Belarus: Nato rejects claim that foreign troops are on border

[Andy_Ross]

Claims by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that "foreign powers" are organising a build-up of troops on the country's border are baseless, says Nato.

Dressed in military fatigues, the president said he had placed his armed forces on "high alert".[/quote

The leader, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, claimed the Nato bloc was trying to split up Belarus and install a new president in Minsk.

He said troops in Poland and Lithuania were readying themselves, and that he was moving his armed forces to the country's western border.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53877953

 

[Andy_Ross]

A Polish presidency official called the suggestion that Poland planned any border destablisation "regime propaganda" by the Belarusians, which was "sad and surprising". "Poland... has no such intention," the official added.

 

[TragicMonkey]

He's next door to Russia and he thinks Poland is the invasion threat?

 

[crescent]

He's next door to Russia and he thinks Poland is the invasion threat?

He's usually (but not always) on friendly terms with Putin. He might just be setting up casus belli for Russia to come on in and help him out. He would probably rather be a dictator subservient to a more powerful dictator than to not be in power at all.

 

[TragicMonkey]

He's usually (but not always) on friendly terms with Putin. He might just be setting up casus belli for Russia to come on in and help him out. He would probably rather be a dictator subservient to a more powerful dictator than to not be in power at all.

I think it's more likely Putin wants Belarus to become a failed state which he can then "save". If I were that guy I'd be very careful about what I eat from now on.

 

[Venom]

For a while Lukashenko looked as though he was straddling the line between Russia and the west. Funny how quickly things have changed the past few weeks.

 

[Tolls]

For a while Lukashenko looked as though he was straddling the line between Russia and the west.

It did?
And there was me thinking he had always been (at least with Putin) a close ally to Russia.

 

[arthwollipot]

I think it's more likely Putin wants Belarus to become a failed state which he can then "save". If I were that guy I'd be very careful about what I eat from now on.

Anyone else getting the vague feeling that Putin is trying to reform the Soviet Union? First Ukraine and now this...?

 

[dann]

Some kind of union, maybe, but Soviet?!

 

[Trebuchet]

Anyone else getting the vague feeling that Putin is trying to reform the Soviet Union? First Ukraine and now this...?

I initially got the entire wrong meaning of "reform" there! Maybe "re-form" would work better.

 

[Mader Levap]

He's next door to Russia and he thinks Poland is the invasion threat?

He does not think that. He is doing that thing called "lying".

 

[theprestige]

Some kind of union, maybe, but Soviet?!

Apparently the "soviet" form of government is based on government by a central council. E.g. instead of a mayor, a soviet-governed city would have a city council, and perhaps a city manager that executed the council's will.

So a soviet-style system of subordinate governments seems like a reasonable goal for Putin to have. Another reasonable possibility would be a more "strongman"-based system, with subordinate governments being given to loyal henchmen to rule over (and profit from). But there are drawbacks to the strongman approach:

Dissatisfaction of the masses, who will likely prefer some kind of democratic voice in their local government. A council of elected officials helps to keep the governed happy and compliant.

Reliability of loyal henchmen. A council dilutes individual power and creates some checks and balances on individual corruption and ambition.

Scalability. The more henchmen you have running things on your behalf, the more people you have to personally supervise and watch out for. A council of elected officials is going to be too busy running for office and pleasing their constituents to plot betrayal, as well as watching each other closely for signs of growing advantage.

So some kind of soviet union, maybe, but Socialist?!

 

[Venom]

It did?
And there was me thinking he had always been (at least with Putin) a close ally to Russia.

He was always relatively cozy with Putin but made it clear Belarus would not be part of the "Russian world". During the Ukrainian revolution he went against Russian wishes that the country be federalized and wanted to be a sort of mediator between them for a while.

Google is stupid and won't let me find links from years ago.

https://twitter.com/Biz_Ukraine_Mag/status/1208081959802552320
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/0...-7Nni1YeHopTEOTbL_BpXpegvB5p8EgsS4-6WDcFFDbMc

 

[theprestige]

BELARUS: Poland is a threat! We're moving our troops to the Polish border for security!

POLAND: We're totally not a threat. But now we have to move our troops to the Belarussian border, obvs.

BELARUS: See! See! Polish troops are massing on our border!

RUSSIA: Hmm, yes, quite. *Take off every Mig.*

 

[Silly Green Monkey]

Have any troops moved to the Polish side of the border?

 

[arthwollipot]

RUSSIA: Hmm, yes, quite. *Take off every Mig.*

For great spravedlivost.

 

[Mader Levap]

Meh. Lukashenko can move his military all around like kid moving his plastic figurines of soldiers, he won't do anything serious. It is just distraction and way to mobilize his followers.

Yes, he still has them. There is no such thing as man in power with literally 0% popularity, because such guy would be removed long ago before reaching zero.

EDIT Current meme for peruse: