Posted on 05/16/2022 10:20:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
First Finland and now Sweden have announced their plans to apply for membership in the North American Atlantic Treaty Organization after decades of neutrality. The move immediately incensed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who threw a hissy fit by reportedly sending nukes to the Finnish border.
From DailyMail:
Sweden has said it will join Finland in bidding for membership of NATO, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted an ‘historic’ shift away from decades of neutrality.
Magdalena Andersson, the Swedish prime minister, announced the move on Monday – just a day after Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin tabled her own bid.
Finland and Sweden have been bound to codes of neutrality since at least the Second World War, in return for security guarantees from Moscow that it will not attack them.
On Sunday, a day before Sweden’s official announcement, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg applauded the idea in a meeting of foreign ministers of alliance members:
President Putin wants Ukraine defeated, NATO down, North America and Europe divided. But Ukraine stands, NATO is stronger than ever, Europe and North America are solidly united.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced he will meet with the Swedish Defense Minister at the Pentagon later this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been openly opposed to the NATO applications, responded with a tantrum, reportedly moving mobile, nuclear-capable Iskander missiles to Russia’s 810-mile border with Finland Monday. From the Sun:
- The mobile short range ballistic missile is capable of carrying cluster munitions or fuel-air explosive enhanced-blast warheads.
- With a range of up to 310 miles, the Iskander can also be deployed for bunker-busting and anti-radar missions.
- The movement of the lethal missiles comes after Russia warned Finland and Sweden that their decision to join NATO was a “grave mistake with far-reaching consequences.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also opposed to the applications, saying on Monday that Sweden was a “hatchery” for terrorism, and even had terrorists in its parliament. “Neither of these countries have a clear, open attitude towards terrorist organizations,” Erdogan said. “How can we trust them?”
Further provoking Russia, a reported 15,000 troops from 14 NATO countries will conduct a huge military drill in the Baltics starting today. Soldiers from Finland and Sweden will participate in the exercise dubbed ‘Siil’ or ‘Hedgehog’ today, which will take place just 40 miles from the nearest Russian base.
Some here at home are questioning the wisdom of provocations like these as well as the further expansion of NATO. After all, one of Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine was the encroachment of NATO towards its western borders.
I get there’s nothing going on at home that Congress could be worrying about, but after decades of not being in NATO and being just fine isn’t the notion of eliminating this buffer zone a little bit how the Ukraine invasion started? https://t.co/MptrZyYT5q
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 16, 2022
Vlad had already been talking tough even before the applications were announced, saying helpful things like Russia could wipe out Finland in “ten seconds” if it wanted to, and that Sweden and Finland’s entry into NATO would certainly “trigger a response.” We’re apparently already starting to see what that response might look like.
NATO has been an important security block for the West since its creation after the Second World War, but is all this expansion making the world more dangerous, not less? We certainly wouldn’t let Canada or Mexico join a Russian security alliance; why would we think that Putin would take kindly to being almost surrounded?
Keep poking a bear, and eventually, it will swipe back.
Crazy.
Ri-ight! We would probably immediately threaten to "glass" Toronto or Mexico City!
/mordant sarcasm
Ri-ight! Like Canada or Mexico would ever even consider joining a military alliance with Russia!
Absurd analogies!
Regards,
What is crazy?
Putin's pointless posturing?
Agreed!
Regards,
So then you think the U.S. should butt out of Solomon Islands having a Chinese base built there.
Interesting...
Why not? If Washington thinks the Southern border isn't worth protecting, maybe the Russkies can do it. They do know a thing or two about securing borders.
Crazy.
What is crazy?
Putin’s pointless posturing?
Agreed!
Regards,
—
Yes. It’s a bit worse than posturing I think.
Mexico and Germany talked of an alliance if the U.S entered ww1. There was talk of invading mexican oilfields but the U.S shelved the idea when Mexico threatened to blow them up. uncle Sam doesn’t tolerate threats in its’ backyard. That’s pretty obvious al la Cuba. Whilst an alliance between Mexico and Russia is probably fanciful, an alliance between Mexico and China is another matter.
Ah, yes the famed "Zimmermann telegram." Has given rise to so much fantasy "alt-history" fiction.
Was a mere blip / is not worthy of serious discussion.
Any comparison of the current situation in Ukraine with some outrageous sci-fi scenario involving Canada or Mexico is simply a weak attempt at deflection and distraction. Someone is trying to "derail" the discussion!
Regards,
Do not screw around with the Finns.
I’m not quite sure what all the hyperventilating here is about (outside of the Pooty Puffers).
Finland and Sweden already cooperate closely with the US and many NATO countries, run large exercises with us, and so on. Both countries are already well armed, and Finland is particularly well manned and trained. There’s not any real reason to build significant NATO facilities there. Possibly some logistics and infrastructure upgrades / additions would be useful. (Not totally unlike the US Interstate highway system, for one example.)
Basically, deterrence of a Russian attack is the major gain. That assuming Pooty has learned ANYTHING from his Ukraine adventure at all, and doesn’t want to fight along 1600+ miles of border.
That said, many (including, oddly, many FReepers) don’t seem to understand the dynamic here. It is precisely Putin telling countries like Finland what they can or cannot do, and issuing threats, that makes them more determined to not bow to those threats. The more the pressure, the greater the resistance.
There already were nukes in Kaliningrad, very close to Sweden and Finland
I think it’s entirely appropriate to pose the question of what the U.S would do if faced with hostile alliances on its’ borders or in its’s region. What it did with Cuba indicates it wouldn’t hesitate to threaten, escalate and invade to secure its’ hegemony. I just can’t see why it is suprised with Russia doing it too
Agreed! But on the short term, anything serving to slap Putin in the face is to be welcomed!
The more the pressure, the greater the resistance.
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
Regards,
Equivocation Fallacy!
You are attempting to establish an equivalency where there is none.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. did not invade Cuba and/or seize territory. It merely instituted a blockade.
Russia is slaughtering Ukrainian civilians, levelling Ukrainian cities, and holding sham referendums in occupied territory. How can you possible compare the U.S. during the Cuban Missile Crisis to what is happening now in the Ukraine?
If Russia had merely blockaded Ukraine, we wouldn't be where we are right now.
Completely incomparable scenarios!
Regards,
And literally bordering the NATO countries Lithuania and Poland!
Regards,
I think that the U.S. is acting appropriately by NOT invading the Solomon Islands, firing hypersonic missiles at its schoolhouses, killing its civilians, occupying its territory, holding sham referendums on becoming part of the U.S., etc., if that's what you meant to ask!
Russia is doing all of those things in Ukraine.
Why are you attempting to establish a moral equivalency between the two?!
Regards,
A big, healthy dose of good sense! Russia’s attack on Ukraine and NATO’s strong response led to a swift reversal of formerly settled neutralist sentiment in Sweden and Finland. Both countries will be good allies and increase NATO’s strength and security.
There is a hostile nation with 6000 nukes just a few miles from the USA northwestern most border, you can even see it from some locales. With your reasoning we would be justified to invade it so we could grab their oil/gas/ports/resources.
Doez Cuba have the right to have alliances as it sees fit and and allow an ally to position military hardware there? I’m not apologising for the commie regime, I just want to know why Finland could potentially host nuclear weapons but Cuba wasn’t and wouldn’t be allowed to by the U.S. The average Russian would double standards there would they not?
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