Obama under pressure to send troops near Russia
US President Barack Obama has come under growing pressure by members of Congress who want more troops in Eastern Europe as a deterrent against Russia.
Although a clear violation of a 1997 treaty with Russia, the proponents of the military escalation believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already breached that treaty by backing pro-Russian forces in the Ukraine conflict.
Under the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, alliance members will refrain from a “permanent stationing of substantial combat forces” in Eastern Europe. NATO and Russia have also agreed to respect the “sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence” of any state in Eastern Europe.
This is while, in a written statement, Democratic Representative Eliot Engel has described Russia’s stance on the situation in Ukraine as an “aggression and more dangerous military posture” that challenges members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
“Now is the time to bolster our Baltic allies and Poland by basing at least one battalion in each of the four countries. This would restore the confidence of our allies and reestablish a safer balance in the region,” said Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“This action wouldn't violate the NATO-Russia Founding Act because once Russia changed Europe’s ‘current and foreseeable security environment,’ NATO was released from its pledge not to permanently station substantial additional combat forces,” he argued.
Last month, the Pentagon’s former Russian policy expert Evelyn Farkas said that sending troops to Eastern Europe would be justified considering Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
Farkas, who made the comments only a week after stepping down from her position, also claimed that Russia has “broken” the 1997 treaty.
The US has already sent troops and equipment to Poland and the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all part of the Soviet Union until 1991.
Last week, General Philip Breedlove, the supreme allied commander of NATO, said that he would like to see more US troops in Europe on a rotational basis.
Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has also voiced support for the move, saying the US should not honor any agreement with Russia.
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