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Because Russia is buzzing SAS flights with fighter jets, mucking around in Swedish waters, that sort of rot?
Sweden has an air force. They have fighter jets. What are they waiting for? Fire on the Russians. Drop some depth charges on their subs.
Sweden sat out the Cold War (not to mention WWII). They were so smug and confident about being neutral. Now that yet another loon is running Russia, they want our help?
Forget it!
How hypocritical is it that a country that constantly harangues American policy wants to receive American protection.
After the Soviet Union disintegrated it would have been wise for NATO to draw plans to dissolve over a period of a few years, especially for the United States. Instead it expanded and we are locked into an agreement that commits our country to defend other nations in the alliance, some of whom haven't lived up to the agreement in regards to military spending. And how many were there for us in any real significant way during the Afghanistan war? Outside of Great Britain not many of our NATO allies have the ability or willpower to help defend the United States if we are attacked, for instance by a Russia/China tag team.
Germany wants to be seen as the big super power of Europe, let them. They need to decide if they are going to be pro-U.S. or anti-U.S., because in recent years it hasn't always been clear. And Merkel has to decide whether Putin is her buddy or the danger he truly is.
Dissolving NATO while Russia is stirring things up would send a bad message, but when they finally have a new leader, and if he turns out to be less of a threat, that'll be the time to consider NATO's disbandment. Doesn't mean the U.S. has to become isolationist and withdraw from the world stage, but I do believe it's time for other countries to step up and quit relying on us to solve the world's problems - as they put their noses up in the air denigrating what we are doing. Tired of the haters, and I don't want to see one more American servicemember killed or wounded fighting battles that should be shared more evenly, if they have to be fought at all, or by us at all.
Maybe this is an opportunity for Russia to do some soul-searching, some inwards reflections to figure out why so many of their closest neighbors ran screaming towards its biggest rival and how they can stop pissing off the few neighbors that they haven't yet completely alienated.
There is no wondering. The Soviet system failed so there is a natural distancing from its administrative centre, Moscow. The US also enjoys not being a nationalistic rival with the old hatreds of Europe.
And how many were there for us in any real significant way during the Afghanistan war?
NATO immediately offered to invoke Article V after September 11, and it was the US who said "No, thanks". Which probably was the better decision, but it wasn't lack of willing.
The Russian ambassador to Sweden has claimed that Moscow would take "countermeasures" should Sweden join the military alliance.
Viktor Tatarinstev made the threat during an interview with Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. He said that there would be "consequences" if Sweden became the latest nation to join NATO, writes Zachary Davis Boren for The Independent.
Russia: do all of us a favor please and, give it a rest. Sheesh! Your country ain't doing real well in 2015.
sigh....War?
from your own link
Tatarinstev claimed that "Sweden is not a target for our armed troops," despite what he called an "aggressive propaganda campaign" in the Swedish media.
Times are different. Back then there wasn't a concept of Mutually Assured Destruction, because only the US had nuke.
No one has used a nuclear weapon in the last 70 years. 70 years! Because of MAD, using nuclear weapon can mean the end of your own nation, and it has deterred the leaders of every nation (even crazy ones).
So, while it is correct to say that US and Russia are willing and capable of using a nuke, they would do absolutely everything to avoid it. It's really scary when you consider radar and communication equipment malfunction possibilities, like the time when the Russians thought (incorrectly) that the US launched rockets.
Mick
That was actually a double-issue and much scarier than you think. Read up on exercise ABLE ARCHER 83.
Although the Wikipedia article is pretty good for what it contains, what it doesn't say is what was going on in the Strategic Air Command underground Combat Operation Staff at the time. The Soviets had actually militarily reacted--flushing their SSBNs out of their fleet ports, opening silo doors, et cetera. On the SACOS we had to operate under the presumption that the Soviets would not be calmed down and it was going to go all the way. For four days we were preparing for real nuclear war as furiously as possible.
Maybe this is an opportunity for Russia to do some soul-searching, some inwards reflections to figure out why so many of their closest neighbors ran screaming towards its biggest rival and how they can stop pissing off the few neighbors that they haven't yet completely alienated.
Requires a soul.
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