Finland PM Sanna Marin says Europe is ‘not strong enough’ without the US

The Guardian ^ | Fri 2 Dec 2022 01.23 EST | Helen Sullivan

[qaz123]

Been that way for what, over 70yrs?

Don’t care anymore. If they’re skinny jean wearing asses can’t defend themselves, none my business.

[rxh4n1]

So you’re saying that Finland, a country with an 800 mile long border with Russia, joining NATO won’t cost us a dime? Do you think Finland will be paying entirely for its own defense?

That border has some of the worst terrain in Europe. Permafrosted tundra up north, swamps, forests, thousands of lake, some bare rock like the Canadian Shield, only in the south is there much open land. The Soviets and then the Nazis found out how hard it is to operate modern armies there.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

In September 1939 there were five German divisions between the French border and Berlin. Belgium and the Netherlands could between them mobilize 30 divisions. Imagine if Belgium and the Netherlands had offered to join France and Britain in an alliance against Germany. Would the French has said that defending the Dutch-Belgian border (which, if mobilized they were perfectly capable of defending) would draw too many troops away from the Maginot Line? Would the British have said that attempting to stop the Germans in the Netherlands and Belgium would weaken the defense of the vital Dunkirk beachhead? Because that’s what Starboard would have said.

[Starboard]

Once again you deflect to avoid answering my point. I sense a pattern here.

There are 30 NATO countries presently, with more likely to be added. Right now only ONE THIRD of those countries meet their spending obligations. I guess you’re OK with Uncle Sammy endlessly subsidizing these freeloaders.