WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — “It will not be an effective deterrent, because there is nothing to deter,” professor of neuroscience and political commentator John Walsh told Sputnik on Monday.
Walsh warned, however, that the deployment may be intended to deliberately increase tensions in the region.
“False flags are always in the wings and the tragic example or Ukraine as the neoconservatives’ pawn,” Walsh said.
Russia did not need or covet any territory from its neighbors, Walsh explained.
“Though not a well-considered action, this dance of the tanks is a pretty effective piece of humor. It seems to resemble… a big expensive parade,” Walsh suggested.
Outgoing President Barack Obama and his Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter had approved the new deployment because they hoped to put in place facts on the ground that would encourage some small country to curry favor with the US by antagonizing Russia, Walsh added.
After Trump becomes US president on January 20, he would likely want to halt or even reverse the Obama-Carter deployment. But he might be forced to endure it for some period of time, Walsh cautioned.
“It would be consistent with Trump's view to terminate this foolish tank parade. But he is limited by what he can do at the moment — and perhaps for a while,” Walsh concluded.
Retired US Army Major and historian Todd Pierce agreed that the new deployment was too so mall to be credible as any kind of deterrent.
Pierce said the only result from this latest move will be a grossly inflated Pentagon budget.
