NATO's new "rapid reaction force" is a paper tiger. War is Boring.

NATO troops training. War is Boring/NATO

NATO's proposed 4000 strong "rapid reaction force" is little deterrent to Russia. -War is Boring. NATO claims this new force could mobilize in as little as two days instead of the five days needed for the current forces deployed in the area. However, it is unlikely the force will be much of a deterrent to Russia. It will likely be made up of light troops and vehicles and not the heavy armor needed to counter Russian tanks and airplanes. There is also the question of how the 28 nation alliance is going to pay the force due to recessions and political chaos in several member states. 

My Comment:

4000 troops is nothing compared to how huge the Russian army is. Even if this force were to get support from U.S. airstrikes they would not be able to counter Russian tank units. It might be useful for the other possible role for this unit, fighting in the Middle East, but it is a joke against Russia. Still, it could be of some limited use if the unthinkable happens. If Russia and NATO go to war this unit could at least hold up a few enemy units before they were destroyed, buying time for the main forces to be deployed.

Of course that's assuming that anyone actually pays for it. Europe is unstable economically and politically and I just don't see NATO sates cracking open their wallets anytime soon. When the choice is between bread and bullets I am guessing Europe will choose bread. 

Also it is amazing to me how rapidly we returned to the bad old days of the Cold War. Sure tensions were high last year but they are through the roof now. If you had told me 5 years ago that people would be talking like the chances of NATO and Russia going to war wasn't outside the realm of possibility in 2014 I would laugh in their face. That isn't true anymore. I still think it is very unlikely since Putin seems unlikely to push into the Baltic states and NATO members aren't going to do anything about Ukraine, but the chances are better now then they have been since before the end of the Cold War.