russia threatens with militairy interfearing in kosovo

russia threatens with militairy interfearing in kosovo

Russia has not ruled out using force to resolve the dispute over Kosovo if NATO forces breach the terms of their U.N. mandate, Moscow's ambassador to NATO warns. Riot police were guarding the U.S. Embassy in Serbia Friday, pictured, after it was torched by protesters. full story

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could be interessting weeks to follow....


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Sounds like the movie "The Day After" Hope this does not happen.

Russia has their panties in a wad because they have finally realized no one cares what they think. Threatening the use of force, big deal.

Look at a map, how many countries' borders do they have to violate in order to respond. This violation would be considered an "illegal" act and a reason for further military action.

US knew very well the mess that this whole issue was going to create in the region, I think that they even wanted this to start to divert American populations from the real issues in our soil that is eating this nation away with the incompetent government we have.

Kosovo is going to turn ugly and if US even hint to step in the area is going to be worst that Iraq and Afghanistan combined because our nation has lost credibility and respect in the world.

Although i am not in agreement with the declaration of independence by Kosovo, i do wonder exactly how Russia intends to use it's military to change the situation. I think NATO would wipe them out quite comprehensively.

reply to post by Peruvianmonk


Unless the bulk of the force countering the Russians is American or British, the Russians and Serbians would give a pretty good fight if not outright win.

The reason I say this is Afghanistan, NATO troops other than the British or US forces have a heck of a time just fighting the Taliban. Yes they have modern weapons and gear, but they simply do not have the training, skill, or motivation that American and British troops have.

Like Afghanistan, they, the rest of NATO, will probably run way and wait for the US/UK.

The problem with that is both US/UK ground forces are spread thin. At best we could offer massive Air and Naval support, with assaults by Marines.

By the time we get to that Serbian/Russian troops would have full control of Kosovo.

Honestly we shouldn't even be considering this, it was a silly idea to recognize Kosovo. Hopefully we forget we ever did that, and act like it was a non event. I hope whoever becomes President realizes that.





[edit on 22/2/08 by MikeboydUS]

Originally posted by Peruvianmonk
Although i am not in agreement with the declaration of independence by Kosovo, i do wonder exactly how Russia intends to use it's military to change the situation. I think NATO would wipe them out quite comprehensively.

Why do people think so 1 dimensionally. How did america help the afgans, beat the soviets. Usa and soviets were just fighting a proxy war. Probably the same here, this is what they mean.

America cannot win over the afgans, why do you think they could take the russians easily?

reply to post by hinky


Deployment by air is one possibility.
I hope that it will not escalate much further, there were wars that started because of Balcan instability. I am still relying on the idea (or hope,as of recent developements ) that Russia's main target is its inner politics, not direct conflict.
People who say that Russia will be easily beaten - 7000 nuclear warheads. Do not want to be on this planet when it starts raining down. Even Cold War is better then another asteroid field in the Solar system,somewhere between Mars(the new 3rd) and Venus.

I think there's a lot of members here severely underestimating the might of the Russian military. As others have asked, I'd like to know exactly what makes anyone think the U.S./NATO would trample the Russians. Sure, US military spending exceeds Russian military by a little less than 800%, the fact remains that we're over extended, and over our heads with the Taliban and the Iraqi insurgency. For all of our spending, and our nifty techno-gadgets, we still can't seem to overwhelm tiny forces hiding in caves and killing our sons and daughters with 30 year old small arms and improvised explosive devices.

Now, present these small forces the opportunity to align themselves with a real military which is over a million strong, and the U.S. finds itself in war they cannot win. A war over the Balkans, will not remain a proxy conflict like the Iran/Iraq war. Then you've got to consider nations who would be inclined to side with the Russians simply for the fact that the U.S. would be scrambling. Iran anyone? How about North Korea, and god help the U.S. if China saw fit to get involved.

I think the biggest concern with Russia is as it has always been. Nuclear war. A direct confrontation between Russia and the U.S. doesn't end any other way, in my opinion.

reply to post by andy1033


There's are two enormous differences between the US fighting Iraqi/Afghan insurgents and a potential conflict against Russia or any other world power.

1) The survival of the entire nation is under immediate threat. Hence, the full force of the US military, conventional and possibly nuclear, would be brought to bear. In Iraq/Afghanistan, this is not the case, as both resemble a police action more than a traditional war.

2) Targets would be far easier to identify. Picking out a few insurgents in a crowd of Iraqi civilians at a local market...Very difficult. Picking out a column of T-90s rolling through the countryside in Eastern Europe? A whole heck of a lot easier.

That's the big difference. A war against Russia would be a straight-up, conventional slugfest where the targets are much more obvious on both sides. Not true in Afghanistan or Iraq.

reply to post by Unit541


But you see, therein lies the difference. The Russians will be out in the open, concentrated in organized divisions and battalions. That's not to say it will be easy, it wouldn't be, but there is a HUGE difference between fighting an organized military and fighting a bunch of insurgents mixed in with the local population. Enormous difference.

The overextension of US forces would not be a major issue. To defeat either side, the war would eventually have to move to one country's home turf. So, the war would ultimately be a test of Air/Naval power and the US has an advantage numerically in both and, at the very least, equal training and technology.

