[News] Finland in NATO

[Zeberdi]

Oh the irony - Putin "liberates" [attempts to] Ukraine to push back the NATO frontier.
Other Russian bordercountries observe the aggression and decide NATO membership might be a good insurance policy.

#warbackfires

This sums it up for me

What a miscalculation of the geo-political temperature and a self-fulling prophecy by Putin.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Every country labels there military foce as "defense" and that doesn't make it true, as we can clearly see all over the world.

I think states are mainly joining NATO for economical reasons. That the family ruling Sweden came out very early after the invasion saying that joining the NATO would be great for business is probably not unique for Sweden.

Sorry but you are wrong. Strategically most countries take defence over offensive. The US are a bit weird as they don’t have aggressive neighbours so it very much a mix, whereas Russia and Chine are very much offensive as they don’t consider their neighbours as dangerous. Putin blaming NATO is an excuse, nothing more, nothing less. I would argue that the biggest imperialist on planet earth is Putin.

what’s wrong with economic reasons? The EU was an organisation that was set up for trade but the other bonus was that a united Europe that raced was much less likely to go to war with each other.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

We really need to be keeping Turkey close as they can have a major influence in the Middle East and Russia

Very much this.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

This sums it up for me

What a miscalculation of the geo-political temperature and a self-fulling prophecy by Putin.

I suppose that’s what happens when you people are too scared to tell you that you are wrong.

 

[Baldseagull]

Libya and Serbia/Kosovo are the most obvious examples.

It's not as if there was a peaceful situation in either place when NATO intervened, and I am not sure there have been particularly pro Western Governments "installed". I certainly would not call either action an invasion.

 

[sparkie]

Finland officially ratified to join by NATO.

Sweden's application still being held up by Turkey.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The EU was an organisation that was set up for trade but the other bonus was that a united Europe that raced was much less likely to go to war with each other.

and the UK left and has gone to war on itself.

 

[Rogero]

Ireland are not in NATO so I wonder what would happen if Russia attacked it .

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Ireland are not in NATO so I wonder what would happen if Russia attacked it .

They’d send in Shane Duffy.

 

[sparkie]

Ireland are not in NATO so I wonder what would happen if Russia attacked it .

The Irish Americans in Congress would force the Irish American President to go to war ?

 

[Swansman]

Finland officially ratified to join by NATO.

Sweden's application still being held up by Turkey.

Yup, bit of a hassle the whole "you have to ship all these Kurds that have criticised the Turkish government" thing but we're adopting quickly. Give it a year or two and we'll be able to fulfill the "help the Turks slaughter the Kurds" requirement that goes with joining the cozy NATO alliance.

 

[schmunk]

They’d send in Shane Duffy.

They need another six.

 

[Baldseagull]

Yup, bit of a hassle the whole "you have to ship all these Kurds that have criticised the Turkish government" thing but we're adopting quickly. Give it a year or two and we'll be able to fulfill the "help the Turks slaughter the Kurds" requirement that goes with joining the cozy NATO alliance.

I believe the issue is how Sweden deals with members of the PKK, a group that Sweden recognises as a terrorist organisation. Turkish elections in May, so Erdogan is not going to want to look soft prior to that, after, I think there will be an agreement. Sweden has done as much as it can to meet Turkish wishes, Erdogan won't want to look like a problem state to the rest of NATO, American congress could block sales of jets he wants, Turkey will fold after elections, I reckon July.