
© Reuters / Ints KalninsAn US Air Force F-15 fighter during a joint NATO military exercise in Siauliai, Lithuania on April 1, 2014
Lithuania is conducting its biggest military exercises since joining NATO in 2004. Meanwhile, 200 extra troops are set to arrive at the alliance's headquarters in Eastern Europe, located in Szczecin, Poland.
"The huge allied presence demonstrates solidarity with the countries of this region," Major General Almantas Leika, who is in charge of the country's land army, said as the annual Saber Strike military drills began.
Lithuania is one of 13 countries participating in the exercise, which will involve about 6,000 troops performing manoeuvers in three Baltic states and Poland until June 19. During the two-stage exercise, land and air forces will carry out joint operations in the field, and then commanders will conduct a separate computer simulation of a regional conflict.
"This exercise is an opportunity to give one more demonstration of both our armed forces' and our strategic partners' abilities to organize military drills of such scope together and to continue honing interoperability," said Leika.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have jointly asked for permanent NATO bases to be located on their territory, saying Russia has the capacity to invade them within four hours of ordering an attack. Moscow has lashed out at the move, saying it contravenes the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act.
Comment: Well now, isn't that special. Now the US has manufactured another reason to intervene militarily to oust Assad.