random-incident t1_jeckaxh wrote on March 31, 2023 at 12:46 AM

One nation should not be able to stop an otherwise unanimous vote to accept a new country. They should have had a clause that one holdout can’t stop a new nation coming in and the dissenter can live with it or leave the organization.

raisroy t1_jecvl05 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 2:13 AM

The central idea of the NATO alliance is that all nations will come to the aid of any nation within the group that is attacked. The alliance will break down if individual nations are free to choose whether they'll actually do so.

Turkey would be responsible for defending Sweden in such a scenario, thus they have a voice in whether they have to be put in such a situation in the first place.

aister t1_jedpmc4 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 7:26 AM

if NATO was a normal economic bloc, then yes. But it is a mutual defense block. Turkey is pretty much forced to defend Finland, or any other members of NATO, if they are attacked. Turkey, as well as any other countries in NATO, have to be OK with sending their weapons, ammunition, and most importantly, soldiers to defend Finland, as well as other new applicants and current members.

I hate the fact that Turkey and Hungary is holding up the process, but it is a process I wholeheartedly agree to.

MeatsimPD t1_jedhse0 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 5:43 AM

Okay now imagine how you'd feel if a bunch of other countries tried to force your country to obligate it's military to the defense of another country.

And NATO would be far weaker without Turkey, certainly not worth kicking them out because they delayed Finland for several months. Have some patience

random-incident t1_jeduuvm wrote on March 31, 2023 at 8:43 AM

No they aren’t allowing Sweden to come in at all.

randompantsfoto t1_jeek1tg wrote on March 31, 2023 at 1:19 PM

Not yet. Upcoming elections will either force Eedogan to fold (if public sentiment is leaning towards allowing Sweden in—his primary opponent is for allowing), or will approve it after he wins (once he gets what he wants from all the arm twisting).

As Sweden (as well as Finland) is part of the EU’s mutual defense pact, under Article 42, the rest of Europe’s member states are beholden to come to their aid regardless, in the event of an attack. It gives the U.K., U.S., and Canada an out if they didn’t want to get involved, but there’s not much chance they’d leave anyone hanging in the event of Russian hijinks.