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  • Nordic nations declare Russia a threat to Europe

    Nordic nations agree on defense cooperation against Russia

    OSLO (Reuters) - Calling Russia the biggest challenge to European security, Nordic nations agreed on closer defense ties and increased solidarity with the Baltic states on Thursday, aiming to increase regional security through deterrence.

    Writing in a joint declaration, the defense ministers of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland said Northern Europe must prepare for possible crises or incidents because of Russia.

    "Russia's leaders have shown that they are prepared to make practical and effective use of military means in order to reach their political goals, even when this involves violating principles of international law," the ministers wrote in a joint statement in daily Aftenposten.

    "There is increasing military and intelligence activity in the Baltics and in our northern areas," the ministers said. "The Russian military is challenging us along our borders and there have been several border infringements in the Baltics."

    The statement comes amid heightened tensions in Europe since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine a year ago. With large Russian minorities living in the Baltics, concerns have grown in the region about the risk of Russian intervention.

    Finland, which borders Russia, and Sweden are not members of NATO but have increased cooperation with the trans-Atlantic alliance, and the joint declaration has been among their strongest responses to Russia's aggression.

    "Russia's actions are the biggest challenge to the European security," the ministers said. "Russia’s propaganda and political maneuvering are contributing to sowing discord between nations, and inside organizations like NATO and the EU."

    The ministers said that closer cooperation in the Nordics and solidarity with the Baltic would improve security through deterrence as it would lift the threshold for military events.

    The Norwegian defense ministry confirmed the statement's authenticity and said it would be published as an editorial in major newspapers in all Nordic countries in the coming days. (Reporting by Balazs Koranyi and Terje Solsvik; Editing by Leslie Adler) Link
    Once again, the guarantor of the "encirclement of Russia by the West" is...Russia.
    “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

  • #2
    Are Nordic Nations saying it by themselves or US dictating the terms as usual for Europe?

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Batista View Post
      Are Nordic Nations saying it by themselves or US dictating the terms as usual for Europe?
      I was waiting for someone (more than likely, you) to say something like that.

      So let's follow that to its logical conclusion: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland are all US stooges and puppets, parroting a script dictated by the US.

      Is that what you're saying?

      Are you truly that obtuse...or just trolling?
      “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

      Comment


      • #4
        The best way to counter a bully is to either grow up fast or become another bully. Nordic countries seems to be growing up, but are they militarized enough?
        Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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        • #5
          So, shall we look behind the reasons for this?

          It's notable in regard to this news that Norway is the only country in NATO-Europe significantly raising its military budget in 2015. Not counting the the Baltics, their budgets are miniscule regardless whether they spend 1% or 100% of GDP. The only other country doing a similar-sized increased is the UK, and they're spending most of that increase on military and economic aid to other countries. Guess how Norway justifies this budget increase.
          The Swedish defense ministry is currently (since January) in a row with the rest of the (socialist-green) government over finances, and points out perceived intrusions in asking for a 800 million raise for their budget. In Finland, the defense ministry is similarly attempting to prevent yet another cut of their budget, while the government as a whole points out perceived Russian aggression in trying to convince the population to join NATO - only 20% of the population are in favour of this. Denmark is just in because everyone else is in.

          Iceland? Iceland doesn't even have a defense minister. And yes, i checked just now just to be sure.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by TopHatter View Post
            I was waiting for someone (more than likely, you) to say something like that.

            So let's follow that to its logical conclusion: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland are all US stooges and puppets, parroting a script dictated by the US.

            Is that what you're saying?

            Are you truly that obtuse...or just trolling?
            No you are the one saying that. He didn't say that. You implied it and took it to absurd extremes. If anything else, you are just looking for a red herring.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by kato View Post
              So, shall we look behind the reasons for this?
              What is rather extraordinary to me is that a staunchly non-aligned & neutral country like Sweden, or a generally Russia-friendly nation like Finland, would issue such a strongly-worded statement.

              Originally posted by kato View Post
              Iceland? Iceland doesn't even have a defense minister. And yes, i checked just now just to be sure.
              As Iceland's defense forces fall (mainly) under the auspices of the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one would assume that the blanket designation of "defense minister" in the article refers to either the Minister for Foreign Affairs or more likely his deputy for defense matters. The author was simply lumping the Icelandic official in with the others as a matter of journalistic convenience.
              “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Blademaster View Post
                No you are the one saying that. He didn't say that. You implied it and took it to absurd extremes. If anything else, you are just looking for a red herring.
                OK, I'll play your game. Let's look at what Batista said:

                Are Nordic Nations saying it by themselves or US dictating the terms as usual for Europe?

                What does the word "dictate" mean in your world BM?

                Dictate: to speak or act domineeringly, to issue as an order, to impose, pronounce, or specify authoritatively
                Synonyms: decree, command, direct, mandate, ordain, order

                I didn't have to "imply" anything. Batista spelled it out very clearly.

                So how would the US be able to dictate terms to Europe, particularly in the case of the neutral Swedes, unless they were US puppets?

                Can you answer that? Can Batista?

                I doubt it.
                “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

                Comment


                • #9
                  He asked a question, not a statement and you are putting words in his mouth where there is no basis for the words that you put in his mouth. You are just barking up the wrong tree.
                  Last edited by Blademaster; 10 Apr 15,, 19:49.

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                  • #10
                    The Nordic nations are US puppets. Damn, I must be Rumpelstiltskin just waking up as the world has changed.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Blademaster View Post
                      He asked a question, not a statement. You are just barking up the wrong tree.

                      "Are Nordic Nations saying it by themselves?"

                      That is a question

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Blademaster View Post
                        He asked a question, not a statement and you are putting words in his mouth where there is no basis for the words that you put in his mouth. You are just barking up the wrong tree.
                        There is nothing about asking a question when stating "dictating terms as usual".
                        Chimo

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Blademaster View Post
                          He asked a question, not a statement and you are putting words in his mouth where there is no basis for the words that you put in his mouth. You are just barking up the wrong tree.
                          I'd reply to your latest delusion but tbm3fan OoE have already done so more than adequately.

                          The only thing I'm curious about is, did you honestly expect anybody to believe that deliberately obtuse bullshit?
                          “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Nations taking precautions against a neighbor with a very recent track record of wanton disregard for international sovereignty? Preposterous!
                            "Draft beer, not people."

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Officer of Engineers View Post
                              There is nothing about asking a question when stating "dictating terms as usual".
                              It is not a statement when the sentence has several conditions in which only one condition can be true. He asked if it was genuine or was it forced by the US. Not a statement, but a question.

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