₦airaland Forum

[/quote]A report by influential US-based think tank the Atlantic Council says NATO’s European members can’t fight a war against Russia. Earlier, the commander of US European forces said Americans were ready to “fight and win” against Russia.
The report, due to be released Friday, was prepared by six senior defense experts, including former NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, deputy supreme commander Sir Richard Shirreff and former Italian defense minister and NATO military committee chair Giampaolo di Paola. The Financial Times said it warns of a “lack of progress” in NATO’s build-up plans.

Many of the key members of the alliance are dogged by “chronic underfunding” and “critical deficiencies” in their “hollowed out” militaries, the report says. For example, Germany has only 10 usable Tiger helicopters out of its fleet of 31, and just 280 of its 406 Marder armored infantry vehicles are in full working order.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. © Yuri GripasFriend or foe? State Dept, Pentagon split on whether Russia poses threat
For the UK “the deployment of a brigade, let alone a division at credible readiness, would be a major challenge,” Shirreff says in the report. For one of the military exercises conducted in Europe in 2015, the UK had to redeploy tanks from Canada, “because the serviceability and spares situation in the UK’s fleet was so dire.”

If NATO really is not capable to defend itself from a possible Russian attack in Europe, it only means that it doesn’t use its defense budget well, Jan Oberg, director of the Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, told RT.

“The Russians have 8 percent military expenditure of NATO’s. It means all this is propaganda and should not be taken on face value,” he said.

“If NATO cannot muster an attack [sic] from Russia – which apparently is very unlikely – when it has 12 times more military power and higher technology, it’s because you are a lousy manager,” he added.

The report comes shortly after US Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, NATO’s top military commander, told the US House Armed Services Committee that American troops were ready to beat Russia in a European war.

"To counter Russia, Eucom, working with allies and partners, is deterring Russia now and preparing to fight and win if necessary," Breedlove said.

NATO has drumming up the perceived threat of a Russian aggression in eastern Europe since 2013, when Crimea seceded from Ukraine in response to a West-endorsed armed coup in Kiev, and voted in a referendum to rejoin Russia. Washington and Brussels called it an illegal annexation under a threat of military force.

NATO has since redeployed extra troops and military hardware to Eastern Europe and conducted the largest military exercise since the Cold War era. Moscow believes that NATO is using Russia as a convenient boogeyman to justify increased military spending by member states. European members of NATO have been for years failing to meet the benchmark for defense spending, but the budgets have been increasing in the past two years, a fact that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commended in his latest annual report.
https://www.rt.com/news/333715-russia-europe-war-nato/[quote]

Tos87:
OK sir @Kazuna..but I have a lot ohh.
let me proceed...arts ranging from the traditional way to the modern and digital as we have it to day is always evolving. Though art is all about self expression, that should not give it lack of aesthetic. Aesthetic is Beauty. Beauty is always one of the reasons people, mostly non art lovers appreciate artworks .
Aesthetic, is what your work lacks the most. The creativity is there but that appealing part of a piece of artwork which is ignited by its beauty is not felt.
Blender is a very very powerful 3d tool. As powerful as it is, it's efficacy can only be exercised, rekindled and of course put to use efficiently by the user. You are efficient with Blender3d software but you don't use it to achieve the best of it.
Cycles render, to the best of my knowledge surfaced as a result of the developers believe that Blender can do more than its previous version and release and still compete with other 3d softwares out there. Believe me, I totally understand your love for Blender internal, but no matter what you do with it, it can't give you the best of Blender.
I want you to see this as a call to switch to cycles render .Due to my love for Blender, I am opportune to have known some Nigeria Blender users outside NL and their works are so amazing. They inspire me a lot because with there works I am able to see what I can achieve with Blender and cycles render.
Speaking on the decals you have posted, I have actually waited for its arrival. I needed to see more to what I have seen herein. At this point in time every art one is creating should be able to tell a story and that can be achieved in a well rendered and composited work. On that your bird and a man image, it needs more work not to mention the water simulation. the water sim is not lively, Lacks focus, poor in composition, lights not used well and all this enhance beauty in any work not minding the person's style (photorealistic or abstract ).
You need to move forward...cos Blender has moved and is still moving. #NO PROFESSIONAL BLENDER USER RENDERS WITH INTERNAL THEY USE CYCLES OR ONE HIGHER THAN IT
correct me if am wrong. Aspire to produce a work that will be near professional level. Use addons, both free and paid(if you can afford it ), like and follow pages on fb that talk about blender3d and cg arts. make friends with Nigeria cg artist on FB you will see most of their works there.
No matter how UGLY a work of art is, there is always... I mean ALWAYS beauty in ugliness. so let's not forget the aesthetic part of art because that is why people love and cherish artworks not minding the look of it.
I hope to begin seeing your works rendered in cycles . I will never forget to reiterate that you are among those that inspired and pushed me into making Blender my loved 3d software.
Thanks, compassionately written, no offence meant.

kazuna:
Merry Xmas everyone...

CozyDblake:
Since i was a kid i have always loved computers.....i love all the artworks i've seen today. Well done guys. Nigeria is always not left behind in anything. Thank God i am a graphics designer i also want to learn programming too

kazuna:
te

Marvel1206:
Am already salivating ontop this coffee cup
i for compete too buh... I'm still a learner

MaziKachi:
Africa needs tolerance.

MaziKachi:
Africa needs tolerance.