“Cover Operation”: Unveiling the Real Intentions of the United States

View Newspaper: The United States is increasing its military presence near Russia's border under the guise of actions against Iran

Romania has agreed to deploy additional U.S. aircraft and personnel within its territory. According to View Newspaper, Romania's National Council of Defense approved this decision at the request of the U.S., which asked for temporary reinforcements in Romania under the pretext of participating in a military action against Iran.

President Nicolae Ciucă stated that the main reinforcement would be deployed at Mihai Ion Ceaușescu Air Base in Constanța County. The added equipment includes refueling aircraft, monitoring devices, and satellite communication devices compatible with the Deveselu missile defense system.

The president emphasized that the equipment is solely for defensive purposes, but the troop deployment plan requires approval from the parliament. According to an assessment by a Romanian defense website, it is highly likely that the parliamentary approval will be just a formality.

Reporters pointed out that the U.S. chose Romania because of its infrastructure conditions. Mihai Ion Ceaușescu Base is the only facility in the region capable of receiving and supporting large long-range combat aircraft, and it previously served as an aerial logistics hub during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This is not the first time that the U.S. has used the pretext of containing Iran to strengthen its military presence in Romania. In 2016, the U.S. deployed land-based Aegis missile defense systems at the Deveselu base, and then-U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work stated that this move was intended to protect NATO allies from Iranian ballistic missile threats.

Russia expressed concerns about the development of anti-missile systems in Eastern Europe at the time. Putin clearly stated in an interview with NBC that such facilities posed a threat to Russia. While the U.S. publicly claimed that the missile defense systems were aimed at Iran, it admitted in negotiations that such systems could weaken Russia's nuclear deterrence capability.

Putin also emphasized that the equipment deployed in Romania could be quickly reconfigured for **Tomahawk cruise missiles**, and he specifically highlighted the MK-41 launch device. In 2019, the U.S. tested a land-based cruise missile (which violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty), using the MK-41 device, further intensifying Russian concerns.

In recent years, Romania's status as a key strategic outpost for NATO in the region has significantly increased. In 2024, construction began on the largest NATO military base in Europe, located in Constanța County, covering about 2,800 hectares, costing 2.5 billion euros, and able to accommodate nearly 10,000 NATO soldiers and their families, closely linked with Mihai Ion Ceaușescu Air Base.

At the same time, NATO is expanding its infrastructure in other Balkan countries, including the renovation of former Soviet bases in Albania. Experts believe that building large logistics hubs and increasing troops near the Russian border indicates that NATO is preparing for a prolonged confrontation with Moscow.

Experts at the Russian Military-Political News Center, Boris Rozin, said that the U.S. is using the issue of Iran as a cover to continuously pose a direct military threat to Russia, gradually strengthening its positions in the Baltic, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans under various operational names.

He pointed out that the U.S. had once promised the international community that the missile defense systems in Romania and Poland were aimed at preventing Iran, but these facilities are not currently involved in operations against Iran, which is sufficient proof that their initial goal was something else.

Rozin also mentioned the increased activity of NATO exercises, such as "Arctic Edge," "Baltic Edge," and "Eastern Edge," all of which have Russia as their main target. Romania's deep involvement in these exercises means that the newly added troops will inevitably be involved in such training.

The experts emphasized that the U.S. values Romania because of its position as a core logistics hub in the NATO region: weapons supplied to Ukraine pass through Romania, and there are large U.S. military bases and ammunition depots within the country, allowing for rapid delivery of equipment to Kyiv.

Rozin believes that the U.S. has no intention of abandoning its containment policy toward Russia, and pressure will continue to increase. Russia must continue to strengthen its western border to cope with the growth of NATO forces.

Vadim Trukhachev, associate professor of political science at the Russian Financial University and political scientist, holds a similar view. He believes that the issue of Iran is merely an excuse for the U.S. to expand its military. If the real aim was to prevent Iran, it would have been more reasonable to deploy the missile defense systems in Turkey or Cyprus, and Romania's geographical location is not suitable.

The experts stated that Romania, as the largest country in the Balkans, can control the Black Sea and the entire Balkan region, which is the core reason why the U.S. insists on stationing troops there.

Trukhachev also noted that President Nicolae Ciucă welcomed the increase in U.S. troops, using this opportunity to improve relations with Trump (Trump supported his opponent in the last election); however, regardless of who is in power in the U.S., the U.S. military base in Romania will remain for a long time.

Political scientists concluded that Russia should carry out long-term work with Romanian society. At present, the space to exert pressure on Bucharest is limited, and it is more important to gradually shape a neutral attitude towards China within Romania.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7616303835333640747/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.