Originally Posted by
FUMR
I said "a severe response from NATO countries" and not a severe NATO response. And the very reason I stated it that way is probably because at the back of my mind I always tend to dismiss the French and the Italians!
However, I remain hopeful that the majority would band together with a suitable military response.
Thank you for clarifying what you meant.
Originally Posted by petit plateau
I think you've now sussed out the point. If a party elects to become a co-belligerent then NATO Art 5 no longer applies.
That's how it looks to me as well.
As to the 101st Airborne/Air Assault Division
A total of 4,700 soldiers from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the home base of the 101st Airborne, have been sent to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. The “Screaming Eagles” leaders repeatedly stated that while they are in the region to defend NATO territory, they are completely prepared to cross the border into Ukraine if the combat intensifies or if a NATO country comes under attack.
That's roughly one third of the division.
Their deployment began in August, with a couple thousand deployed to Romania then.
I'd be interested to find out how many battalions of Blackhawks, and other helicopters, made the trip.