared the western coast of Alaska.

Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, says the jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers.

At about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets intercepted two of the long-range bombers about 40 nautical miles off the Canadian coastline. NORAD is a binational American and Canadian command responsible for the air and aerospace defense of North America.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/us-canadian-jets-intercept-8-russian-aircraft/2014/09/19/2c7e56ba-4055-11e4-a430-b82a3e67b762_story.html

Russian fighter planes are running amok over Western Europe

Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images

Russian military aircraft reportedly tangoed with fighter jets of at least two European countries this week.

The British Royal Air Force scrambled jets today after Russian "Bear" bombers were spotted getting too close to British airspace. The U.K.'s Sky News reports the RAF sent up two fighters to identify and deter the planes, which never actually entered British airspace.

Sweden had a similar run-in with Russian military planes on Wednesday. In this case, two Russian "Su-24 attack planes" actually entered Swedish airspace over the island of Öland, Sweden's English-language news site The Local reports. Sweden then scrambled its own fighter jets to intercept the intruders, who peeled off.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/268443/speedreads-russian-fighter-planes-are-running-amok-over-western-europe

Those who write for Vladimir Putin need to denounce and renounce his nuclear weapons and nuclear warfare brinksmanship. Putin is only escalating and further escalating crises that he created, which is a predicament all idiot dictators get in to. Ordinary people need to be free and safe from such people as Putin and their egomaniac destructive nature.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Publicus

[Bwanatickey]

Crimea is a popular tourist resort, but because of the recent troubles in a neighbouring country, tourist numbers have dropped this summer.

NATO should have sent their troops to Crimean resorts on RAR

Oh sorry, that does not sell Military hardware.

[NeverSure]

NATO is not a controlling body. It is comprised of a mutual defense treaty. The US has many such treaties, including one with Thailand which promises to defend Thailand. This is one reason the US sailed a couple of carrier groups through the area when China was sabre rattling about fishing rights in the S. China Sea and passenger air routes maybe about a year ago.

This doesn't subject the US to the control of any group.

[NeverSure]

U.S. and Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept 8 Russian Planes

Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, says the jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers.

"Mig-31 fighter jets."

I have two of those in my tinker toy set.

[Publicus]

The leader of a country who in the 21st century brandishes his country's large arsenal of nuclear weapons of mass destruction as a ready and immediate instrument of his policies of military aggression and megalomaniac ambitions is not a leader any sane or rational person follows, supports, defends, promotes, praises, glorifies.

Ignores.

[Publicus]

U.S. and Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept 8 Russian Planes

Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, says the jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers.

"Mig-31 fighter jets."

I have two of those in my tinker toy set.

And their Bear nuclear weapons bomber is a grandpappy Bear bomber.

While the U.S. workhorse B-52 bomber continues to fly high, the Bear bomber barely makes it back from its missions, such as the ones reported.

While Russia has sophisticated air defense systems of anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) the U.S. Air-Sea Battle systems of missiles and cyber warfare would simply overpower them. The same is true of China.

Putin's miserable conventional military forces are so dilapidated that he has only his nuclear arsenal, 400 ICBMs aimed at the United States, which is stupid and idiotic. Putin can't ante up so he needs to sit back down and to shut the fukc up.

[Exsexyman]

Putin has nuclear bomber aircraft flying in to the North American air defense zone and against European countries at their borders too.

Putin is not playing with nuclear weapons. Putin has turned away from the West in general to align himself and Russia with China and the rest of the loser Brics countries that are fast going nowhere, same as the Russian and China economies .

Vladimir Putin is a dangerous Rasputin man and character. Rasputin himself didn't have nuclear weapons to toss around and about, while Putin does have WMD and he keeps getting closer to using a couple of "baby" ones against small Nato countries of eastern Europe and probably Poland also. The Nato doctrine since 1949 always has been clear that an attack on one is an attack on all.

All propaganda aside, neither Washington nor Burssels (Nato, EU) are brandishing nuclear weapons against those with whom they disagree, Kim Jong Un style and fashion. People who support Putin need to declare themselves as rational and sane to contrast themselves against RasPutin and the Russian General Staff of Cold Warriors.

U.S. and Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept 8 Russian Planes

American and Canadian fighter jets scrambled this week to investigate why Russian planes were flying in international airspace west of Alaska — on the same day Ukraine's president addressed lawmakers in Canada and Washington, D.C.

Authorities say two F-22 fighter jets intercepted six Russian military airplanes that neared the western coast of Alaska.

Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, says the jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers.

