With the ongoing crisis in the Ukraine and Russia's dismissive view of world opinion, Western Governments are moving from sanctions and stern language to a more aggressive stance.
The NATO Rapid Reaction Force is being re-vamped and updated to deal with the modern worlds crisis, and the UK has pledged to provide 1000 troops of the 4000 force, which will be based initially in the Baltics to show a display of strength and reassure Eastern European NATO member States that any further aggression won't be tolerated.
Apparently the idea is it can be deployed with 48 hours to re-reinforce any Baltic State in the event of aggression, while more forces follow on behind. But it appears NATO won't be getting directly involved in the Ukraine according to news reports, as technically Ukraine isn't a member of NATO.
Britain's Military has continually been drawn down in size since the early 1990's, with huge budget cuts and now a complete dependence on reservists and weekend warriers, yet it is still drawn into conflict after conflict, with lack of adequate equipment and resources.
Maybe it's time to analyse our role in the world and the size of the Armed Forces we need. I'm all for NATO or UN deployments as long as other member states provide the same resources, but it's time we stopped trying to run our military on the pound stretcher model, and for once provided them with adequate resources, kit and pay.
The lack of helicopters in Afghanistan is now well acknowledged as one of the major causes of UK casualties, as troops had to be transported by mine ridden roads. Politicians reacting to negative feedback simple announced more helicopters would be ordered. Which was spin, as they haven't been delivered yet, and the troops are back home.
We were supposed to already have an Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, which has been around for years and the UK contributes a large chunk to.
From the ARRC Web site:
HQ ARRC is currently on stand-by for short-notice call-up and subsequent rapid deployment (5 days notice to move) in support of any potential NATO Response Force (NRF) mission that may develop during 2013.
An NRF is a coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package of up to 25,000 troops that is technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable. Its role is to act as a stand-alone military force available for rapid deployment as a collective-defence, crisis management or stabilization force, or to act as an initial entry force for a subsequent primary deployment.
Good to see NATO is keeping abreast of the World Situation and is still discussing what will happen in 2003 
So if this NATO force isn't actually to help the Ukraine, does that mean a UN mandate type force should intervene instead? Or is it all just clever political manoeuvring...
NATO can't go into Ukraine, and Russia is unlikely to attack a NATO country, so in the end it's just a show of bluff and bluster, and the Ukraine crisis rolls on...
Soap box put away...
