Baltic States Rejoice as They Join NATO, Russia Fumes

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Baltic States Rejoice as They Join NATO, While Neighboring Russia Fumes

By Michael Tarm Associated Press Writer
Published: Mar 29, 2004




TALLINN, Estonia (AP) - When Belgian warplanes streak over the three Baltic states this week, there will be rejoicing on the ground.
Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are among seven former Soviet bloc countries formally joining NATO on Monday, and they are realizing a long-denied dream - entering a military alliance by choice instead of by coercion.

"It's good to know someone up there will be keeping bad guys away from our country," said Aurimas Sirvinskas, a 27-year-old salesman in Lithuania, referring to the NATO F-16s that will soon begin flying out of Lithuanian bases.

Who are the "bad guys"? No one says officially now that the end of the Cold War and collapse of communism have taken away the Soviet Union as NATO's foe. But many Balts point to Russia, which is resented for the forcible inclusion of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union in 1940.

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