‘US troops drills in Baltic states is more a political than military show’

The United States has started deploying a 3,000 strong infantry unit in the Baltics. They will hold a three-month exercise with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Latvia has confirmed more than 120 armored vehicles including tanks have been delivered by the US.

RT: What is the actual purpose of these US exercises?

James Jatras: It’s saber-rattling, it’s a show force to reiterate the American political commitment to defend the Baltic states under Article 5 of The North Atlantic treaty. The irony is that 3,000 troops are nowhere sufficient to defend these countries if they were really a threat to them which there is not. The only way they can actually be defended would be through a nuclear threat in affect exchanging Chicago to defend Narva (A city in Estonia-Ed), which I don’t think most Americans would be in favor of even if they knew where Narva was.

RT: Do you think the Baltic’s fear of a possible Russia’s invasion is justified?

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JJ: No, I do not think so. This is again just a show of force and partly it exposes NATO’s and Washington’s impotence over events in Ukraine. Now that we see much more that the Europeans seemed to be decoupling their policy from Washington’s guidance, I think there is a sense of frustration that our hold over European security through NATO is somewhat in danger. So this is a political show even more than a military show.

RT: Will this be more reassuring or will this potentially increase tension in and around Europe?

JJ: I think it increases tensions in the sense that for the US to insert this kind of force in the Baltic states right on Russia’s doorstep simply adds insult to injury to the fact that we have expanded NATO so extensively in Russia’s direction not for any legitimate security purpose but simply because we can, it looked like a cost-free exercise at the time it was done. Now that the tensions are rising between the US and Russia, there are costs associated with it. It does contribute to a kind of hair triggered atmosphere which is in nobody’s interests.

RT: Russia said NATO military exercises close to its borders are harmful for relations. So why do you think the US and its NATO partners keep on doing it?

JJ: One reason of it is directed against the Europeans because they seemed to be more willing to patch things up with the Russians over Ukraine. And I think it is designed in part as an irritant just as it would be for example if the Russians were to be staging exercises in the Caribbean off the American coast.