There's a massive, U.S. Navy-led exercise taking place on the Baltic, this week, involving 11 European nations plus the U.S. -- but, notably, not Russia. Despite participating in previous incarnations of the annual BALTOPS war game, Moscow is sitting out, this year. And depending on who you ask, Russia is even the target of the 12-day training event, which is hosted by Sweden and includes Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. "Another provocation against Russia," one Russian tabloid calls BALTOPS 2009.
U.S. Navy Rear Adm. John Christenson is circumspect. "There are a lot of powerful nations here," Christenson said, by phone, from the command ship Mount Whitney. "Sweden... has a history of war with Russia. And if you trace history back, different flags have flown over these countries," he added, apparent veiled referring to the participation of three former Soviet republics. "It's not our job to decide who is a threat. It's our job to be ready to face a [military] capability. And there are significant capabilities here."
Christenson's rhetorical equivocating reflects the fine line the Obama administration is walking, with regards to Russia, as I explain in my latest column for World Politics Review. Washington needs Russia, to help contain North Korean and Iranian nukes, and to keep supplies flowing into Afghanistan. But some NATO nations are wary of the alliance's most powerful member, cozying up to the Bear.
Planning for BALTOPS 2009 kicked off, last year, just weeks after Russia's war with NATO partner Georgia, so Moscow's absence is perhaps understandable. After all, the U.S. and NATO briefly froze military relations with Russia in the wake of the Georgia war. Next year's BALTOPS will be telling: Russia's presence, or absence, will say a lot about the direction that Russian-NATO relations are taking. U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, the incoming NATO Supreme Commander, said he wants closer ties with Moscow. But Estonia warned that thawing relations with Russia, shouldn't come at the price of NATO solidarity.
[PHOTO: U.S. Navy]
