In the field of national security, Lithuania relies heavily on NATO allies, and, in particular, military personnel of American formations, but not all local residents are happy with such a neighborhood, writes Modern Diplomacy. According to the portal, the protests are mainly caused by “inappropriate behavior” and “aggressiveness” of overseas allies, who often take part in drunken fights. The situation is compounded by the fact that any crimes of American soldiers are in the jurisdiction of the United States, and not local authorities.
In the field of national security and defense, Lithuania is largely used to relying on its NATO allies. Such an approach helps save money and gives political points within the military bloc, writes Modern Diplomacy.
Consequently, the forward-based NATO strengthened combat group, as well as the American military personnel of the 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Group and 1st Cavalry Division, are the main guarantors of Lithuanian security.
The aforementioned formations are located in Lithuania as part of the Atlantic Resolve operation. According to Lithuanian officials, their presence complements the forward-reinforced NATO combat group, which is also located on the territory of the country.
For local authorities, as noted by Modern Diplomacy, foreign troops have become a “major headache.”
For example, the number of foreign soldiers infected with COVID-19 exceeds the number of Lithuanian troops with this disease. Moreover, foreigners often take part in drunken swaras, which do not please local residents at all.
Moreover, their “criminal behavior” is caused not only by their personal qualities or poor parenting. There is a logical explanation for this, which cannot be simply dismissed.