2) Turkey requested & NATO granted Art 4 session - called when a member "request consultations when...territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened." After being condemned for buying RU Air Defense systems by NATO & US, Turkey asks for more US systems...— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) February 28, 2020
3) Amid ongoing tensions between US and Chinese militaries in the South China Seas, a Chinese ship fired military grade laser (a "dazzler") at US Navy P-8 surveillance aircraft. US issued yet another demarche to the Chinese government. Increasing frequency of these events.— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) February 28, 2020
5) SACEUR/EUCOM CG told congress this week there is increase chance of U.S. forces in Europe lockdown as coronavirus hits Italy & other EU countries. This as 37,000+ US troops flow to Europe from US for Exercise DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020, the biggest coalition event in 30 years— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) February 28, 2020
7) Thursday, on the 6th anniversary of RU invading Crimea, SecState Pompeo said "Crimea is Ukraine." In Kyiv, Pres Zelensky said he won’t "strike a grand bargain that concedes Crimea to Russia in exchange for peace in eastern Ukraine," despite continued attks by RU in Donbas.— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) February 28, 2020
8) That's enuf for today, even though there are more. But it's interesting to watch the events predicted on 1 January by @CFR_org as "things that could happen this year." All those in red have already occurred to some degree pic.twitter.com/UylSeP7w9W— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) February 28, 2020