“Romania must hold out for two weeks until NATO allies come to its aid, says US General Ben Hodges, the former head of US Ground Forces Europe, in an interview with journalist Radu Tudor.
General Hodges is 66 years old and retired in 2018.
Romania must hold out for two weeks until NATO allies arrive
“If you think about NATO defence, it relies in the early days of a conflict on the increased presence of battle groups, NATO forces, host nation forces, which have to stop the advance of troops, the first attacks. Air defence, ground defence, navy, all…
But a critical aspect of defense is for each nation to assume that they may have to hold out for about two weeks on their own. It’s going to fight with what’s there. So with French troops, American troops plus all the Romanian armed forces. “
DeepL 2:
“For ground troops, I suppose, about two weeks would be the time to hold out. The air force can come in faster. Maritime forces from Turkey and Bulgaria can get there faster.
What does that mean and why two weeks? Depending on how quickly we figure it out, how quickly we anticipate the attack, and whether the political forces have the courage to get moving before the attack, it’s possible that those two weeks could be reduced to fewer days.
But in most countries, in most places, we’ve seen a reluctance to get moving, because people don’t want to be seen as provocateurs, they don’t want to create a motivation, a justification for Russia to attack.
So if we assume that we don’t move very quickly, then I think Romania, like all the other countries, Poland, Lithuania, everybody, will have to wait about two weeks before additional forces arrive,” Hodges said.
In this context, he also explained why a modern infrastructure is needed.
“If we start from scratch, we have to have transport, we have to get on our feet and, as we have discussed several times, it is difficult to get to Romania and move around the country…”
DeepL:
“Because of the transport infrastructure, which is not very good. Part of a nation’s ability to defend itself depends on its ability to move. So having good roads is not only important for people to get to work or to go to the sea on holiday or to the mountains in Transylvania. Roads are also to be able to move troops faster,” the retired general pointed out.
We can last “at least five days”
In April, a retired general who is now running for the PUSL in the European Parliament elections said Romania could hold out for five days at the Focșanilor gate.
“At the moment there are six major military forces – not only from Romania’s point of view, but also from those who are with us in NATO – stationed in this area of the Focsani Gate. Let’s not forget, another development, in addition to what you have shown on the map, could come from Bugeac (Romanian territory currently part of Ukraine, editor’s note). And in this case we have provided forces, as a first device.
How much can we defend this piece of land? You said it very well: at least 5 days, alone. So, (the scenario) that Bucharest could fall in 24 hours is excluded,” General (r) Cristian Barbu told Antena 3 CNN.”
Can the media PLEASE stop referring to Ben Hodges as a ‘US general’ and showing him in uniform to insinuate his statements are current US policy or the stance of the US military?!
He is retired. Everything he says is his private opinion.
What if Romania was invaded by an unknown green men? Talking about these things in public appears very odd. Isnt the reaction time a top secret that is supposed to be sourced via deeply embedded spies? So if Puttin runs a “democratic” referendum on Transilvania joining Russia in under two weeks, NATO will just go home? Strange times
Edit. Transylvania
Well, the Carpathian Mountains did the job for more than 2000 years so I’m not too worry about Russia.
It will be like the scene from the movie *300 Spartans* – a blood bath of the russians
Most of them are on the west road in Newcastle
Carpathians will do the trick for more than 2 weeks. But I’m affraid that Romanian(Western) Moldova will be lost in hours.
Ben Hodges is a retired weirdo & not a US General.
Thanks for the Carpathians I assume. And our lack of highways especially in the eastern parts of our country. Not to mention our total lack of sympathy for Russians and way more wild terrain than in Ukraine, will make an invasion way harder. There’s no “brotherly” nation here at all, nobody is going to understand Russian and we have a history of hating Russia that goes deep in a lot of families here no matter the ethnicity (rapes, deportations, murder). Probably Russian soldiers will have to choose between “meeting a RO soldier or a bear in the woods” too.
Also… they won’t be able to trust no one because we are incredibly sneaky and can play your game until we are going to stab you in the groins during the most happiest moment you have. This is the Balkans gate. Thus this is not going to be Ukraine. It’s going to be another level of fuckery.
There are several flaws in the reasoning of the article, Russia is nowhere near capable of invading Romania, at the moment or for the foreseeable future.
1. Romania has no border with Russia, an invasion would mean an amphibious landing on the Black Sea Coast or an aerial invasion with paratroopers. Romania is protected by it’s own Patriot/F16s + at least a Mamba system from France and NATO airplanes. Also there is that small matter of the Kogalniceanu air base, used by the US, which I can only assume has it’s own AA defenses. Trying an air invasion would quickly turn into a turkey shoot over the Black Sea. An amphibious landing is even more ridiculous considering the current state of Russia’s Black Sea Navy, not to mention Romania has it’s own navy (not very modern but still) and batteries of anti-ship missiles on the coast, HIMARS, drones, MRLS, etc. Also NATO would be aware of the preparations for a naval invasion, like they were about the invasion of Ukraine. So zero element of surprise.
