Posted on 08/13/2022 6:54:41 PM PDT by BeauBo
French President Emmanuel Macron signed protocols on NATO accession for Finland and Sweden on Saturday, AFP reported with reference to the Elysee Palace.
"This sovereign choice by Finland and Sweden will strengthen their security in the face of the existing threat in their immediate vicinity and will make a significant contribution to the collective position and our European security," the press service of the French leader's administration was quoted as saying.
On August 3, the National Assembly (lower house of parliament) of France ratified the protocol on the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO must be ratified by all members of the bloc. To date, more than 20 of the 30 countries that make up the alliance have done that.
(Excerpt) Read more at tass.com ...
Seven NATO members have not yet had their legislatures vote on Finland and Sweden's accession to NATO: Turkey, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain.
A country with the approximate population of Finland could be constructed from Ida., Mont., N.D., S.D. and Wyo.
Which is a round-about way of saying they are no threat
to Russia whatsoever.
Those States have a fair amount of air and missile power...
Finland is a bit like Switzerland, where all apartment buildings must be built with bomb shelters. There are enough nuclear shelters for the whole population in the cities - all focused on the Russian threat. They have fought Russia before.
Both Finland and Sweden exceed the NATO requirement of at least 2% of GDP for Defense spending. Sweden has a world class defense industry, and Finland some mighty shipyards.
Finland is also within ATACMS missile range of St. Petersburg, Russia, the cultural and defense industry capital of Russia. They could do to St. Petersburg, what North Korea could do to Seoul with an opening missile salvo, if they wanted. Poland is negotiating to buy 500 HIMARS launchers, and start manufacturing rockets for them in Poland. Those 500 launchers (which won’t exist for a few more years) could theoretically sail over to Finland and point 1,000 ATACMS at St. Petersburg in a week, if tensions rose. (Actually, some HIMARS could drive to Estonia, and do the same.)
Also from Finland, Russia’s Naval Base in Murmansk is withing ATACMS range.
So does Russia though. That seems a push to me.
They don’t have nukes. Russia does.
I don’t see these nations attacking Russia. Do you?
“I don’t see these nations attacking Russia. Do you?”
Why would they bother, if not very seriously provoked?
Agreed.
It’s why I think Russia really made a mistake by invading
the Ukraine twice.
It scared the hell out of that region’s nations on Russia’s
border.
No matter how many countries join they’ll always want our money
Ever notice that?
Biggest mistake those countries ever made.
They should have signed a treaty with Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic and formed a eastern European defense pack and get to hell out of NATO.
They make some of the finest machinery on earth over there and could have developed some of the finest defense capable munitions.
Now they’ll have to rely on the floppy pawed bastards like France and the new yellow belly Germans...as well and this country, which is as reliable as a Model A Ford on a long trip.
What a burn.
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