Must Europe rearm

[woolybanana]

The Russians are on the rampage in Ukraine, they now have obtained harbour rights for their warships in Cyprus, there was talk of Greece borrowing money from them, and, the biggest political party in the current election campaign in Estonia is pro-Russian ( they did try to take the country over by getting a load of Russians to go live there, during the Cold War). They could then destabilize the country so that 'our friends the Russians have to invade to protect the minority of Russian speakers').

And Russian bombers with fighter cover sometimes are buzzing round the UK and Northern France (international waters close to )

Estonia is a NATO member.

Should the UK/ Europe be increasing its defensive arsenal or its weaponry generally, just in case?

Or just sitting on our hands?

[mint]

I don't think that there is any doubt that Putin is rattling his sabre.

He just wants everyone to know that he has the armoury and the capacity to start a war.

However, I do believe that it is just all upmanship and tacit threats and bolstering up of his status.  I very much hope that he is not going to overreach himself and actually start anything.

I do agree, Wooly, that things do feel very unstable and edgy, both the Ukraine business and what's happening in the Middle East.

[halfblind]

Well as France and UK have nuclear warheads as a "deterrent" we could always bomb Putin and Russia back to the stone age, along with the rest of Europe.

What price renewing Trident ? Total rubbish !

[vette]

So long as at least one of the Vanguard class Subs are patrolling, Putin would be a fool to attack Europe.

The deterrent is there for a reason.

[Frederick]

Vette wrote :

So long as at least one of the Vanguard class Subs are patrolling, Putin would be a fool to attack Europe.

The deterrent is there for a reason.

If the SNP hold the balance of power in May it wont be

they want rid of it .

[Gluestick]

Never ever underestimate the size of their armed forces and the resolve of Russian peoples; remember the Rodina (Motherland) has been a core creed since the Russian Revolution.

Both Napoleon and Hitler made such strategic mistake................

The present population of Russian Federation is 143.5 million: however, the CIS adds yet another 180 million people.

Meanwhile, Britain continually reduces its armed forces and cuts its budget allocation; and plays poodle at America's behest.

The EU leaders are simply dabbling in geopolitics from both ego and self aggrandisement

Russian oil, natural and petroleum gas and a raft of natural resources create serious and significant leverage.

Russia's nuclear arsenal is far ahead of the rest of Europe: as are the sheer number of their delivery platforms.

Here:

[Gluestick]

Interestingly, I have only just this minute picked up Sir John Sawyers' earlier statement. He is the retired head of Britain's SIS (Secret Intelligence Service, usually misnamed by the media).

See Here: