The US and Finland signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) on Monday that gives the US access to 15 military bases in the Nordic nation, which shares an over 800-mile border with Russia.
According to The Barent’s Observer, the northernmost site in the agreement is a border guard base in Ivalo, a small town located only about 30 miles from the Russian border.
Moscow has warned that it will respond to the expansion of NATO infrastructure in Finland, the alliance’s newest member, by building up military assets in western Russia. The Kremlin said on Friday that the DCA will increase tensions in the region.
“This will certainly lead to tension. We can only regret this,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “We had excellent relations with Finland. No one threatened anyone, there were no problems or complaints against each other. No one infringed on anyone’s interests, there was mutual respect.”
Peskov continued, “But now, when Finland is a NATO member and NATO’s military infrastructure will already enter Finnish territory, this will pose an obvious threat to us.”
The DCA needs to be approved by the Finnish parliament, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that once it goes into effect, “our militaries will be able to collaborate more efficiently and more effectively. Our troops will have more opportunities to train together, and we will bolster NATO’s interoperability.”
The US already signed a similar deal with Sweden, which gives the US access to 17 bases. Sweden is still waiting for Turkey and Hungary to ratify its NATO membership so it can formally abandon its centuries-old policy of neutrality.
NATO EXPANDS BUT IT NEVER CONTRACTS?…………….
NATO admits new members because they apply to join, if any member wants to quit they are perfectly free to do so, now ponder why so many wants to join and very few in any of the member countries want to leave!
Perhaps it is because the rest of NATO would cut them off financially and politically.
NATO does not6 support it’s members financially and NATO has not cut off Austria, Switzerland or Ireland politically nor indeed Sweden or Finland before they applied to join.
So what evidence do you have to support your position?
Why do U think Ukraine wanted in so Badly, and the USA WANTED them in so badly?
Ukraine wanted in because of what happened in Georgia – or what later happened with Putin occupying Crimea – the US wanted Georgia and Ukraine to join to prevent Putin from getting to control the gas exports.
The US did not want these countries to join to have an attack route into Russia if that is what you think!
It is far more than that and very very evil and dangerous, as we have seen. Crimea,,after the Coup in Ukraine, orchestrated by the USA, Russia had no choice but to have a vote in Crimea and then to annex it to protect the Naval base there. As to the gas lines and the eventual blowing that pipeline up by the USA,,that was a clear act of war and the DC Ghouls can be thankful that “Cool Hand Putin” did not send Nukes to the USA in response. You and I would both be dead. I stand with Russia.
The Russians infiltrated Crimea less than 6 days after Yanukovych departed Ukraine – the people who ousted Yanukovych, i.e. the ones not willing to accept the deal proposed to resolve the issues by a delayed vote were not the ones who ended up in power.
So no this was not a US backed coup and even had it been the people who took power held a vote for a new government within half a year as they accepted they had no democratic mandate – so they did not stay in power.
Putin on the other hand did not wait to see how things would unfold but implemented a plan that was already in place to take over Crimea – the timeline does not support any other interpretation and we have Igor Girkin admitting this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n65VbOOVKoo
Problem with that is that there is no proof that the US blew up the pipeline and the gas lines in focus here are the ones from Turkmenistan which lands in Azerbaijan and go via Georgia on to western Europe.
The idea that Putin or any sane Russian would nuke any part of Europe or the US to retaliate for anyone blowing up the Nord-stream pipeline is patently absurd – blowing up the pipeline which was not in use – could hurt Russia only as it would jeopardize future revenue from gas sales to the west – nuking the west would guarantee that loss to be permanent.
The U.S. blew the pipeline, and it was an act of war! You are so very mistaken my friend. I have nothing against the people of Ukraine, but rather their leaders and the DC Ghouls that are using the Ukraine people to their death, and the death of their nation. Be very happy that “Cool hand Putin” has not taken all of Ukraine by now, the reason he has not is that that is not his goal, but rather no NATO in Ukraine. I stand with Russia,,and U?
Yes this is where the debate ends, with no proof you assert that the US blew the pipeline, not even the Russians have claimed to have proof of this. To further debase the debate you claim that Putin could have taken all of Ukraine, when they clearly have not been able to take even the oblasts they have officially annexed.
