Perhaps Finland and Sweden should join NATO.
Gloomy Saturday
- Thread starter Arde
- Start date
Yeah, I'm in a minority in Finland that's positive to NATO. Currently (or should I say January 2022) only 28% was for a membership. In my opinion we should have joined a long time ago. Right now it's probably too sensitive and it would give Russia a great excuse to "protect" their interests just as with Ukraine.
Joining NATO isn't a very quick process either.
I for one think this is becoming too political when we start blaming the current administration when the prior administration emboldened Putin.
I was thinking we could let it go long enough for fellow coupe owners to get pissed off at each other then kill it. Then when they see each other in Monterey or Amelia Island they're uncomfortable and don't know what to say.
History….
On September 1, 1939, the German army under Adolf Hitler launched an invasion of Poland that triggered the start of World War II (though by 1939 Japan and China were already at war). The battle for Poland only lasted about a month before a Nazi victory. But the invasion plunged the world into a war that would continue for almost six years and claim the lives of tens of millions of people.
Today, 75 years later, Hitler is regarded as one of history's great villains. So it's easy to forget how slowly and reluctantly the worlds most powerful democracies mobilized to stop him. France and Britain did declare war on Germany two days after the invasion of Poland, but it would take them another eight months before they engaged in full-scale war with the Nazis. The United States wouldn't join the war against Hitler until December 1941, a full two years after the war began.
Anyone expecting a fast response will be disappointed……
On September 1, 1939, the German army under Adolf Hitler launched an invasion of Poland that triggered the start of World War II (though by 1939 Japan and China were already at war). The battle for Poland only lasted about a month before a Nazi victory. But the invasion plunged the world into a war that would continue for almost six years and claim the lives of tens of millions of people.
Today, 75 years later, Hitler is regarded as one of history's great villains. So it's easy to forget how slowly and reluctantly the worlds most powerful democracies mobilized to stop him. France and Britain did declare war on Germany two days after the invasion of Poland, but it would take them another eight months before they engaged in full-scale war with the Nazis. The United States wouldn't join the war against Hitler until December 1941, a full two years after the war began.
Anyone expecting a fast response will be disappointed……
I read today that Sweden and Finland sat in at the NATO meeting this morning. Just FYI.
Yes, we've been working with NATO for a long time, also been participating in NATO excercises and meetings etc.
But just as I anticipated:
Russia Issues Ominous Warning to Finland, Sweden Should They Join NATO
Ukraine's president confirmed that both countries had offered their support in the fight against Russia.
www.newsweek.com
Sad that one crazy man thinks he can rule the world. He must think he is Dr. Evil!Yes, we've been working with NATO for a long time, also been participating in NATO excercises and meetings etc.
But just as I anticipated:
Russia Issues Ominous Warning to Finland, Sweden Should They Join NATO
Ukraine's president confirmed that both countries had offered their support in the fight against Russia.
And that was a pre-nuclear world. There's lots of nukes now and I've always thought the only time you'll ever see them used, other than some rogue terrorists, is when a nuclear nation is backed into a corner and has nothing else to lose. Obviously Putin is threatened by NATO expanding to his door step, taking ex Soviet states in. How much will be push back?
Probably h biggest impact to Russia would be to remove sanctions from Iran and let their oil into the market thereby decreasing the price per barrel...
But, I am not a world economist
another 2 rubles worth
But, I am not a world economist
another 2 rubles worth
Fertilizer. Russia and the Ukraine export massive amounts of fertilizer to the West. This war will accelerate inflation here, which is already way too high.This time I hope to be wrong.
Our incompetent leaders have imposed sanctions on Russia's exports.
Let's see, their top 4 exports are energy, you limit that and that increases the global energy prices, Russia gets higher per-unit revenues, and exports to China and a myriad of non-aligned players. Russia gets more revenue or same revenue on smaller unit volume.
What else are we going to miss from Russia? Caviar?
Harvard economist and former Obama advisor says Russia is 'basically a big gas station' and is otherwise 'incredibly unimportant' in the global economy
On the brink of imposing sanctions on Russia, the US and Europe have sought to reduce a ripple effect that could destabilize their own economies.www.businessinsider.com
I think we need to revisit the notion that free trade will inhibit our adversaries from acting in contravention of international norms. Looking at Russia and China specifically, this does not seem to be working. Putin has planned ahead for the sanctions, and even if the sanctions hurt Russia, we will take quite a hit in imposing them.
If my neighbor had an orange grove, and I'd been buying my oranges from him for several years, then he started beating his wife and children because he didn't like their 'friends', I'd stop buying oranges from him, even though it meant I'd have to pay more for oranges from the grower in the next county, and that the new grower's oranges didn't taste as good. I might even start to feel bad about the orange tree in my back yard that I cut down last year. Just sayin'
Gary
Gary
Regarding Putin's intentions. An old Greek proverb "Beware of the bear dancing in your neighbor's yard as he will soon be dancing in yours" Interesting that a bear was the animal in the proverb
So do nothing?
Or would you rather fight?
We need to stop trading w/these communist dictatorship countries; period.
I do not want to be drawn into a war but a serious show of force it about the only thing that would move Puti
I thought this to be very surprising. This was a survey on Smerconish this morning with 53,000 Votes.
This is with Putin making more threats.
This is with Putin making more threats.
The Germans have spoken.....
Feb. 25, 2022Updated: Feb. 26, 2022 11:57 a.m.
Germany’s chancellery announced it will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine “as quickly as possible.”
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement. “In this situation, it is our duty to help Ukraine, to the best of our ability, to defend itself against Vladimir Putin’s invading army.”
Germany to send anti-tank weapons to Ukraine
The Associated PressFeb. 25, 2022Updated: Feb. 26, 2022 11:57 a.m.
Germany’s chancellery announced it will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine “as quickly as possible.”
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement. “In this situation, it is our duty to help Ukraine, to the best of our ability, to defend itself against Vladimir Putin’s invading army.”
The "buffer zone countries Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are Nato partners and are afforded Nato protection. Should Finland choose to join Nato in the current situation I imagine the process would be expedited though the risk of antagonising Putin is a difficult choice for a peaceful Finland.
Non Nato Belarus however was been slowly annexed by Russia over decades and their satrap, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, carries out Russian policy. Belarus and Ukraine ( and don't overlook that Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia ) are always going to be sought after strategically and being politically vulnerable it was only a matter of time. Where was Nato when Belarus was taken?
The real actions of Germany and France will be crucial to how Ukraine plays out.
Meanwhile keep an eye on China.
We'll all drink to that....
Orange you glad you gave us this analogy? Too bad we cut down all of our orange trees back on Jan 21, 2021......