Russia is hammering Estonia because the Estonians don't like a statue put up by the Soviets celebrating their conquest of Estonia:
The crisis broke last week when Estonia moved a bronze statue of a Red Army soldier, revered by Russia as a symbol of its enormous human sacrifices in World War Two against Nazi Germany, to a military cemetery and began uncovering the remains of 12 Soviet soldiers buried underneath it.
Many Estonians view the monument as an unwelcome reminder of nearly 50 years of Soviet rule and wanted it moved from its prominent location in their capital.
The issue is particularly sensitive because Moscow, stung by NATO expansion into its former Soviet territory, has decided to take a more forceful stand against what it sees as hostile Western encroachment on to its traditional turf.
Funny enough, Estonians didn't see trading Soviets for Nazis as quite the same as being liberated. I imagine NATO membership is considered a very good thing right now in Estonia.
With Russian bullying behavior like this, before long there won't be a Russian neighbor left from the Barents Sea to the Chinese border that won't be a member of NATO.
If Belorussia applies for NATO membership, we'll really know that the Russians are making more enemies needlessly.
And I bet that we don't reduce our Army in Europe to two combat brigades. I still think we need to leave the bulk of two divisions there (five brigades) as part of a full corps.
UPDATE: Another recruit signs up:
[Romania's] Parliament on Wednesday approved an agreement allowing the U.S. to use four Romanian military bases and station up to 3,000 troops in the former communist country.
The vote was 257-1 with 29 abstaining. One of those abstaining said it was a serious matter for Romania to become a buffer between Russia and NATO. That is ridiculous. There will be no buffer region. Just a line. And you are either on the free side or the Russian sphere-of-influence side. Having experienced the joys of the Soviet side, Romania clearly has no desire to be caught on the wrong side of that line again.
Russia is real good at reminding people why they need to be a member of NATO.