Finally you persist in assigning this to ‘Cool hand Putin’ – are you 10 years old? Btw I stand with the right of people in nations to decide their future for themselves.
There was zero chance of NATO becoming a de jure member of NATO until Putin invaded. And the invasion made Ukraine a permanent de facto member of NATO. So if keeping Ukraine out of NATO was his goal, he did exactly the opposite of accomplishing it.
The reason he’s taken as much of Ukraine as he’s taken is that that’s what he’s been capable of taking.
Thomas I have to disagree with you. USA caused this entire situation, it has been planned for years. I stand with Russia and commend “Cool Hand Putin” for his restraint. 🙂
The USA shook the bait in front of his nose, and he took it. Hopefully he can find a way to get the hook out of his mouth soon.
I see, you must be thinking of JFK, Kruschev, and a pile of rockets in Cuba? Do U think the USA would ever allow such a situation on our border with Canada or Mexico, or even a hint of it? I guess the security of Russia is to be played and toyed with with the possibility of every major city and port in the USA being demolished in minutes. U think we should play that game, U want to play that game? If the USA did not look at Russia as an impediment to the Globalist Liberal plans, lust after all of its resources, and instead had free and open trade and no sanctions or threats our economy in the USA would be so much better for ALL of us, U and me included.
“U think we should play that game, U want to play that game?”
Noticing that a game is being played isn’t the same thing as thinking it should be played or wanting to play it.
Nor is noticing that Putin made a massive strategic error and got his teat in a wringer the same thing as supporting having that wringer set in front of his teat in the first place.
I don’t have a favorite in the US Empire vs. Russian Empire game. Which may be why I just notice what’s happening instead of fantasizing that THIS time there’s a “good guy” to support.
Thomas, I see we are far apart on this, so be it. Russian Empire? Russia gave up their “Empire”, explain that please. The only “Empire” I see is the USA. 🙂
The Russian Empire is certainly much smaller than it was in Soviet days, although since then it still has its Belarus satrapy, was able to re-conquer/re-occupy Chechnya and install a quisling regime, etc.
After the 2014 coup, Ukraine ceased to be a Russian imperial satrapy and became a US/EU/NATO imperial satrapy. The purpose of Putin’s war is to reverse that, with part of Ukraine ruled directly from Moscow and the rest run by a Russia-subservient “neutral” state.
I don’t care much for either empire and don’t particularly care which empire gets to treat what Ukrainians as its livestock, although I’d prefer the livestock be allowed to freely choose who will milk, shear, and butcher them.
Thomas, thanks for stating your opinion and taking the time to answer. Good day. 🙂
SO now you have full evidence of everything (“By the USA”).
“Russia had no choice but to have a vote in Crimea then to annex to protect the Naval base there”
Protect from what? Nothing was going to happen except that the lease was not going to get renewed. Does that mean Putin needed to invade and annex? So if Japan decides to not extend US bases in their soil, the US should invade and annex Japan? Is that how international law works?
Putin could have just simply left at the end of the lease. Problem solved.
You are so dumb.
That is not a very nice thing to say. 🙁
You are in the wrong blog if you expect folks to be nice.
I started respectful and polite and was met with nothing but insults from the opposing side which is the majority here.
So I’m just reciprocating.
I think we can debate without being rude and crud. I think U do agree with that. 🙂
Finland just got the best tenants ever!! Always pay, never leave
They will leave whenever the country asks for. They just need to ask for.
“They will leave whenever the country asks…”
Like in Iraq ?
or Syria… Hey tequila man you colossal moron. What about Iraq and Syria?
Sounds like what Russia is doing and you are perfectly fine with.
I for one cannot blame Russia for what it is doing in Ukraine, they were forced into it by Biden.
Russia was forced? Sorry man, but that’s a dumb comment. Just like saying US was forced to invade Iraq.
Yes, I heard Ukraine was getting ready to invade and annex half of Russia natural gas rich land.
Get off that cloud.
You guys believe everything that comes out of the Kremlin.
Mearsheimer’s recent essay continues to prove that a lie, and you dishonest for repeating it after corrected.
