Posted on 08/31/2007 9:21:43 AM PDT by WesternCulture
Sweden and Norway’s military chiefs have called for stronger cooperation between the two Nordic countries, arguing that it will reduce overall expenditure.
In an article published in the daily ”Dagens Nyhter”, Sweden and Norway’s top military leaders are proposing closer military ties including cooperation in the purchase of submarines and tanks and other military equipment. They’d also like to see joint training and education initiatives.
Sweden’s Håkan Syren and Norway’s Sverre Diesen are presenting the proposals to their respective Defence Ministries. Swedish Minister of Defence Mikael Odenberg told the newspaper ”Svenska Dagbladet” that he is positive about the idea.
The idea is expected to spark much debate, given Norway’s membership in NATO and Sweden’s long-maintained position of neutrality.
This goes beyond ‘expenditures’.
The most immidiate threat to Scandinavia is the scenario of some lunatic grasping power in Russia, even though I don’t think things look bad at the moment (Despite some recent controversies).
In any case, if one of the Scandinavian countries was attacked, the others would hardly remain genuinely ‘neutral’.
Some might argue the following development is unlikely, but I still find the story entertaining and if you’d like to view tons of the weapons Russia and the Scandinavian countries dispose of in action, well here you are:
Part I - Prelude to war:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_stkvkWeNs
Part II - Invaders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meR8rqUAzbw
Part III - Repaying The Dept:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7xBOx-Vxn8
Part IV - Finland Answers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e45UG-xYx28
Sweden and Norway’s top military leaders are proposing closer military ties including cooperation in the purchase of submarines and tanks and other military equipment...
...”other military equipment”: http://www.rodin.cc/jw88/18217.htm
:-)
A lot of military experts in my part of the world claim this kind of military equipment has become outdated.
What are they talking about?
Kalmar Union II?
“Kalmar Union II?”
- Yes, why not?
I remember when I was a young boy (in the early eighties) and our teacher told us kids about the fact that there always have been plans on (re-)uniting the Nordic brother countries. The immediate and unison reaction from us youngsters was “- So why hasn’t this already happened?”.
I guess some things in life are so plain and natural it takes a child to have a clear view of them.
Can a Swede, a Dane, and a Norwegian understand each other’s languages?
Principally speaking, yes.
However, Swedes and Danes both understand Norwegian well and Norwegians likewise understand Danish and Swedish, but Swedes often have difficulties understanding Danish. Danes understand Swedish better than vice versa. Swedish speaking Finns often don’t understand Danish at all.
The reason we Scandinavians feel that we belong together goes deeper than linguistics.
It’s a matter of cultural similiarities, geographical vicinity, historical bonds and the fact that we also, to a great extent, stem from the same blood.
“It’s a matter of cultural similiarities, geographical vicinity, historical bonds and the fact that we also, to a great extent, stem from the same blood.”
Yep. Most Scandinavians are Lutherans (or once were) and are closely related ethnically. But Finns, although also Lutherans are a little different ethnically aren’t they?
oh...and for losing to the US in the Gold Medal Hockey game in 1980.
“But Finns, although also Lutherans are a little different ethnically aren’t they?”
- In some ways, yes. For instance, the Finnish language isn’t an Indo-European one at all. It’s been somewhat influenced by Swedish, English and other I-E languages, but in many ways it’s really an oddity. It’s related to Hungarian by the way.
Finland has strong ties to Sweden especially out of two reasons; Finland belonged to Sweden for appr 500 years (during the Napoleon wars, Sweden lost Finland to Russia in 1809, Finland later became an independent state in 1917). Apart from that, Finns and Swedes have always fought a common enemy; the Russians. Admittedly, it’s fair to say that Swedes often have been much of aggressors during these centuries of perpetual warfare, wishing to make the Baltic Sea a Swedish ‘Mare Nostrum’ (originally an affectionate ancient Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea meaning ‘Our Sea’).
The US had a really good team that year. They even defeated Soviet.
If I remember, the Finns lost a lot of land to the Russians after WWII. Any chance they can reclaim that land?
“If I remember, the Finns lost a lot of land to the Russians after WWII. Any chance they can reclaim that land?”
- Finland lost large parts of a region called Karelia to The Soviet Union and also some other ones in connection to WWII.
I know Finland was offered to buy back (at least some part of) that territory in the early 1990’s. However, Finland declined, partly due to the enormous sums requested to achieve a normally functioning infrastructure in this region.
About Karelia;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karelia
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