Officials have cited the physical danger that such actions could cause and a desire to avoid an escalation in tensions between Russia and NATO.
Russia clearly does not share these concerns. This wasn’t an “act of aggression,” it was an act of war. Maybe rethink your attitude, NATO.
Hey, remember when Turkey unflinchingly smoked an Su-24 that entered their airspace, and then Russian shit flying into Turkish airspace was no longer a problem that Turkey had to deal with?
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
The solution is easy. You just need to have the stones to react to the situation as the Russians themselves would. That’s the geopolitical calculus they respond to. This pussy-footing around “avoiding escalation” encourages them to engage in encroaching brinksmanship. If NATO were to collectively say “here’s the line, don’t fucking cross it”, and then frag anything that crossed the line, Russia would very quickly stop crossing the line.
Yeah, for me the troops releasing drones from Belarus are a legitimate target now. Sadly I’m not in charge of NATO.
No - this is about credible defense policy. As such, all that needs to be done is to adhere to the lines, and then actually and promptly follow through. Have a clear and credible path of escalation:
- notify Russia that any aircraft, drones, or missiles that cross from Russian or Belarusian airspace into any NATO airspace will be shot down, without warning
- shoot down, without warning, any aircraft, drones, or missiles that cross from Russian or Belarusian airspace into any NATO airspace
- notify Russia that any additional intrusions will be viewed as attacks, and that any subsequent intrusions will have their launch points or airbases rendered mission-ineffective
- render any airbases or launch points that are the origin of subsequent intrusions mission-ineffective
This is a level of realpolitik that the Russians will absolutely understand.
I think everyone should be shooting down drones. Their existence watching us or worse is in itself an act of violence. End surveillance and hunt down the drones that are weapons of war.
There were a total of 19 airspace violations. It was no accident, it’s an act of war.