You’d do so much better in life, Donald, if you could adopt a simple cycle for developing intellect :
1. Read.
2. Understand.
3. Adapt newer, more accurate information into your world-view.
4. GOTO 1.
Dude, you are truly obsessed with me. You must be a Wars R Rus clone.
Dont talk to me about dishonesty.
A dishonest Putin lover guy calling others dishonest.
You truly suck.
Yes, the DC GHOULS are SO honest and transparent! LOL!! 🙂
Ghouls are corporeal undead and therefore opaque. GHOSTS are translucent, while poltergeists are generally invisible aka transparent.
Didn’t you never go to Sunday School or read ‘Tobin’s Spirit Guide’ ??
I WISH I had the rogue charm or devil-may-care moxie of young Wars Russel ! He’s 50% Ryan Reynolds, 50% Tom Selleck, and 35% pre-2005 Ethan Hawke. Slaps like Will Smith and stings like Courtney Love’s V.D.
Haven’t I always made clear EVERY TIME YOU NEVER ASKED ME, Donald, that yes, I do admire President Putin’s strength, patience, resolve, and mature counterweight to two decades of American international bumblef*ckery ?
I keep encouraging you to just ASK when you don’t know something about someone (me in particular) but you have this compulsion to guess the first random thing what pops in your head and then nail down absolute certainty (absent fact or evidence) that you’re right.
Admitting you don’t know something (which is trait of Honesty mind you) is a first step towards knowledge & growth.
I don’t know how a limited-slip differential works; or to what value the slip is limited. See ? Easy !
What I DON’T do is say “I don’t understand (thing) so it’s (what me feel mad at)”
And if you want to insult someone, make sure they care what you think about them.
That’s why I gleefully sling high-brow barbs at you. You’ll just go, “That sounds like intellectual socialism !” and be safely immune to the distant possibility of insult.
We can’t hurt each others’ feelings ! That makes us superheroes. Sorta like Shyamalan’s “Unbreakable”.
Once again, you are obsessed. Go suck on the Putin lovers here.
It’s not my fault you love dictators.
Sorry, I can’t help you.
I should ask if you can get us discount movie theatre tickets, Donald.
Your skills at projection are PHENOMENAL.
It’s no shame on you to admit you are obsessed with Russia/Putin. It’d be one of the first open and honest admissions you’ll have made on here. Might go a long way to starting to build yourself some credibility in this community.
Zelensky is also a dictator. In fact the USA has been propping up right wing dictators all around the world for decades. Are you unaware of this history?
Pick a number man, I’ve been dealing with your kind here for over two years.
There’s nothing you can say to me that hasn’t already been said.
Keep your trash to yourself.
“…your kind…”
Caution and care, Donald – you’ve already been rung up once very recently for racist remarks. I like having you around, don’t want you kicked out for typing-while-enraged. ‘Anger’ is one letter short of ‘Danger’, didn’t I mention that to you before ?
I WISH I had the rogue charm or devil-may-care moxie of young Wars Russel ! He’s 50% Ryan Reynolds, 50% Tom Selleck, and 35% pre-2005 Ethan Hawke. Slaps like Will Smith and stings like Courtney Love’s V.D.
I take it Don must be talking about me. He put me on ignore. I miss him dearly.
And you forgot “hung like buffalo” in your very accurate description of me. Although “young” might be a stretch. Unless compared to Biden.
“And you forgot “hung like buffalo” in your very accurate description of me.”
I’d heard your nickname in high school was ‘Tripod’ but I assumed it was a Photography Club thing.
Let the diesel leakages and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance contaminations begin !
And, under the Status of Forces other countries are forced to sign, we will not be responsible for clean up. Also, any wrong doing by U.S. soldiers (rape, assault, vehicle accidents, murder) will not be tried in the other country, but the wrong-doers will be sent back to the U.S.A. where the whitewashing will take place. Classic is the incident in Italy some years ago, where U.S. fighters operated too low, clipped a line that carried lifts for skiers, sending 20 people to their deaths. The films on board the lead aircraft were destroyed. Pilots were shipped back to the U.S. The History Channel: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marine-jet-severs-ski-lift-cable-in-italy As Kissinger said, being an ally to the U.S. can be fatal.
