Ukraine And Fire Engine

Are you going to buy new fire hoses instead of fighting the fire?

NATO achieved impressive successes since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression in Europe, excuse me, the special operation "on" Ukraine.

Actually, we can take a look: the NATO contingent now has 40,000 troops deployed in Europe.

Well done, you know. There were only 13,000 not so long ago. And the US did a great job, they already have 100,000 troops in Europe compared to 30,000 in 2016. Especially, Biden is great, he returned America to NATO.

But Macron could have done more. He took responsibility and started to restructure everything in Europe and a couple of years ago he even stated the “death of the NATO's brain”, hinting that he was the critical care team. But, as the hour struck and the main enemy of NATO invaded Ukraine, he suddenly became interested in appeasing this enemy over the phone talks and got involved in it.

By the way, I agree with Macron only partially: only the political part of NATO's brain has atrophied; military and strategic work is very professional and adequate, but politicians are not in a rush to pay a lot of attention to the military analyses.

In fact, NATO's work pleases. The development of the plans to protect the common territory of their members is well underway. They came up with smart mobilization plans, allowing them to become a wall against the aggressor in the shortest possible time. The modernization of their weapons is great, especially given the US interest in strengthening the defence capability of NATO members through the sale of F-35 fighters.

On the other hand, the US categorically forbids supplying Ukraine with MIG-29s that the Eastern European members of NATO have.

It's true, NATO is doing a great job. They are very fortunate to have the current Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg. This is not ironic. He prioritizes very well. This applies not only to the question of the war in Ukraine. He did this long before February 24, 2022. But he is the politicians' will executor, and this will is not enough. Nevertheless, it is very good that today NATO’s Secretary-General is an experienced and professional Stoltenberg.

However, the Alliance itself has retained its past concepts, such as containment, coexistence, and diplomatic settlement, it has twisted up and cannot get out.

Europe is the main theatre of NATO's military presence. The main factor of stability and international peace is peace in Europe. There is war in Europe, the place for the most powerful and modern military group. What is it doing?

“Close the sky, you have done this before in other parts of the world,” Ukraine asks. “We can’t,” they answer. Not only Ukraine, but also the world community is asking for this through all sorts of petitions, statements and appeals. The answer is the same.

Ukraine asks to supply weapons not on a residual basis, but to make it clear to the aggressor that there are no chances. What is the answer? Well, you just know.

I once found a figurative description of the Alliance by either a former or current high-ranking NATO official: this is such an ultra-modern fire engine that stands in a depot, does not go anywhere, all the latest and modern equipment hangs on it to extinguish fires, but since there are no fires in the zone of responsibility of this fire engine, it never leaves the depot.

He also added that people complain that such a vehicle is expensive, they do not understand that it will save them in case of a fire in their homes.

This is very funny and very scary, and this is an accurate description of today's NATO.

There is already a fire. Yes, there's a fire outside of your area, but the border runs along the back of your fire station, and it's about to collapse. What do you think? Are you going to buy new fire hoses instead of fighting the fire?

For a long time I have been worried about the reluctance of normal, sane states to read the rules of law.

Indeed, the Washington Treaty of 4 April 1949 establishes a zone of NATO action within the territories of member states. But the area of responsibility is international security and international peace. Consider it, dear members of NATO! References to the UN Charter can be found already in the first article of the treaty. But the United Nations Charter unequivocally speaks about “the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security”.

And the Security Council has not taken and will not take (under Russia's veto) such measures, despite the fact that NATO members make up the majority of the permanent members.

What to do?

In my opinion, the answer is obvious: the military potential of NATO should be used (P.C. expression, not to be banned) to end the war in Europe and punish the aggressor.

The fiasco in Syria and the catastrophe in Afghanistan simply leave no other solution to save our world.

It is not a kind of ordinary situation in Ukraine and it is quite complicated, but it is the Ukrainians who save the world today, and NATO washes the fire engine.

Andrei Sannikov, Facebook