Senior European Military Officers warn Europe to prepare for All Out War with Russia within 20 Years

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At least four senior defence and military experts have warned the EU that NATO and European countries should start preparing for war with Russia. According to Admiral Rob Bauer, a Dutch naval officer who is chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, Europeans should prepare themselves for ‘all out war’ with Russia within the next twenty years.

Sweden’s defence minister recently urged Swedish citizens to brace for war ahead of the country formally joining NATO. This has led to a surge in volunteers for the country’s civil defence organisation and a spike in sales of torches and battery-powered radios. So at least the Swedes will still be able to listen to ABBA should the Russkies invade.

Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is even more gloomy (or realistic) reckoning that Putin could launch an attack within the next decade. Even UK Defence Minister Grant Schapps has said that the UK needs to be prepared for war. None of this would be quite so worrying had not most of the NATO countries reduced defence spending over the last few decades on the basis of there being no wars to fight on home turf.

In 1990 the UK had 308 000 military personnel (presumably not all combatants) but by early 2023 the combined number of trained military personnel from the Navy, Air Force and Army was down to 134 000 with 75 980 coming from the Army. Russia’s equivalent figure is thought to be around 1.1 million.

The even greater problem though is armaments. After Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago in what was supposed to be a two week ‘military exercise’ NATO countries very generously donated huge amounts of weapons to Ukraine but refrained from putting boots on the ground in what became a proxy war. This has surely led to a huge shortage of NATO weapons which was presumably part of Putin’s intention in the first place.

Since Vlad is going to be 72 this year there is an element of urgency as far as finishing the job is concerned. I doubt whether he can afford to wait ten or twenty years for ‘all-out war’. Besides, that would give NATO and the EU time to re-arm. My guess is war within the next two years but if it knocks climate change, the Middle East, cancel culture, migrant problems and transgender rights off the front pages of the world’s newspapers then that has to be some consolation.

Source: politicsweb.co.za