It's been roughly twenty-five years since a major NATO military exercise was held (Reforger 1993 was the last significant one). Most people felt that the NATO versus Warsaw Pact days were over, and there was no reason to continue the yearly exercise.
Next week, Defender 2020 will start up, and convoys will attempt to bring 37,000 NATO 'players' into the Poland/Baltic region.
Problems? Virtually everyone expects this to be chaotic and various demonstrations will occur, with property damage, and arrests likely.
The necessity driving this military exercise? Some say that the Russia 'threat' still exists, and this exercise would send a message. The fact that probably half of German homes are heated by Russian natural gas now (even my own)? The message was sent in the 1970s.....if Russia wanted to get in on capitalism....it had to play a 'kind and gentle' game.
German issues? Everything from logistics shortfalls, to tank maintenance....will likely come up as issues. It won't be pretty.
So prepare for nightly reports and criticisms over this. Some people might wake up and actually ask if you really need NATO around....when the Russians are really good 'friends' of Germany.
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