What’s your point, genius?
Everything you stated is common standard practice by the US and its allies. Plus we always clean up or pay to have it cleaned up. We are not Russian Orcs.
When ally forces stationed in the US commit crimes or get involved in accidents, depending on the case, they are sent back to be disciplined, tried or prosecuted in their home nations.
Same thing happens when Russian soldiers in Syria, for example, commit crimes or are involved in accidents. Same sh!t to China.
Start criticizing all the f up sh!t your mother land Russia has been doing in Ukraine before you call the US out, hypocrite.
I really think Mexico should allow, welcome, Russia access to naval and land bases,,see how DC likes that, tit for tat, or maybe even Canada, hell, how about both! 🙂
Come from afar t’Newfoundland, baes ! Go in wit’ yer naval base Ivan & we’ll gets a right-fine Turr in the oven fors the lot.
Well, Mexico nor Canada get nothing out of Putin bringing his sh!t Army of unpaid criminals to their ports. But Putin is free to ask. 🤷🏽♂️
“What’s your point…”
A point so hard to miss, only you could manage to miss it.
Run you down a tally of overseas bases for the RF and the DPRC, add (or multiply) the two numbers, and nod your cap to VIP1730 when the number falls WELL short of the ~900-1300 foreign bases your Empire America holds.
With imperial sprawl comes waste and environmental degradation, and the USA by default tops the list.
“Plus we always clean up or pay to have it cleaned up.”
The former residents of the Bikini Atoll would disagree.
Who the fck was talking to you, genius?
You are getting dumber by the day here.
Another US hater gets spooked.
Hey, dont forget i have an SSN 🤣
Dumbass.
Anger is one letter short of ‘danger’, Donald.
It’s not that you’re mad that people join a free and open conversation. You’re mad because you have your head so far up your a$$ most of the time, we have to keep asking if you’re talking or farting.
And on any day ending in ‘y’, aren’t you the para-party-pooper dropping in at random on entirely unrelated topics to “Putin/Russia (verb) (noun)” the place & score another Heroic Medal of Patriotic Heroism in the League of Amateur Propagandists ?
That you’re unintentionally funny and a mega-BINGO card of logical fallacies (if you can use Look At The Trees, or Argument Ad Populum, by Dec 31st, I win £335.) is why I never feel my time is wasted snuggling up to your Dumpster fire of a sociopolitical treasure-chest.
#hugs
I’m not angry. I support Ukraine and love my country. You must be the angry one, coming here to b!tch about the US and its allies while siding with dictators.
And what’s with my mentioning of Putin/Russia? Does that bother you? Good, Deal with it.
It’s one of my lines and everyone here has them, including you, genius.
Your problem is that my views are 180 degree out from yours.
Sorry man, I’m not a US hater nor a dictator lover like you.
And stop your fake sweet talk, you are another empty wagon in this blog.
If you are expecting to have intellectual conversations, you came to the wrong blog, Read the room.
And next time I bring up the SSN topic, it’s not a Submarine so remember to follow these rules:
1. Read.
2. Understand.
3. Adapt newer, more accurate information into your world-view.
4. GOTO 1, Dummy.
“I’m not angry.”
Yes you are. You get angry anytime anyone questions whether we should be spending trillions of dollars on a global empire. You are a neocon scumbag who never saw a war you didn’t like (your protestations to the contrary notwithstanding).
“I support Ukraine and love my country.”
You support Ukraine? Why? Do you support the Syrian people in trying to evict the American military who is illegally occupying a good portion of their country? Did you support the Afghani people resisting occupation by the same imperium. What about Iraqis? Did you support them when they fought back against the illegal and immoral destruction of their country? If you really loved your country you would not be going on about how we need to fund foreign wars to the tune of billions of dollars every year for going on 20+ years nonstop. The parasite MIC/IC classes have engorged themselves on America’s blood and treasure while the middle class has been systematically dismantled.
Why don’t you go jump in a lake you neocon shit stain?
No, you are the scumbag that gets angry every time Ukraine gets external support to continue fighting for their freedom and independence because you are a Putin supporter/US hater and want Putin to get what he wants. D bag.
