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Russia ISIS Too Much To Handle Together?
Twin-front crises threaten Western security
WND
Russian President Vladimir Putin
WASHINGTON – Between the Ukrainian crisis and the meteoric rise of the Islamic State, or ISIS, there are mounting concerns the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, will be unable to handle one, let alone both, of these serious threats to western security.
These challenges also hit as Washington has determined it will be unable to financially maintain what could turn out to be a two-front war if it also decides to increase military action significantly against ISIS.
And while NATO has announced creation of a rapid-reaction force to deal with Russian incursions into Ukraine, analysts say NATO members are confronted with their own budgetary and political constraints.
At present, the only members of the 28-nation NATO alliance that meet their commitment of a minimum of 2 percent on defense spending of their gross domestic product are Estonia, Greece, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
There also remains a major reluctance by the Europeans, especially Germany and France, to impose even harsher economic sanctions on Russia, which supplies some 30 percent of Europe’s natural gas. As winter begins to come into view, reconsideration of continued sanctions could become an issue.
Analysts say, however, that these obstacles to any decisive action not only would limit the alliance’s ability to respond against the Russians, but also against ISIS.
In turn, this would force the U.S. to pick up most of the burden, leaving open the question of just how relevant NATO really will be.
Analysts assess that any NATO military intervention to shore up the regime in Kiev would not alter the balance on the battlefield. This is due not only to the limited military assets it can apply to any confrontation with Russia, but also due to a lack of manpower, not only in Europe but in Ukraine as well.
An assessment by the open intelligence group Stratfor says a number of Ukrainian units have been rendered combat ineffective in the east while those that remain are stretched too thinly.
Reposted with permission