At about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets intercepted two of the long-range bombers about 40 nautical miles off the Canadian coastline. NORAD is a binational American and Canadian command responsible for the air and aerospace defense of North America.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/us-canadian-jets-intercept-8-russian-aircraft/2014/09/19/2c7e56ba-4055-11e4-a430-b82a3e67b762_story.html

Russian fighter planes are running amok over Western Europe

Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images

Russian military aircraft reportedly tangoed with fighter jets of at least two European countries this week.

The British Royal Air Force scrambled jets today after Russian "Bear" bombers were spotted getting too close to British airspace. The U.K.'s Sky News reports the RAF sent up two fighters to identify and deter the planes, which never actually entered British airspace.

Sweden had a similar run-in with Russian military planes on Wednesday. In this case, two Russian "Su-24 attack planes" actually entered Swedish airspace over the island of Öland, Sweden's English-language news site The Local reports. Sweden then scrambled its own fighter jets to intercept the intruders, who peeled off.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/268443/speedreads-russian-fighter-planes-are-running-amok-over-western-europe

Those who write for Vladimir Putin need to denounce and renounce his nuclear weapons and nuclear warfare brinksmanship. Putin is only escalating and further escalating crises that he created, which is a predicament all idiot dictators get in to. Ordinary people need to be free and safe from such people as Putin and their egomaniac destructive nature.

In Ukraine there's coup d'etat

Putin is it's mastermind.

Greece economy in default

This must be Putin's fault.

England hit by disastrous floods

Putin's guilty, no doubts.

My pet hamster died today

Mr Putin said 'Hooray'

My car has broken down

Nasty Vlad is smiling at my frown

Putin can be such a booger

He even cheats while playing snooker

When your toilets are clogged

Surely, it's Putin's fault

Opened fridge, the shelves are empty

Mighty Putin's so very crafty

Putin's here, Putin's there

Putin, Putin's everywhere.

The world would not have any problems

If it wasn't for Putin and his sidekick Snowden.

( With apologies to the Poet Laureate!)

[Publicus]

Putin insists it doesn't matter what you or I say about him or about his supporters as long as we know that Vladimir stands for something, and what it is Vlad stands up for or falls down against.

"Vladimir Putin said the tanks that you see rolling through the streets are just part of the closing ceremonies of the Olympics." –David Letterman

"After hearing that he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Putin said, 'Tell me who the other nominees are — and I will eliminate them.'" –Conan O'Brien

"Putin doesn't know what the troops are doing there. And he has no exit strategy. He got that from us." –David Letterman

"Despite the fact that the Ukraine has been all over the news for the past few weeks, a survey found that 64 percent of U.S. students still couldn't find Ukraine on a map.

Said Vladimir Putin, 'Soon nobody will.'" –Seth Meyers

"The peacemaker is Vladimir Putin. He is going to help us secure the chemical weapons, because if there is one thing you can trust Putin with, it’s poison. " –Bill Maher

[NeverSure]

U.S. and Canadian Fighter Jets Intercept 8 Russian Planes

Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, says the jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers.

"Mig-31 fighter jets."

I have two of those in my tinker toy set.

And their Bear nuclear weapons bomber is a grandpappy Bear bomber.

While the U.S. workhorse B-52 bomber continues to fly high, the Bear bomber barely makes it back from its missions, such as the ones reported.

While Russia has sophisticated air defense systems of anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) the U.S. Air-Sea Battle systems of missiles and cyber warfare would simply overpower them. The same is true of China.

Putin's miserable conventional military forces are so dilapidated that he has only his nuclear arsenal, 400 ICBMs aimed at the United States, which is stupid and idiotic. Putin can't ante up so he needs to sit back down and to shut the fukc up.

Ah, the venerable B-52. What a workhorse that still is.

Let's not forget the B-2 Spirit AKA the Stealth Bomber which can penetrate dense anti-aircraft systems, has a range of more than 6,000 miles without mid-air refueling, and can carry sixteen 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) B83 nuclear bombs. (Or a big variation of conventional bombs.)

How'd ya like to have that sucker looking for your house, LOL.

[jamhar]

It seems Putin wants a war or the Soviet republics handed back to Russia(him) .

He's happy either way.

Is the Russian economy that bad that he needs a distraction of this magnitude?

Huge gamble to say the least.

It takes 2 to tangle, but only one to start a war.

I hope it doesn't come to that,

but at the same time, you cant shy away from it, either.

The alternative is to let Putin do want he wants.

Hopefully the economic sanctions will work.......

The EU should be very concerned.

The dude is nuts

or playing the biggest hand of poker I've ever seen!

