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‘Our Decision Was Made on February 24’
“Our decision was made on February 24”, is a quote from a former Finnish Prime Minister. The date that Russia invaded Ukraine. Sweden will probably make the same decision in the weeks or days to come. 76% of respondents to the last poll taken in Finland approved joining NATO.
Since 2014 Finland has been increasing their defense spending to 1.96% of their GDP. NATO has set a goal of two percent for NATO nations.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey has said he is not in favor of Finland and Sweden joining NATO due to the fact that both countries have Kurdish refugees in both countries. President Erdoğan is still upset that Greece was allowed to join NATO. “Greece remains the alliance’s biggest spender (on defense) as a share of GDP, contributing 3.59%.” Turkey does not meet the 2% GDP NATO goal on defense spending. Turkey spends about 1.60% of GDP on defense spending. Greece and Turkey have a long contentious history of conflict between them.
Russia has now cut-off electricity to Finland. Russia provides about 6% of Finland’s electricity. There have been military threats as well. Putin’s Special Operation in Ukraine has resulted in a new NATO neighbor that has an 800-mile-long border with Russia.
As a side note, a Russian legislator has said that after a Russian victory in Ukraine Poland will be next on the list of nations for the Reconquista of Eastern Europe.
Finland has been involved with NATO armed forces in military exercises. Like Sweden, they have military assistance pact with the US and the UK.
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Published in Military
Turkey can get out.
Putin didn’t think this all the way through.
A Turkish government official as of today has indicated that they might be more open to Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
Turkey controls the Dardanelles, so it’s good to have that country on our side. It can be a difficult partner, though.
We should focus on countries that provide talent to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
So, war with NATO it is.
Is Russia really in a position to threaten Poland, given its, um, “progress” (lack thereof) in Ukraine? I haven’t been following closely enough to know, but my impression is it’s bogged down.
Russia has been lobbing occasional missiles in the vicinity of Lviv, which is the large city closest to Poland. And I believe there was at least one that was a lot closer to the border. But it is in no position to invade. I’m all for doing what we can to help Ukraine keep it that way.
Russia isn’t bogged down. It is moving north and east quite quickly around Kharkov. Especially the last few days.
That would be a retreat, no?
The Institute for the Study of War issues a daily assessment of the Russian Campaign in Ukraine. They have published assessments of the successes and failures of both Russian and Ukrainian forces. I tend to avoid bloggers from both sides as well as Russian and Ukrainian defense ministry statements.
May 13, 2022 – Press ISW
If… IF… they sustain defense spending above 2%, that would put them far ahead of most of the NATO Alliance in terms of their contribution to European Defense.
In 1977 reporter David Satter, then writing from the USSR, quotes a Lithuanian on the subject of Russian imperialism: “‘The one thing you’ll never find,…or at least almost never find is a Russian who is willing to recognize a small people’s right to its own country. If you talk about Lithuania, they say that’s our Russian land, our country.’” Plus ca change From Never Speak to Strangers.
You’re kidding. Ukraine propaganda pushers. Here’s the board
Our Board Members
General Jack Keane (US Army, Retired), Chairman, Institute for the Study of War; President, GSI, LLC
Dr. Kimberly Kagan, Founder & President, Institute for the Study of War
The Honorable Kelly Craft, Former US Ambassador to UN and Canada
Dr. William Kristol, Director, Defending Democracy Together
The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman, Senior Council, Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman, LLP
Kevin Mandia, Chief Executive Officer & Board Director, Mandiant
Jack D. McCarthy, Jr., Senior Managing Director & Founder, A&M Capital
Bruce Mosler, Chairman, Global Brokerage, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.
General David H. Petraeus (US Army, Retired), Member, KKR & Chairman, KKR Global Institute
Dr. Warren Phillips, Lead Director, CACI International
Colonel William Roberti (US Army, Retired), Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
I have some serious reservations about admitting Sweden and Finland to NATO. Neutral sounds almost noble, but they couldn’t discern who the bad guy is until now? It feels like somebody who wants to buy homeowners insurance after his house caught fire.
If we’re expected to be the World Police, the world can pay us to be the world police.
Actually, I’m not kidding. The website offers a strategic assessment, which is more political. They also offer the Russian Campaign Assessment that follows the day-to-day conflict. Bloggers and You Tubers have a blind spot, to include a pro-Putin blogger and You Tuber that masquerades as a former US Navy Seal. He served in the US Navy, but he was never a Navy Seal. I do my own limited background checks on these individuals.
That being said I suggest that disinformation on both sides requires some skepticism, but I’m not going to be a research assistant for those that are too lazy to do their own research on what they wish to believe.
I don’t think they ever had any trouble discerning who the bad guy was.
So we should recruit Russia into NATO?
Far better than a bunch of neocons who have never been right about anything is Indian media, Middle Eastern media, and Defense Politics Asia for day-to-day.
Turkey wouldn’t let us fight back afterward been attacked on 911. Is blockers using them. Turkey is an enemy of the United States of America and the West they shouldn’t be in nato. Turkey should be cowed in submission like dangerous enemy that they are.
Hell yea! Won’t Putin be surprised!!
I have a better idea. The US should leave Nato.
They asked to join back in 2000. That would have been a good move, no?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/04/ex-nato-head-says-putin-wanted-to-join-alliance-early-on-in-his-rule
They have always known perfectly well who the bad guys are: Finland has not forgotten the bloody Winter War with the Soviet Union and the official neutrality that the Soviets imposed on them as a condition of peace. Sweden has a two-century-old policy of official neutrality. Both nations have been officially cooperating with NATO for several decades. Neither nation has historical reasons to like or trust Russia.
Well, that’s easily said. But Turkey is an extremely important controller of the Dardanelles and the Bosporus. We have no access to the Black Sea without them. It’s fair to say that we don’t have access to the Black Sea with them lately either, I guess. But I think if push comes to shove, they will be good to have on our side.
Both Sweden and Finland have been very quiet but critical participants in the Cold War and supporting NATO. It’s been in Finland’s interest especially to have deniability on their support. They are very good and loyal friends.
Turkey closed the Bosporus to the Russian navy as well as to NATO naval vessels. This has kept the Russia navy from moving ships from their Pacific fleet to reinforce their Black Sea fleet in their so-called Special Operation in Ukraine. I don’t see this as a big problem for NATO forces but I’m sure the Russians are not very happy with this turn of events.
Wow, that’s just odd. Some things transcend politics or ideology. The geography of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean control. We need Turkey, no matter what else they do.
Whether you agree with his reasoning, that’s a mischaracterization.
Re. the Kurds, his issue is in not banning the PKK. And there are issues re Gulenists. And issues regarding arms embargos over Turkey’s Syrian involvement.
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/finland-sweden-turkey-and-nato/
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/15/turkey-lays-out-demands-as-finland-sweden-seek-nato-membership
https://nordicmonitor.com/2019/10/sweden-favors-arms-embargo-on-turkey/
Pretty much my point.
They are a non-Western, bigoted nation. They don’t deserve to be in NATO