NATO’s Show of Strength on Russia’s Doorstep

By Gen Philip M. Breedlove

Gen. Philip M. Breedlove retired as the Commander, Supreme Allied Command, Europe, SHAPE, Belgium and Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany.  He served in several senior staff positions to include; Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force; and Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff.

As tensions heat up between Russia and the West, cold-war skills are back in play.   Norway and Iceland are hosting more than 50,000 troops from 29 NATO countries involved in an intense training scenario across Northern Europe, dubbed Exercise Trident Juncture, with the first phase wrapping up mid-week.

The military exercise is the largest since the Cold War and is viewed by some as a public show of strength to Russia’s recent VOSTOK military exercise, which introduced joint activities with Chinese troops, sending a symbolic message to all who were watching.  And a lot of world leaders were watching.   

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