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OPINION: Russia Needn’t Be Afraid of Paper Tiger NATO

© Sputnik / Yuriy Somov / Go to the mediabankNATO headquarters in Brussels
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Russia should not be concerned about NATO expansion, as they are not going to do anything rather than some symbolic financial gestures, Jeffrey F. Addicott, Director of Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary's University School of Law in Texas told RIA Novosti.

MOSCOW, April 18 (RIA Novosti), Lyudmila Chernova – Russia should not be concerned about NATO expansion, as they are not going to do anything rather than some symbolic financial gestures, Jeffrey F. Addicott, Director of Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary's University School of Law in Texas told RIA Novosti.

“Putin understands that NATO is largely a paper tiger,” Addicott said, adding that the alliance is now more in a defensive mode.

“The Russian leader also realizes that their signals to send out some additional ships here and there, or do some additional flights really mean nothing.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for almost four hours to his people Thursday, with the rest of the world listening in.

Putin stated Russia does not fear the NATO’s enlargement and neither Russia nor NATO seem eager for a hostile engagement. For his part, US President Barack Obama reiterated that when it comes to Ukraine, the use of military force in Ukraine is not on the table.

Addicott underlined that Putin has assessed the situation properly and seems to understand the geopolitical situation.

“Knowing that NATO is primarily composed of American muscle, Putin is correctly reading their signals not to do anything of great significance,” the professor said, noting that Germany, England and France will not use military force in any way either. “The situation is clearly in his favor now,” Addicott added.

Although NATO will continue to maintain a presence in countries that are already members, including new members like Poland and some satellite countries of the former Soviet Union, Addicott is certain that the alliance will not make any moves to expand. More, Addicott feels it is unrealistic for them to try to do so.

“Many countries in Europe don’t really have a military, they have not put any type of financial support into it,” the professor stated.

“Their weapons are antiquated, their training is ridiculous, they have no structure, and their officer corps depleted,” he explained.

Addicott stressed that NATO countries are not prepared to fight for anything or anyone.

“And Ukraine is not another country,” he asserted.

“They are obviously going to rattle their saber, which they don’t have. The Russians have a saber, and NATO has a butter knife,” the professor said.

Relations between Russia and NATO soured after Crimea rejoining Russia last month. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen pledged to step up patrols and boost its military presence along the alliance’s eastern border in Europe, citing Russia’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.

“We will have more planes in the air, more ships on the water, and more readiness on the land," Rasmussen said in Brussels.

This move has come as another sign that the alliance was tightening its grip on Eastern Europe where it is already running air-policing and surveillance missions over Poland, Romania and the Baltic trio.

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