War between NATO and Russia should be avoided
Of:
Manne Berggren Wiklund
: YESTERDAY 18.09
UPDATED: LESS THAN 3 HOURS AGO
NEWS
A war between NATO and Russia should be avoided - not just for world peace.
There are more factors to worry about.
- NATO is not ready. And we should be ashamed of it, says British General Sir Richard Barrons.
If a NATO country were to be attacked, the whole of NATO must enter the conflict. A war between Putin and NATO had been a new world war. But how it would go in such a conflict is not a given. The balance of power is even in Russia's favor, says the retired British general Richard Barrons, writes The Independent.
- The main reason why NATO wants to avoid a war with Russia is that NATO is not ready. And we should be ashamed of it, says Barrons.
Had managed a week
The retired general was questioned yesterday in the British Defense Committee. Barrons had to decide on a possible scenario where Russia attacks Estonia. Where all NATO countries, including the United Kingdom, would have to defend Estonia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets with NATO soldiers after a press conference with Boris Johnson.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets with NATO soldiers after a press conference with Boris Johnson.
Photo: Leon Neal / AP
"Then our forces would be destroyed by the Russian air force after about a week," says Richard Barrons.
He believes that NATO's main priority ahead of the Madrid summit should be to restore the military balance of power between NATO and Russia.
Refurbishing NATO's defenses is important, but they must also be placed in the right places, Barrons said.
Paasikivi: NATO is clearly stronger
The Swedish strategy teacher and lieutenant colonel Joakim Paasikivi says that he does not completely share Richard Barron's image. Paasikivi says NATO has an incredible military force.
That NATO would not be prepared for a Russian attack would rather be because they have not mobilized for a full-scale war.
- NATO has an incredible strength, but it also requires that it be built up to carry out this operation. NATO has not prepared to enter this war. You probably have to study this statement more carefully, says Joakim Paasikivi.
NATO's main priority ahead of the Madrid summit should be to restore the military balance of power between NATO and Russia, says General Richard Barrons.
NATO's main priority ahead of the Madrid summit should be to restore the military balance of power between NATO and Russia, says General Richard Barrons.
Photo: Harland Quarrington
According to Paasikivi, NATO's problem is not that it lacks military resources, but that in the event of a war it would take time for NATO to mobilize and coordinate its defense.
- A mobilized NATO against a mobilized Russia, where NATO is clearly much stronger. The Alliance's combined force with the United States, of course, as the heaviest player, has resources that far exceed those of Russia. That is quite clear, says Joakim Paasikivi.
- But if Russia attacks a NATO country, it will take a while for NATO to get all its forces in place. All NATO countries must have sufficient national defense to be able to survive until NATO joins the joint forces.
"Can not stop the bombing of London"
In a scenario where the whole of NATO ends up at war with Russia, the majority of European cities will suddenly become potential threats. Richard Barrons was asked in the Defense Committee whether he believes that Britain has sufficient means to defend itself in the event of a Russian attack.
- We absolutely do not have that, says Barrons.
Strategy teacher and lieutenant colonel Joakim Paasikivi.
Strategy teacher and lieutenant colonel Joakim Paasikivi.
Photo: Lotte Fernvall / Aftonbladet
He believes that Britain needs to increase its military allocations to three percent of GDP in order to be able to meet the security situation. The tense situation with Russia may continue throughout this century, he warns.
- I do not think that many Britons have thought about the consequences that Russian cruise robots that strike London would have. There are such and we simply do not have the opportunities to meet them on a larger scale, says Barrons.
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