We funding foreign wars? Wait, you are not American so shut it right there.
Stop pretending. If you really love your country, Russia, you should be on their social media criticizing Putin’s spending on fighting foreign wars for personal gains, you scumbag.
You support Ukraine? Why? Do you support the Syrian people in trying to evict the American military who is illegally occupying a good portion of their country? Did you support the Afghani people resisting occupation by the same imperium. What about Iraqis? Did you support them when they fought back against the illegal and immoral destruction of their country?
“Wait, you are not American so shut it right there.”
Those on the sidelines who have “Gatekeeping” on the list of Donald Tropes, please score 15 points.
Notice tequila man won’t answer a straightforward question. What a loser. He’s such a hack fraud he can’t answer simple questions.
You neglected to mention a square on the H. Donald Julio Logical Fallacy BINGO Card that has been filled in for quite a while – the No True Antiwarsman Fallacy, where everyone on these boards claims to be antiwar, but Donald ‘knows’ HE ALONE is the ONLY TRUE antiwar Commenter.
All of us are “dictator-loving America-hating (noun) (adjective) (slur)”
If you find yourself in the Tropics over the holidays, Donald, remember that the majority of shark attacks happen at dawn or dusk, typically ~100 ft. offshore in waist-deep water, and particularly if the water is murky with sediment.
I mention this because what’s biting you in the a$$ near constantly, here or there, is not a shark; but your own myopic view of the USA, your obsession with American Supremacy, an inability to process new information into your world-view, and a staggering blind-spot for irony / humour / clever repartee.
I think you are capable of “…intellectual conversations…” but for some unfathomable reason, you’re set making enemies instead of finding friends.
And if you didn’t bull-rush into (un)related conversations about your Favorite Target Of Playa-H8in’ and assume everyone’s there to insult YOU and trash YOUR One True Correct World View ™, and you took the time to perhaps ASK people why they believe what they believe, d’yer think maybe you could learn something about us and, in the process, yourself ?
You’re not a bad person are you, Donald ? Here, or IRL ? You DO have compassion, empathy, understanding, humour, friendships, I desperately hope ?
At least Okinawa never had any proble….ohhhhhhh.
The Finnish are “finished.”
How Swede it is to be right next door.
😘
Two bad pun buddies.
Norway that’s true !
Hope they don’t forget to send the diversity and inclusiveness instructors to the bases.
The Finnish are so smart. They’re truly the geniuses on our Earth! All by themselves and after long worry, agony, and self inflicted suffering from living at the Arctic, they found the solution for “Glob@l W@rming.” It’s called the “Nuclear Winter.” Almost as smart as the Scandinavians who decided to settle in Minnesota.
Garrisoning our troops in foreign countries is as American as apple pie.
Rotten apple pie! 🙁
Very stupid move on the part of both nations. 🙁
You mean like Putin’s move on Ukraine? That Stupid? Nah.
Moscow has warned that it will respond to the expansion of NATO infrastructure in Finland
literally exactly what Russia told Ukraine
Yeah, let’s see if they can invade and annex Finland?
Putin for sure will end up losing at least Saint Pete.
Horrible move by NATO and Finland. No “Cool Hand Putin” will not invade Finland.
Keep waiting…!
Finland needs to expect drunken, drug abusing young men who assault and sexually assualt local citizens around military bases.
They need only to look to Okinawa for a taste of what is to come.
Not to mention that neutral Finland was economically doing very well even in Soviet times. Trade and business with Russia has been good in the past.
What they give up to be a proxy of America is far more than they gain.
This is a violation by Finland of its WW2 Peace Treaty with Russia.
It is a violation by the US and NATO of their promises when the Warsaw Pact disbanded.
Treaties and promises mean nothing to the West.
That is why Russia just announced there will be no deal to end the Ukraine War. They require unconditional surrender by Ukraine.
That’s what liars get. No more deals.
Now, what will little Finland get? That is up to Putin.
“This is a violation by Finland of its WW2 Peace Treaty with Russia.”
It’s highly unlikely that Finland had a WW2 Peace Treaty with Russia, since Russia was just a subsidiary of another country at that time.