Toby Westerman, Editor and Publisher                                                                                   Copyright 2003

Home Go beyond the Internet Subscribe to our exclusive report International News Analysis In our current issue: Leading the Fight Against Political Correctness Literary Elite Behind the "PC" Culture Red Nightclubs ...and more 12 issues only $29.95 Canadian and overseas $39.95 U.S. funds only Subscribe Now U.S. Subscribers: Subscribers outside the U.S.: OR ORDER BY MAIL: International News Analysis 2364 Jackson St. #301 Stoughton, WI 53589 U.S.A. LINKS Russia Sees Threats -- U.S./NATO Beware October 6, 2003 By Toby Westerman Copyright 2003 International News Analysis Today www.inatoday.com Although experiencing an unprecedented period of cooperation with the United States and Western Europe, Moscow has issued a new "military doctrine," which is both provocative and confusing - even to elements of the Russian press. While initial U.S. reports focused upon Moscow's demand that NATO end its "anti-Russian orientation," INA Today's examination of Russian press reports indicates that Russia's new "military doctrine" contains veiled threats directed against the U.S., while remaining unclear as to Moscow's exact intentions. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow has sought to end NATO's mission as a military organization, and reestablish the alliance as a political entity. At the very least, Moscow is demanding that NATO end its historic mission as defender of Western Europe against Russian aggression, but many of NATO's newest members - especially the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia - are joining the alliance specifically for protection against Russia. The Baltic States, once Soviet Republics, are now totally independent of Moscow and seek protection against a traditional threat from the East. The most detailed report on Moscow's new military statement was recently published on the Internet version of Pravda, one of Russia's leading daily newspapers. The new Russian military statement places both U.S./NATO troops in danger, and puts in doubt the reality of the independence of the "post-Soviet" republics allied to Moscow. According to the new military doctrine, Russia may go to war if Moscow refuses to allow foreign troops in the territory of the "post-Soviet" republics, putting in jeopardy U.S./NATO troops already stationed in former Soviet Central Asia. War could erupt over the "discrimination, suppression of rights…" of Russian citizens in any foreign nation, according to the new military doctrine. The Baltic States are directly threatened by this aspect of the new doctrine. For nearly a decade, Moscow has angrily denounced the Baltic States for purported mistreatment of ethnic Russians living in their countries. The new military doctrine appears to lay open the possibility of Russian intervention in the Baltic States should Moscow consider one or more of the Baltic States to be infringing upon the rights of their ethnic Russian populations. INA Today's examination of the original Russian article, upon which the English article is based, notes confusion and uncertainty as to what are Moscow's exact military intentions. The conclusion of the Russian-language Pravda article seeks a precise answer to the question, "from what threats" must the Russian military defend the nation? Pravda finds itself unable to answer its own question. Whatever is the reality of Moscow's military intentions, U.S. troops stationed in the depths of Central Asia, as well as the newest U.S./NATO allies, will certainly be involved. Copyright 2003 International News Analysis Today 2364 Jackson St. #301 Stoughton, WI 53589 U.S.A. Visit the INA Today Bookshelf ! Return to INA TODAY.com homepage