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Finland says it reserves right to join NATO despite opposition from Russia
nypost.com ^ | January 3, 2022 | Mark Moore

Posted on 01/03/2022 2:38:25 PM PST by RomanSoldier19

Finland’s leaders say they will decide whether to join NATO despite warnings ​from Russia against joining the Western alliance, as the military standoff on Ukraine’s border has heightened tensions between Moscow, the US and Washington’s European allies. ​

“Finland’s room to maneuver and freedom of choice also include the possibility of military alignment and applying for NATO membership, should we ourselves so decide,” President Sauli Niinistö said in a New Year’s address over the weekend.

Niinistö also urged the European Union to become actively involved in curbing Russian aggression, saying: “In this situation, Europe cannot just listen in.”

Prime Minister Sanna Marin echoed Niinisto’s sentiments in her comments, saying Finland, which shares a border with Russia, will make its own security decisions.

“We have shown that we have learnt from the past,” she said. “We will not let go of our room for maneuver.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: finland; nato; russia; yikes
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To: Seruzawa

> Didn’t work out quite so well for Russia the last time. <

True enough, on the other hand, Finland was lucky Stalin left them alone as WW II drew to a close. The Red Army in 1945 was not the Red Army of 1939. Zhukov and the boys would have crushed Finland in a week or two.

As it was, Stalin was satisfied with some territorial concessions.


21 posted on 01/03/2022 3:48:08 PM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: caww

That is a CNN type summary.

Yes Finland allied it self with Germany to take back what was stolen and avenge the soldiers and civilians murdered by the Soviet Union in 1939-40 during their land grab.

Yes, at the end of WWII Finland had to bow down and kiss the Soviets hind end. On the other hand, the Soviets were reluctant to “occupy Finland with immunity” as you put it because the land they stole in 1939/40 cost them dearly in lives and treasure. There was face savings on both sides.

You Stalin’s great-grandchild?


22 posted on 01/03/2022 4:00:36 PM PST by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders.)
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To: caww

This is some fascinating audio because it’s one of the rare recordings of Hitler in his normal speaking voice.

He’s talking with Finnish Commander-In-Chief Mannerheim in 1942 about how the war against the Soviets is going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE6mnPmztoQ


23 posted on 01/03/2022 4:03:49 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

“Here’s the thing. Russia can take Finland whenever it wants. Why they would want it, is anyone’s guess.”

Yeaahhh.....NO.
Russia tried that in 1939 and the Finns, led by Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, stopped the Russian army cold. Stalin was so infuriated he purged every competent officer who disagreed with him. Finland did give up territory to end the war but was never happy about it.

Finland did join the Germans when Hitler invaded Russia but had strict limits on where their units could be used; only against Russian troops.
When the Germans retreated back beyond the Finnish border Finland demanded their troops back to defend against the Russians.
The Russians had had enough of Finland during the 1939-40 war so they made “arrangements” and gave Finland more freedom than any other Soviet Bloc state.


24 posted on 01/03/2022 4:10:40 PM PST by oldvirginian (So if a cow doesn’t produce milk, is it a milk dud or an udder failure?)
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To: dfwgator

Wow....now that was an interesting tape to hear. Plus photos of Finlands Leader with Hitler. Thanks....worth the listen.


25 posted on 01/03/2022 4:16:37 PM PST by caww ( )
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To: RomanSoldier19

Since Finland doesn’t have a warm water port desired by Russia, Russia may squawk but isn’t likely to go to war over NATO as it would over anything that threatens its interests in the Black Sea.

Why is NATO still around again?


26 posted on 01/03/2022 4:19:15 PM PST by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: alternatives?

I make it a practice of no further discussion once the poster uses stupid comments against another poster such as yours. When those come out you’ve lost the debate and not worth responding to further....So it ends here.


27 posted on 01/03/2022 4:19:48 PM PST by caww ( )
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To: caww

You posted the same one sided analysis twice. Not sure why you are here.


28 posted on 01/03/2022 4:22:26 PM PST by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders.)
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To: Seruzawa

It’s straight out of the Art of the Deal, Russia is making all these idle threats just to try to get leverage with Ukraine.


29 posted on 01/03/2022 4:23:34 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: alternatives?

30 posted on 01/03/2022 4:30:32 PM PST by caww ( )
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To: dfwgator

When you get Putin you get the game. Even so it is serious business especially with Biden/Obama running things on this end. Obama would never act in any conflict that would tarnish his image. Biden’s so screwed up in his thinking and who is pulling his strings that they have to be careful to hide the truth.


31 posted on 01/03/2022 4:34:22 PM PST by caww ( )
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To: RomanSoldier19

NATO rolls relentlessly east for 2 decades and a thousand miles. Finally when ready to bump up right against Russia, they give a minor pushback and protest.

NATO goes into hysterics and acts like they are ready to roll through the Fulda Gap with their army that is 10% of the size it was in 1989.


32 posted on 01/03/2022 4:36:17 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up....)
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To: Chode

What a nice old man. Looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly... lol.


33 posted on 01/03/2022 4:37:08 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up....)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
Here’s the thing. Russia can take Finland whenever it wants. Why they would want it, is anyone’s guess.

The Finns made things very difficult for the Russians back in 1939 - 40. For a while anyway...

As to why they would want it... A buffer zone... natural resources?

34 posted on 01/03/2022 4:39:49 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Suppo)
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To: DesertRhino

LOL... never


35 posted on 01/03/2022 4:40:00 PM PST by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
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To: caww
It is no wonder Russia has concerns about Finland joining nato... Finland was one of Nazi Germany’s most important allies in the attack on the Soviet Union

Holy shit Putinist, is there a single country on Earth you think isn't run by Nazis and therefore deserves to be destroyed by righteous KGB officer Vladimir Putin?

36 posted on 01/03/2022 4:40:21 PM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Chode

The only thing he would feel... is recoil.


37 posted on 01/03/2022 4:41:59 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up....)
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To: DesertRhino
NATO goes into hysterics and acts like they are ready to roll through the Fulda Gap

Really? Which country is massing more than a hundred thousand troops on a border poised to invade? It's not NATO, dumbass.

38 posted on 01/03/2022 4:41:59 PM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans; DesertRhino

“Which country is massing more than a hundred thousand troops on a border poised to invade?”

Mexico over the past year?


39 posted on 01/03/2022 4:51:06 PM PST by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
Here’s the thing. Russia can take Finland whenever it wants.

Unless he nukes them I actually kind of doubt that. It didn't work too well for them in the Winter War and the Continuation War was also a slog. Neither the weather nor the terrain have improved since then, and the Finns would be just as ferocious in the defense of their country.

To put it bluntly, there is no way Putin can call on the manpower and industrial reserves Stalin was able to command, and the Russian people would not tolerate heavy casualties again.

Most likely Putin is making expansive claims so he can say he is making pseudo "concessions" so the usual spineless animals in the West will make real ones.

40 posted on 01/03/2022 4:52:15 PM PST by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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