In response to statements by Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer, the Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, calling for preemptive strikes against Russia, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) is calling for an evaluation of the U.S.’s status within NATO. He posted to his person X account, “Based Mike Lee,” “we need to re-evaluate our status with NATO. Now. This idea of preemptive strikes against Russia is [bat shit] crazy.” As reported by The Political Insider Lee also agreed that America “needs to wake up” and expressed support for the assertion that “NATO should’ve ended in ‘91 with the fall of the Soviet Union.”
In his remarks discussing preemptive strikes, Admiral Bauer explained that this involved targeting Russian missile launchers before they can be used against NATO members. “It is more competent not to wait,” he said, according to Bloomberg, “but to hit launchers in Russia in case Russia attacks us. A combination of precision strikes is needed that will disable the systems that are used to attack us, and we must strike first.” According to the Political Insider, this approach has met with criticism not only from the Russians, but within NATO itself.
