# What if NATO failed to respond to an invasion of Estonia?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 4, 2014, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595 "2014-11-04T10:06:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595/21 "2014-11-05T04:12:04Z")

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> [@IMfez](#):
>
> How so?

You are unaware that NATO countries engaged in a war against the Taliban and al-Qaida in retaliation for the 9/11 attacks? That war was on the news and everything.

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**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595/22 "2014-11-05T04:25:13Z")

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It would not happen. There would be war, full stop. It would unite the EU and every other NATO member like nothing else could. Limited posturing or full blown nuclear exchange are both possible.

Now, an insurrection by pro Russian Estonians backed by shadow governments might see a conflict go on for some time without resolution.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595/23 "2014-11-05T05:37:42Z")

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> [@Namkcalb](#):
>
> Russia already has troops in Estonia, major NATO members don’t. All the posturing would do is give them more time to dig in, and deploy their anti-air systems.

Can I ask for a cite on that? From what I can find all Russian troops left Estonia in 1994. It was a diplomatic dispute between Estonia and Russia at the time, so I’d be really surprised if Estonia had let the Russians back in after pushing so hard to get them out.

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**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595/24 "2014-11-05T06:18:21Z")

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> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> Can I ask for a cite on that? From what I can find all Russian troops left Estonia in 1994. It was a diplomatic dispute between Estonia and Russia at the time, so I’d be really surprised if Estonia had let the Russians back in after pushing so hard to get them out.

I was responding to the hypothetical situation of NATO trying to scare the Russian out of Estonia.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-nato-failed-to-respond-to-an-invasion-of-estonia/703595/25 "2014-11-05T07:03:54Z")

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> [@Namkcalb](#):
>
> I was responding to the hypothetical situation of NATO trying to scare the Russian out of Estonia.

Okay, I misunderstood.

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