By contrast, having forces toe to toe used to be the norm in Europe. And one thing convenently being ignored here is that the deployment of those ground troops is far more in the interests of the border states than the other NATO nations.
I am sure that the war manoeuvres bring lots of money into the local economies. The idea that Russia is about to invade a NATO ally is just patently absurd.
It might be absurd but it seems tobe the only reasonable explanation. NATO might believe this, otherwise this policy of ramping up heat is counterproductive.
It is certainly not counterproductive for the war industry that is trying to get all NATO countries to invest in unbelievable obscene amounts of new weapons systems and planes etc.
WIthout any tension who knows maybe the citizens of the "free" world would vote for parties that didn't want to spend on WMD and other war toys.