This is unbelievable. We know top NATO officers tend to be peculiar characters (recall the famous warmongers Philip Breedlove and Wesley Clark) but so far they stayed clear of claiming magical powers.

This is no longer the case British general Richard Shirreff who between 2011 and 2014 served as the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe has consulted his crystal ball and has concluded that in the fifth month next year Russia will invade Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Ukraine.

We’re not joking, he really is that specific. Unless NATO bulks up its presence in Eastern Europe come this time next year Russians will be invading NATO territory and doubtlessly provoking World War III:

A startling claim that the west is on course for war with Russia has been delivered by the former deputy commander of Nato, the former British general Sir Alexander Richard Shirreff.

In a book published on Wednesday, 2017 War With Russia, Shirreff argues that the events in Crimea have destroyed the post-cold-war settlement and set the stage for conflict, beginning next year.

In a chilling scenario, he predicts that Russia, in order to escape what it believes to be encirclement by Nato, will seize territory in eastern Ukraine, open up a land corridor to Crimea and invade the Baltic states.

Shirreff, who was deputy supreme allied commander Europe from 2011 to 2014 and before that served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and the Balkans, is risking his reputation by making such a bold prediction. But he claims his narrative is closely modelled on his Nato experience of war-gaming future conflicts.

His scenario is specific, naming Latvia as the first of the Baltic countries to be invaded, in May next year. Such specifics open him to potential ridicule. 

At the book launch at London’s Royal United Services Institute, he heavily caveated the scenario by saying it was still avoidable provided Nato took the necessary steps to pre-position forces in large enough numbers in the Baltic states. Nato is planning to make a start on just such a move at a Nato summit in Warsaw in July.

Faced with scepticism from journalists at the book launch – the Baltic states, unlike Ukraine, are members of Nato, and Russian action against any of them would in theory trigger a response – Shirreff said history was full of irrational decisions by leaders.

He said Putin could invade the Baltic states and then threaten nuclear action if Nato threatened to intervene.

Now just in case you thought this was a case of lone nut:

Shirreff’s warning about the danger posed by Russia is echoed in the foreword by US admiral James Stavridis, former supreme allied commander Europe, who writes: “Under President Putin, Russia has charted a dangerous course that, if it is allowed to continue, may lead inexorably to a clash with Nato. And that will mean a war that could so easily go nuclear.”

That’s right, the American Stavridis who was Shirreffs boss and top NATO military commander wrote the foreword to his assessment. Lunatics have truly taken over the asylum. – Best way to prevent WW3 is to send a lot of NATO troops into the Baltic states and make Russia a lot more nervous. Makes sense. If you’re sniffing the good glue they have over at the NATO HQ.