NATO’s Unwanted Test of Strengths

It was destined to happen.

Leaders of the captive nations’ independence movements, having emerged from the forests at the end of World War 2, warned the leaders of the free world that Russia will not ride off into the setting sun but rather will intensify its efforts to subjugate Eastern European nations and others until it succeeds.

With the fall of the Soviet Russian empire – the Evil Empire – Moscow has been continuing its military campaign to imprison near and distant independent nations by invading and waging war first against Ukraine. Today, it expanded its efforts by striking Poland with a missile and killing two Poles.

Speaking of the shot heard round the world.

President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on November 15 had just finished addressing the G20 conference in Bali, from which Russian führer Putin was propitiously absent, when the Russian rockets hit Poland, near the border with Ukraine. President Biden was immediately notified of this attack and the predictable events were set in motion.

Zelenskyy and President of Poland Andrzej Duda immediately condemned Russia for this unconscionable attack against a member of NATO, a steadfast ally of Ukraine and stalwart supporter of the United States. Both presidents pledged support for each other’s countries in these anxious times.

The North Atlantic alliance’s cup just reached the brim of its concerns. Its actions tomorrow will determine if it is a feeble cat, a paper tiger or a military force to be reckoned with. However, the outcome that is needed may not be addressed due to the trepidation of Germany and France. To be sure, the former captive nations of Russian subjugation, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, as they have determinedly demonstrated in the past, will support Poland and Ukraine and demand a strong even military response from NATO. The new Scandinavian member-states may also join them in that firm reaction.

Poland has already convened its national security council to decide what action to take. NATO will be called into session Wednesday morning. Undoubtedly, the often-cited Article 5, states that the parties to the NATO treaty “agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.” Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February this sentence was been earnestly quoted in reference to needed unified actions to defend and liberate Ukraine from Russia’s latest invasion. There were no takers and as a result Ukraine has had to fend for itself with the timely arms assistance of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, the former captive nations, and a few others.

President Biden has famously pledged that “An attack on one is an attack on all and we will defend every inch of NATO territory, every inch of NATO territory.” He’s talked the talk and now he has to walk the talk.

Many supporters and defenders of Ukraine have said that Russia must be punished for invading Ukraine and anything short of that will not slake Moscow’s thirst for more drastic attacks against Ukraine or its neighbors. So far, the discussion was an academic exercise. Now the adults must be separated from the children.

To be sure, Poland is duty and honor bound to demand the enactment of Article 5 in defense of its nation and inviolable national territory. This is the second time in a dozen years that Poland has suffered death at hands of Russia, the previous one being the air tragedy in Smolensk. According to Article 5, the other NATO members are under legal and moral obligation to stand with Poland in endorsing the strongest actions against Russia, not merely sanctions that Putin can buy off.

The historic onus is on the righteous nations to stand up and defeat if not destroy Russia for the sake of regional and global peace and security.

Poland must first demand that Article 5 is enacted and it must mobilize is entire Armed Forces. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia must also mobilize their armed forces. The United States, Canada and Great Britain must increase their military presence in Eastern Europe in response to Russia’s fatal provocation against innocent Poland. NATO’s response must be unified, targeted, swift and decisive.

This united multinational armed force must then enter Ukraine and send a clear message to the Kremlin that its days are over and it must surrender or face the full brunt of NATO’s military might.

If NATO doesn’t force Moscow to stand down, then it might as well hang up its emblem, epilates and uniforms.