Still, this assumes a conventional war, which is highly unlikely. It would go nuclear, I think we all agree on that. In fact, its quite likely that it would go nuclear before a single conventional shot was fired, as one side attempts to destroy the other's nuclear weapons in a sneak attack.

All of you in the USA need to realise that the Russians are in the mood to settle old scores.

They weren't able to come to Serbia's aid before, but they will do it now.

I suppose the question is how much do the USA and EU "leaders" want another World War.

Perhaps that question should be asked of the Bilderbergers, the Rothschilds, and the Rockefellers.

reply to post by Pellevoisin


Seems to me like its a question of how much the Russians want another World War.

And I think a lot of us here in the US have realized that the Cold War never really ended. It just went on a temporary hiatus.

Its too bad that a lot of people on both sides can't let it go.

reply to post by vor78


The Russians are looking for a fight, to be sure. But the agent provocateur in this current situation is a host of people from the KLA in Kosovo declaring Independence and U.S. and EU leadership and governments recognising its independence.

It is clear that the Russians have had enough of the USA and are looking for the right line in the sand to act.

So Russia "not ruling out using force" now equates with "threatens military intervention. Way to twist the story to make it into a scaremongering joke. Russia did not threaten to intervene, and in fact stated on numerous occasions that that is not what it plans to do. The fact that it is not ruling out use of force means absolutely nothing.

Originally posted by hinky
Russia has their panties in a wad because they have finally realized no one cares what they think.

I guess China, India, and Brazil are no one then. Does your world revolve around the US, or is it simply stuck in one place now?

India and Brazil, and dozens of other smaller countries have stated that they do not want to rush with recognition, for the fear of jeopardizing their relations with Moscow and other non-recognizing nations.

Originally posted by hinky
Threatening the use of force, big deal.

Let me guess - the US and its mighty allies will swiftly defeat Russia and rule the world once again and everyone will be free and happy right?

Because recent threats by Russia (other than those concerning Serbia) and the talk they generate in the West seem to prove otherwise. Even though it is all scaremongering bull****, some Europeans are convinced that Russia is about to invade them and the world is coming to an end.

Originally posted by hinky
Look at a map, how many countries' borders do they have to violate in order to respond.

Well they only need Romania, which is against the recognition itself. Bulgaria has been increasingly friendly towards Russia, although it is leaning towards recognition.

Originally posted by hinky
This violation would be considered an "illegal" act and a reason for further military action.

Oh you mean in the same way that Kosovo declaring independence was illegal?

reply to post by vor78


Do you honestly think that in the most remote case that Russia decides to intervene that US will mobilize for a full scale war because of Kosovo? US and Russia/USSR never had an outright military conflict, and there is no predicting what a conflict between them would be like. But even if you limit it to a conventional (non-nuclear) war, can you imagine what it would entail. The two can level all of Europe without resorting to nuclear weapons. This would never happen because of Kosovo - the US has far more pressing priorities on its hands.

If Russia would theoretically intervene in Kosovo, NATO/US would have to leave. Of course that sort of intervention would entail major economic and political consequences, and possible a new Cold War. But US is not interested in a large scale war.

Originally posted by Pellevoisin
All of you in the USA need to realise that the Russians are in the mood to settle old scores.

I wouldn't necessarily say that about Russian politicians. Sure many Russians and a lot of generals in Russia would like some "revenge". But today's politicians are not what they used to be. They have to carefully consider economic and political consequences of such an intervention. Putin is not interested in a direct face-off with the US, regardless of how much he wants "revenge". Sure he makes Kosovo a vital point of contention and will look for ways to get back at the US for it, but it will stop well short of any military campaign.

Originally posted by Pellevoisin
They weren't able to come to Serbia's aid before, but they will do it now.

As sad as it is - I would have to say that looks less and less like a possiblity with each day. Russia has other things to worry about, and it is a pity that it does not stand up for its historical allies.

reply to post by maloy


I think that its highly unlikely to escalate to that point. I was merely responding to one of those theoretical Russia vs US scenarios and explaining why there's a major difference between that type of war and the current ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Most likely, neither Russia or the US/NATO will take any action that the other side would view as all that 'provocative'. Too much risk, too little reward for both sides. There will be a little sabre-rattling, but not much more, I think.

Russia dont have the capabilities that they used to have. They would be uncapable of persuing a conventional war.

There nuclear arsenal is lets say some what out of date .

Russian are talking the talk of a mighty nation but IMHO i dont think they would have the capabilities to rise to such a mighty confrontation.

The UK is spread thinly however and what a lot of people seem to forget is that us brits love a good scuffel and we are quite ready for national call up to rid the world of problems! We will stand by our American Brothers as they will stand by us. (Just we will have to watch for the friendly fire:lol

The russians will just veto everything and ccreate so much red tape that kosovo will not be recognised as a state for a long while.

Please remember that although russia has been flexing her muscles as of late they are still using equipment which is out of date and and can easily be caught.

The only way russia would ever be able to mount a serious military campaign would be by returning to communism And start to mass produce there forces again. this of course is highly unlikely.

China seems to be the nation to watch and even still there nuclear program is still along way behind....

currently i would state that there are no major threats other than Iran and Israel!

but this brings up another issue....Iran doesn't have a nuclear bomb Israel does!

Strike first might be Israels only real option when Iran get close to a bomb....

all speculation though

I dont think we need to panic right now.