By John Q. Hosedrinker 
In response to a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace, NATO is launching “Eastern Sentry,” an initiative to reinforce the defense of Europe’s eastern flank. This operation, involving assets from various member states, will enhance capabilities, integrate defenses, and increase information-sharing among allies. The aim is to address Russia’s increasing recklessness in the air and to demonstrate NATO’s readiness to defend its territory, covering the entire eastern flank from the high north to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. While the assessment of the drone incursion is ongoing, NATO is taking decisive action to ensure its resolve to defend its territory is clear.
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NATO launches ‘Eastern Sentry’ operation in response to Russian drone incursions, and the first thing that comes to mind is that this is a necessary step. Even if it’s mostly symbolic, and even if nothing significant follows, it’s crucial to re-establish boundaries. Boundaries matter, whether they’re personal or international. Violations, even unintentional ones, need a response. An unenforced boundary is no boundary at all. The very existence of this operation, ‘Eastern Sentry,’ is a good thing.
Now, practically speaking, how can we make this operation effective? Countries like Poland, sharing a border with Russia, are going to need to find a more cost-effective way to deal with drone incursions. They can’t rely solely on expensive combat aircraft to shoot them down. The Ukrainians, bless their hearts, have pioneered specialized ‘counter-drones’ to deal with these threats. We need more of those. And it’s a bit concerning that, after three years, NATO is still struggling to provide enough artillery for Ukraine. It highlights a gap between rhetoric and reality. Until Russia actually attacks a NATO country, a lot of this feels performative.
And let’s be honest, some of the operational names are a bit… lackluster. They could use some more pizzazz, some of the historical gravitas that names like “Overlord” or “Dragoon” possessed. The shared front between Ukraine and NATO underscores the inevitability of this situation. Honestly, getting involved earlier might have been the better move. Fear of a nuclear response, as many have mentioned, was always going to be a factor, but it shouldn’t paralyze us.
This is why NATO exists in the first place, right? Because of Russian aggression. It’s wild how effective Russian propaganda has been in convincing people that NATO is the problem, when it’s quite the opposite. Russia has been gaining valuable intelligence during this ongoing conflict and has confirmed their beliefs that the West, and in particular, the previous US administration, wouldn’t take decisive action.
Putin isn’t going to take any warning seriously without concrete action, like cross-border strikes. History has shown us this; he’s constantly testing the boundaries, chipping away at neighbors, always confident that NATO won’t cross the line, although, to his surprise, he’s found Ukraine as a place where NATO actually shows up in the form of aid and training. It’s time to move up a gear.
The current security measures and training combined with the drone incursions make it seem that we’re sitting on a powder keg. Increased security is something to be applauded, but it does not solve the real problems. While one foot is in the “nothing ever happens” camp, the other has to realize that all it takes is one spark.
Some see this as a fight of good versus evil. Putin, it is said, is fighting for authoritarianism and darkness. This includes China’s government and others like them, and many believe they want the same outcome for America. America is a country where freedom is threatened, and it may be running out of time.
What do you expect to happen? Things could go from bad to worse. Stopping drones with drones is a decent concept, but it does feel like we are staring down the barrel of World War III. And the name for this operation? Well, I would suggest “Operation See You In Valhalla.” Though, let’s not forget, names get used up. Like hurricanes. And, for the record, NATO likely doesn’t use the same codename system the US does.
In reality, NATO wasn’t prepared, and that is the problem. Too little, too late, is how we can end up in the very situation we were trying to avoid. If we had acted decisively early on, we would have saved Ukrainian lives and made Russia understand the boundaries. But, here we are, dragging things out until we are forced to do what we initially didn’t want to do. This could just be the start, as many believe.
The point that I keep coming back to is that this is not about America. It is about the violations of international law. And the need to take a stand, and show Russia, as well as the world, that there are still those who will not allow this type of behavior to continue.