U.S. Military sends "Arctic Angels" troops to secluded region of Alaska in response to Russian military drills
NORAD reported intercepting Russian warplanes venturing close to Alaska on four distinct occasions within the past week. This occurrence coincides with Russia carrying out military exercises in the region.
The US Army dispatched components of the 11th Airborne Division to Shemya Island, Alaska, on September 12, as a demonstration of their "ready, lethal force," in response to these exercises. The division, commonly known as the Arctic Angels, typically resides at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright in Alaska.
"As the number of aggressive drills around Alaska and the surrounding areas, including the joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol held in June, escalates, the deployment to Shemya Island showcases the division's capacity to react to events in the Indo-Pacific or any part of the world in a timely manner, with a powerful and lethal force at the ready," stated Maj. Gen. Joseph Hilbert, the commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division.
As of now, the Russian aircraft have yet to breach the territorial airspace of either the United States or Canada, NORAD confirmed. However, the Department of Defense has been monitoring these military exercises intently.
"These activities are not out of the ordinary and are not perceived as a threat," confirmed the Pentagon's Deputy Press Secretary, Sabrina Singh, on Monday. "The US has been anticipating these planned exercises for quite some time, and they pose no threat to the US homeland or the NATO alliance."
Although this recent military deployment doesn't signal a substantial escalation in tensions, the relationship between the US' two primary military adversaries - Russia and China - has remained tense, mainly due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Even though the Biden administration has strived to re-establish high-level communication with China, including between the military leaders, China continues to be the US' significant military competitor.
Navigating diplomatic relations with both nations will be a formidable challenge regardless of who triumphs in the presidential election in November.
The Republican Party's presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has hinted at adopting a different strategy towards these adversaries compared to the Biden-Harris administration. Trump suggested he would endeavor to settle the Russia-Ukraine conflict once in office, and alluded to the possibility of a harmonious relationship between the US, China, and Russia if elected.
During a discussion with X Spaces while launching a new cryptocurrency business, Trump was inquired if he believed there was a destructive force plotting against him after the apparent second assassination attempt against him.
"You have a radical left-wing force. And we have forces, by the way, I say that we have a lot of evil in the world. The world is a harsh place, and you can see that with some of the events that have transpired. We've been treated, I believe, unfairly, but I've managed to succeed astonishingly well. It's a remarkable nation in several ways, but we do have malevolent forces," Trump explained.
The former president further elaborated, "You have outside forces that are the enemies, and you know, you refer to them as Russia, China, various places. I don't believe that they're enemies. I think we'll get along great with China. I think we'll get along great with Russia. I aim to get Russia to bring an end to its conflict with Ukraine and cease this violence."
The escalating political tensions between the US and its two primary military adversaries, Russia and China, have become a prominent topic in the ongoing presidential election. Candidates like Donald Trump have suggested adopting different strategies towards these nations.
Following these political discussions, it's crucial to note that the deployment of the 11th Airborne Division to Shemya Island is a political move, reflecting the US's readiness to respond to any potential threats in the region, given the tense relationship with Russia and China.