[ABCer]

The leader of a country who in the 21st century brandishes his country's large arsenal of nuclear weapons of mass destruction as a ready and immediate instrument of his policies of military aggression and megalomaniac ambitions is not a leader any sane or rational person follows, supports, defends, promotes, praises, glorifies.

Ignores.

There are two countries fitting your description.

Do anything but ignore this.

Otherwise I would agree with you.

[ABCer]

It seems Putin wants a war or the Soviet republics handed back to Russia(him) .

He's happy either way.

Is the Russian economy that bad that he needs a distraction of this magnitude?

Huge gamble to say the least.

It takes 2 to tangle, but only one to start a war.

I hope it doesn't come to that,

but at the same time, you cant shy away from it, either.

The alternative is to let Putin do want he wants.

Hopefully the economic sanctions will work.......

The EU should be very concerned.

The dude is nuts

or playing the biggest hand of poker I've ever seen!

Yes it is. And it is not only Russian economy.

Always true.

I share your hopes. But hoping is not enough.

Agree.

Seriouly doubt this.

Anything but nuts. A very shrewd and calculating politician.

Poker? The stakes are too high to call his bluff.

Surely EU should worry more about this game than USA.

And yes, there are other ways to deal with the crisis than arming Ukraine, pushing Russia towards China or calling the bluff.

This is not Cuban crisis at Chruschov times. Everything is very different now.

Edited September 21, 2014 by ABCer

[Publicus]

The leader of a country who in the 21st century brandishes his country's large arsenal of nuclear weapons of mass destruction as a ready and immediate instrument of his policies of military aggression and megalomaniac ambitions is not a leader any sane or rational person follows, supports, defends, promotes, praises, glorifies.

Ignores.

There are two countries fitting your description.

Do anything but ignore this.

Otherwise I would agree with you.

You seem to ignore that while the monologue with yourself appears to both please and to self-entertain, it would be more productive to engage in specifics concerning each of the countries and the particulars in each instance. Otherwise it would remain unclear as to what you might be in agreement with that I posted. You yourself posted to me at another thread that I should never forget you and I are not on the same level, so I'll level with you to say you'd need to speak up from down there.

[hard124get]

Putin insists it doesn't matter what you or I say about him or about his supporters as long as we know that Vladimir stands for something, and what it is Vlad stands up for or falls down against.

"Vladimir Putin said the tanks that you see rolling through the streets are just part of the closing ceremonies of the Olympics." –David Letterman

"After hearing that he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Putin said, 'Tell me who the other nominees are — and I will eliminate them.'" –Conan O'Brien

"Putin doesn't know what the troops are doing there. And he has no exit strategy. He got that from us." –David Letterman

"Despite the fact that the Ukraine has been all over the news for the past few weeks, a survey found that 64 percent of U.S. students still couldn't find Ukraine on a map.

Said Vladimir Putin, 'Soon nobody will.'" –Seth Meyers

"The peacemaker is Vladimir Putin. He is going to help us secure the chemical weapons, because if there is one thing you can trust Putin with, it’s poison. " –Bill Maher

Americans should stick to illegal invasions and leave humour to the Brits.

[ABCer]

The leader of a country who in the 21st century brandishes his country's large arsenal of nuclear weapons of mass destruction as a ready and immediate instrument of his policies of military aggression and megalomaniac ambitions is not a leader any sane or rational person follows, supports, defends, promotes, praises, glorifies.

Ignores.

There are two countries fitting your description.

Do anything but ignore this.

Otherwise I would agree with you.

You seem to ignore that while the monologue with yourself appears to both please and to self-entertain, it would be more productive to engage in specifics concerning each of the countries and the particulars in each instance. Otherwise it would remain unclear as to what you might be in agreement with that I posted. You yourself posted to me at another thread that I should never forget you and I are not on the same level, so I'll level with you to say you'd need to speak up from down there.

Only happy to oblige "from down here" - just for you from "up there" - as everybody else seem to understand.

"The leader of a country" blaa blaa blaa. I point out there are two leaders of two countries who fit your blaa blaa blaa.

It looks like both leaders enjoy or should be enjoying very little "following, support, defence, promotion, praise or glory".

I also suggest that people of both countries cannot afford to ignore them. For obvious reason - both are inadvertently Presidents of the countries in question.

Countries being Russia and USA. Leaders in question being Putin and Obama.

Now that I've chewed it for you, you can swallow it at whatever level you are. If it pleases you to pick the high ground - no problem for me. Just keep being polite.

Edited September 22, 2014 by ABCer