Strategic concerns mean the Pentagon is beefing up its presence along the line of the cold war Iron Curtain.
The news
The US Army has announced it is to send more troops to eastern Europe.
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The Pentagon says it is in response to an “aggressive” Russia.
- Extra armoured brigade deployed
- 4,200 extra soldiers
- 9-month tour of duty
- A total of three continuously present
- “More capable, more present, more modern”
Fears of Russian “revanchism”
Relations between Russia and western powers have deteriorated since Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
The annexation sparked and has stoked fears that Russia is considering interventions in bordering countries, notably the Baltic states.
The concern is that Moscow is seeking to regain territory it feels it has lost.
EUCOM in numbers
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US_EUCOM</a> announces European Reassurance Initiative implementation plan <a href="https://t.co/HBUQlwsavt">https://t.co/HBUQlwsavt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StrongEurope?src=hash">#StrongEurope</a> <a href="https://t.co/10LLN9QFey">pic.twitter.com/10LLN9QFey</a></p>— U.S. Army Europe (USArmyEurope) March 30, 2016
62,000 US military personnel permanently based in Europe
21 bases across the continent
What they are saying
“This demonstrates our strong and balanced approach to reassuring our NATO allies and partners in the wake of an aggressive Russia in eastern Europe and elsewhere.” – General Philip Breedlove, senior US commander in Europe.