2. Assuming Ukraine falls completely and Romania has a border with Russia, an invasion would require an enormous amount of planning and massing troops. They cannot invade on day 1, so NATO has a lot of time to reinforce the flank. Not to mention the equipment already here. The French have tanks, Romania has dozens of HIMARS – ATACMS, MRLS, IFVs, tanks, etc. US Troops, French troops, dutch troops, etc. Plus the airforce and adding to it the NATO airforce would mean Russia has next to zero chances of getting air superiority on the front. Against modern NATO aircraft they could probably barely even contest. They are struggling in Ukraine, but Ukraine has an older soviet era airforce.
It would be easier for Russia to attack the Baltics or Poland, but even there I have my doubts Russia could sustain a war again NATO. I also doubt China would support Russia in going to war with it’s main markets. Without China’s support, Russia could not sustain an all out war against NATO.
But this kind of article is good if it means bringing more NATO troops to Romania, even if the chances of an attack are very small, that old saying is still valid: Si vis pacem, para bellum.
And more concerning is the hybrid warfare that Russia is waging in Europe and the US. Looking at Hungary, Slovakia, Trump, etc. That is where focus should be.
How accurate are his prediction until now ?
This guy is retired. He doesn’t know recent plans
We’ll be there Day 2, Bromania
Love, Bulgaria
I mean would they? NATO would see a Russian invasion coming a mile away. Then add heavy US Airforce presence in Italy and Germany, possibility of at least 1 carrier in the Mediterranean, subs and guided missile cruisers launching tomahawks, and the 173rd Airborne division could be on the ground in less than a day. Hell the 82nd Airborne could be there in less than 2 days. That’s just the US help not counting all the other NATO forces that are right there. Romania would have help the instant the first Russian boot crossed the border.
Maybe USA would procrastinate, but there are 30 more NATO members…
That’s nothing new, general knowledge about NATO strategy.
Implying they will be on the losing end. Lets go Bromania, lets go
Yeah sure, let’s not talk about how Russia is suppose to mass an invasion force right at the Romanian border with no one noticing, and yes that border right now is Ukraine, but we are taking for granted that has been conquered for the sake of this scenario.
Kindly reminder that the western intelligence services got the Ukraine invasion date wrong by just a day.
Nah Air superiority would be accomplished immediately. This would hold back any aggressor
Why are we still repeating pre Ukraine-russian war takes… Similar i still keep hearing how russia could potential take the Baltics in 3 days and so on…
Things have changed a lot past 2 years already… and these “experts” are as much out of loop from reality as avarage reddit “armchair general”.
22 comments
DeepL 1:
“Romania must hold out for two weeks until NATO allies come to its aid, says US General Ben Hodges, the former head of US Ground Forces Europe, in an interview with journalist Radu Tudor.
General Hodges is 66 years old and retired in 2018.
Romania must hold out for two weeks until NATO allies arrive
“If you think about NATO defence, it relies in the early days of a conflict on the increased presence of battle groups, NATO forces, host nation forces, which have to stop the advance of troops, the first attacks. Air defence, ground defence, navy, all…
But a critical aspect of defense is for each nation to assume that they may have to hold out for about two weeks on their own. It’s going to fight with what’s there. So with French troops, American troops plus all the Romanian armed forces. “
DeepL 2:
“For ground troops, I suppose, about two weeks would be the time to hold out. The air force can come in faster. Maritime forces from Turkey and Bulgaria can get there faster.
What does that mean and why two weeks? Depending on how quickly we figure it out, how quickly we anticipate the attack, and whether the political forces have the courage to get moving before the attack, it’s possible that those two weeks could be reduced to fewer days.
But in most countries, in most places, we’ve seen a reluctance to get moving, because people don’t want to be seen as provocateurs, they don’t want to create a motivation, a justification for Russia to attack.
So if we assume that we don’t move very quickly, then I think Romania, like all the other countries, Poland, Lithuania, everybody, will have to wait about two weeks before additional forces arrive,” Hodges said.
In this context, he also explained why a modern infrastructure is needed.
“If we start from scratch, we have to have transport, we have to get on our feet and, as we have discussed several times, it is difficult to get to Romania and move around the country…”
DeepL:
“Because of the transport infrastructure, which is not very good. Part of a nation’s ability to defend itself depends on its ability to move. So having good roads is not only important for people to get to work or to go to the sea on holiday or to the mountains in Transylvania. Roads are also to be able to move troops faster,” the retired general pointed out.
We can last “at least five days”
In April, a retired general who is now running for the PUSL in the European Parliament elections said Romania could hold out for five days at the Focșanilor gate.
“At the moment there are six major military forces – not only from Romania’s point of view, but also from those who are with us in NATO – stationed in this area of the Focsani Gate. Let’s not forget, another development, in addition to what you have shown on the map, could come from Bugeac (Romanian territory currently part of Ukraine, editor’s note). And in this case we have provided forces, as a first device.
How much can we defend this piece of land? You said it very well: at least 5 days, alone. So, (the scenario) that Bucharest could fall in 24 hours is excluded,” General (r) Cristian Barbu told Antena 3 CNN.”
