Harte Töne vom künftigen NATO-Oberbefehlshaber

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20160421_Scaparotti_Hearing

Als der scheidende NATO-Oberbefehlshaber Philip Breedlove vor einigen Wochen Russland mehrfach als existentielle Bedrohung bezeichnete, stieß das in Europa auf ein geteiltes Echo – nicht zuletzt in Deutschland wurden die Worte des SACEUR als Säbelrasseln verstanden. Da dürfte es dann mit dem designierten Nachfolger Curtis Scaparotti (Foto oben) noch ein bisschen schwieriger werden, der sieht das nämlich mindestens genauso.  Der General, der zugleich mit dem NATO-Befehl Kommandeur der US-Truppen in Europa werden soll, plädierte bei seiner Anhörung vor dem Streitkräfteausschuss des US-Senats am (heutigen) Donnerstag unter anderem für eine permanente Truppenpräsenz in Osteuropa die permanente Stationierung einer Panzerbrigade in Europa – und nicht nur, wie bislang geplant, rotierende Einheiten.

Das Video der ganzen Anhörung Scaparottis gibt es hier zum Anschauen. Für die, die nicht so viel Zeit haben, aus den Meldungen zu seinen Aussagen:

An armored U.S. military brigade permanently stationed in Europe would be more effective at deterring Russian aggression in the region than the current rotational presence, the Army general nominated to lead U.S. forces in Europe said on Thursday.

General Curtis Scaparrotti, President Barack Obama’s choice to lead U.S. European Command and become the next NATO supreme allied commander, said he agreed with other military leaders that Russia posed the greatest threat to the United States and Washington should be firm in asserting its rights. (…)
Scaparrotti told the Senate Armed Services Committee he thought Washington should supply Ukraine with the arms it needs to defend itself against Russian-backed forces, including an anti-tank missile like the Javelin.

berichtet Reuters.

Von Radio Free Europe:

The incoming head of U.S. military forces in Europe said he supports a permanent brigade-sized presence of U.S. combat troops in Eastern Europe to deter Russia’s expanded and assertive actions.
U.S. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti also told a Senate hearing on April 21 that he supported putting U.S. aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean Sea to send a “strategic message” to Russia and Iran.
The comments by Scaparrotti, who is expected to be confirmed as head of U.S. European Command in the coming weeks, reflect the growing push in Washington and some European capitals for a greater military presence, particularly among NATO members who have felt threatened by Russia’s actions.

Vom United States Naval Institute Blog:

The nominee to command American and NATO forces in Europe says Russia needs to receive a “strong, clear and consistent” message about what could happen if its aircraft cross the line in endangering U.S. ships and airplanes when lawfully operating.
“Once we make that known we have to enforce it,” Army Gen. Curtis “Mike” Scaparrotti told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
When asked, he said ship and other commanders have the authority to defend themselves under current rules of engagement, but guidance for specific scenarios could assist them in the future in deciding how to respond to differing provocations.
Scaparrotti said Moscow’s actions—such as buzzing American ships, increasing submarine patrols to Cold War levels, threatening the Baltic states, supporting separatists in the Ukraine, seizing Crimea and deploying troops and aircraft to Syria—show that President Vladimir Putin “is deliberately trying to break up NATO.”

(Foto: Screenshot aus dem Video der Anhörung – U.S. Department of Defense)