US Tactician: US F-15s in Europe Does Won't Affect Military Balance

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Retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor claims that the deployment by the United States of 12 F-15 Eagle combat jets to the European Command will not significantly affect the obsolete, World War II-style deployment of the US military in Europe.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The deployment by the United States of 12 F-15 Eagle combat jets to the European Command (EUCOM) will not significantly affect the obsolete, World War II-style deployment of the US military in Europe, retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor told Sputnik.

"[I]n contrast to reorganized Russian air and ground forces, the US and allied forces are poised to operate on the World War II model — a sure way to lose the fight," Macgregor, a military historian and leading US tactician stated on Thursday.

The redeployment of the F-15 jets in no way significantly altered the military balance in Europe, Macgregor emphasized.

"Given that US and allied forces are expected to operate on Russia's doorstep, the addition of a few aircraft, tanks or missile systems on a 850-900 mile front make little difference to the balance," he said.

Poland had built up a relatively strong army, but the other nations of Central and Eastern Europe had failed to do so, despite being accepted into NATO, Macgregor pointed out.

"The Polish ground force is excellent and growing stronger by the month, but the Germans are woefully behind. The rest of the East European/Balkan forces are of dubious quality, a fact no one cares to admit in public," he observed.

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Despite a massive increase in military capabilities in Europe initiated by the Obama administration, questions remain about how quickly the United States, Germany and their Scandinavian allies could deploy effective units in the event of any outbreak of hostilities, Macgregor noted.

"How rapidly German and Nordic ground forces, let alone US ground forces, can reach the theater and respond decisively is open to debate," he said.

Operation Atlantic Resolve is the US military commitment to collective security with NATO and Eastern European countries against Russia, according to the US Department of Defense.

The operation began in 2014, which included Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, but was expanded last February to include Romania and Bulgaria.

Moscow has repeatedly warned the United States and NATO that the military buildup on Russia’s borders is provocative and can harm regional and global stability.

Doug Macgregor holds a doctoral degree in international relations from the US Military Academy at West Point. He commanded in the Battle of 73 Easting, a decisive tank fight during the 1991 Gulf War.

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