Can the media PLEASE stop referring to Ben Hodges as a ‘US general’ and showing him in uniform to insinuate his statements are current US policy or the stance of the US military?!
He is retired. Everything he says is his private opinion.
What if Romania was invaded by an unknown green men? Talking about these things in public appears very odd. Isnt the reaction time a top secret that is supposed to be sourced via deeply embedded spies? So if Puttin runs a “democratic” referendum on Transilvania joining Russia in under two weeks, NATO will just go home? Strange times
Edit. Transylvania
Well, the Carpathian Mountains did the job for more than 2000 years so I’m not too worry about Russia.
It will be like the scene from the movie *300 Spartans* – a blood bath of the russians
Most of them are on the west road in Newcastle
Carpathians will do the trick for more than 2 weeks. But I’m affraid that Romanian(Western) Moldova will be lost in hours.
Ben Hodges is a retired weirdo & not a US General.
Thanks for the Carpathians I assume. And our lack of highways especially in the eastern parts of our country. Not to mention our total lack of sympathy for Russians and way more wild terrain than in Ukraine, will make an invasion way harder. There’s no “brotherly” nation here at all, nobody is going to understand Russian and we have a history of hating Russia that goes deep in a lot of families here no matter the ethnicity (rapes, deportations, murder). Probably Russian soldiers will have to choose between “meeting a RO soldier or a bear in the woods” too.
Also… they won’t be able to trust no one because we are incredibly sneaky and can play your game until we are going to stab you in the groins during the most happiest moment you have. This is the Balkans gate. Thus this is not going to be Ukraine. It’s going to be another level of fuckery.
There are several flaws in the reasoning of the article, Russia is nowhere near capable of invading Romania, at the moment or for the foreseeable future.
1. Romania has no border with Russia, an invasion would mean an amphibious landing on the Black Sea Coast or an aerial invasion with paratroopers. Romania is protected by it’s own Patriot/F16s + at least a Mamba system from France and NATO airplanes. Also there is that small matter of the Kogalniceanu air base, used by the US, which I can only assume has it’s own AA defenses. Trying an air invasion would quickly turn into a turkey shoot over the Black Sea. An amphibious landing is even more ridiculous considering the current state of Russia’s Black Sea Navy, not to mention Romania has it’s own navy (not very modern but still) and batteries of anti-ship missiles on the coast, HIMARS, drones, MRLS, etc. Also NATO would be aware of the preparations for a naval invasion, like they were about the invasion of Ukraine. So zero element of surprise.
2. Assuming Ukraine falls completely and Romania has a border with Russia, an invasion would require an enormous amount of planning and massing troops. They cannot invade on day 1, so NATO has a lot of time to reinforce the flank. Not to mention the equipment already here. The French have tanks, Romania has dozens of HIMARS – ATACMS, MRLS, IFVs, tanks, etc. US Troops, French troops, dutch troops, etc. Plus the airforce and adding to it the NATO airforce would mean Russia has next to zero chances of getting air superiority on the front. Against modern NATO aircraft they could probably barely even contest. They are struggling in Ukraine, but Ukraine has an older soviet era airforce.
It would be easier for Russia to attack the Baltics or Poland, but even there I have my doubts Russia could sustain a war again NATO. I also doubt China would support Russia in going to war with it’s main markets. Without China’s support, Russia could not sustain an all out war against NATO.
But this kind of article is good if it means bringing more NATO troops to Romania, even if the chances of an attack are very small, that old saying is still valid: Si vis pacem, para bellum.
And more concerning is the hybrid warfare that Russia is waging in Europe and the US. Looking at Hungary, Slovakia, Trump, etc. That is where focus should be.
How accurate are his prediction until now ?
This guy is retired. He doesn’t know recent plans
We’ll be there Day 2, Bromania
Love, Bulgaria
I mean would they? NATO would see a Russian invasion coming a mile away. Then add heavy US Airforce presence in Italy and Germany, possibility of at least 1 carrier in the Mediterranean, subs and guided missile cruisers launching tomahawks, and the 173rd Airborne division could be on the ground in less than a day. Hell the 82nd Airborne could be there in less than 2 days. That’s just the US help not counting all the other NATO forces that are right there. Romania would have help the instant the first Russian boot crossed the border.
Maybe USA would procrastinate, but there are 30 more NATO members…
That’s nothing new, general knowledge about NATO strategy.
Implying they will be on the losing end. Lets go Bromania, lets go
Yeah sure, let’s not talk about how Russia is suppose to mass an invasion force right at the Romanian border with no one noticing, and yes that border right now is Ukraine, but we are taking for granted that has been conquered for the sake of this scenario.
Kindly reminder that the western intelligence services got the Ukraine invasion date wrong by just a day.
Nah Air superiority would be accomplished immediately. This would hold back any aggressor
Why are we still repeating pre Ukraine-russian war takes… Similar i still keep hearing how russia could potential take the Baltics in 3 days and so on…
Things have changed a lot past 2 years already… and these “experts” are as much out of loop from reality as avarage reddit “armchair general”.
Me living in the north east part: Fuck