War

The British Army is to deploy 1,600 troops to Jordan to take part in war games which could be preparation for a potential ‘confrontation’ between Russia and NATO member countries in Eastern Europe. Army sources told the Daily Telegraph that the drill dubbed Shamal Storm, will simulate an Iraq invasion for the first time in over a decade, but is not a prelude to sending ground troops to fight ISIS, but rather it could be seen as a dry run for one day having to deal with a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine or Eastern Europe. A source said: “This isn’t a counter-Isil exercise.

The IDF announced on Saturday that Israel and the US will  hold a joint military exercise later in February with the focus on training in ballistic missile warfare. The war games called ‘Juniper Cobra’ aims to prepare the two armies for the threat of a missile attack as well as helping to improve cooperation between the two militaries, the Times of Israel reported. Press TV reports: The drill, staged every two years, is said to be in the works since 2014, when thousands of soldiers from both armies took part in a five-day event that included simulations of a missile attack.

Last week the Saudis said they would send ground forces to fight in Syria, but only on condition that they would be joining a U.S. invasion force. While the Saudi proposal is a non-starter here in the U.S., they wouldn’t be able to fulfill their end of the bargain anyway:

NATO have announced plans to build-up its biggest military presence on the Russian border since the Cold War, in an effort to deter Russia from invading surrounding countries.  As relations between Russia and NATO-backed allies continue to deteriorate, NATO have decided to bolster defenses on its eastern flank by stationing 40,000 troops permanently at Russia’s doorstep.