Welcome Sweden and Finland to NATO | Opinion
On February 24, when Putin (like other future conquerors we will mention today, he only needs one name) invaded Ukraine, the Russian despot wanted to change history. What he did: Instead of splitting and weakening NATO, he united and strengthened the Atlantic Alliance, which has maintained peace in its part of Europe since 1949.
Now NATO is growing, with Sweden’s and Finland’s application to join the 30 allied nations, led by the United States. Although the two silent countries do not make many waves, these are world historical things. Sweden has been strictly neutral since it was part of the coalition that defeated Napoleon (another of those lonely guys) at Waterloo in 1815. The Swedes put out the first and second world wars, but their neutrality is now gone due to the attack on Ukraine.
It is just as remarkable that Finns are joining NATO. In 1940, their winter-white camouflage troops on skis fought against Stalin’s much larger attack (did it sound familiar?) And then resumed their war against the Russians when Hitler (again, the only name, do you see a pattern here?) Launched his own attack on Russia. USSR. After being subjugated by Moscow in 1945, the Finns were more fortunate than Eastern Europe and were allowed to retain their freedom, but had to suffer from Finnishization and keep a low profile so as not to disturb the bear next door. But not anymore.
Only once has NATO’s nuclear protection under Article 5, which means that an attack on a member is considered an attack on all members, been invoked. It was 9/11, when our allies came to our aid.
NATO membership is not immediate. It took more than a year for the last new member, the former Yugoslav Republic of Northern Macedonia, to be formally ratified by all 29 members. Turkey, a loyal ally of the West for 70 years, has been plagued by Nordic support for the Kurds, but we trust that the Turks will support the entry of this couple.
The US Senate has now approved $ 40 billion for Ukraine and now senators must quickly ratify Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO accession.
– New York Daily News via TNS