NATO's top military commander, US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, on Monday gave an important speech presenting a "theory of victory" in the scenario of a future Russian attack along the Western military alliance's 'eastern flank'.
He asserted that NATO forces would "block, blunt and break" any Russian attack on member territory, which would make any such assault "utterly futile". But he also characterized the plan as one that would seek to avoid a wider, prolonged war from erupting. But he insisted the alliance is "ready to fight tonight" even though it does not seek escalation.
"Should the adversary choose to press the attack or commit his reserves, we will break the warfighting system engaged against us," Grynkewich declared at the speech given at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday. "This includes not just the attacking force itself, but anything and everything that supports, sustains or controls that force." This would suggest missile attacks deep into Russian territory, including on command-and-control centers.
"I think our populations around the alliance are a bit nervous," Grynkewich acknowledged while explaining why he is taking what was a classified plan established months ago into the public realm.
He said NATO leadership must seek to assure member populations that it will successfully defend them. "What I want to do is assure the 1 billion citizens of our alliance that we’ve got this," he said. "We know what we need to do. We know how we would do it, and it’s going to take all of us working together." However, looming large over all