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Peace researcher: “Sweden’s defence ministry makes us a vassal state of Washington”

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 22 March 2024
– By Editorial Staff
American soldiers during an exercise.

Peace researcher Frida Stranne and political scientist Trita Parsi write in the left-wing magazine ETC that the DCA agreement signed by the government in December means that “no less than 17 military facilities on Swedish soil will be opened to US military bases or US troops”.

“American personnel will be able to operate outside Swedish law in Sweden, and not even the Swedish security police will be allowed to monitor them”, the authors warn.

It is not clear when parliament will vote on the proposal, but if it is approved, the authors argue that it represents a negative paradigm shift for Sweden.

“It is a decision that fundamentally changes Swedish defence policy, where we give up our sovereignty and place much of the power for Swedish security considerations in the hands of the increasingly unpredictable US political leadership”.

“The little-discussed agreement gives the US “unrestricted access to and use of Swedish facilities and areas”. Some parts of Swedish territory will only be used by the US military and fall under US jurisdiction”, the authors add.

“Swedish territory loses its meaning”

Worse still, the agreement is worded in such a way that Swedish law is no longer guaranteed to apply to the parts of Sweden where the US military is based, so that the Swedish authorities will not be able to act if the Americans commit crimes or engage in other forms of suspicious activity.

“American personnel will be able to act outside Swedish law in Sweden, and not even the Swedish security police will be allowed to monitor them. Swedish authorities will also lose the right to inspect US aircraft and ships when they are on Swedish territory”.

“The very concept of ‘Swedish territory’ loses its meaning if Sweden now intends to give up its independence in this remarkable way”, the article continues.

“A vassal of Washington”

The authors go so far as to claim that the defence ministry is making Sweden “Sweden’s defence ministry is turning us into a vassal state of Washington – but under the guise of joining NATO” and that the agreement means that we will “remain on the sinking ship” even if NATO is dissolved.

“NATO membership was claimed by its supporters to be important for Swedish independence, to strengthen us by being part of an association as a sovereign and equal partner, and to avoid falling under Russian domination. With this agreement we will instead fall under US domination by selling our sovereignty to Washington and thus becoming dependent on a US that is getting weaker every year”, the authors warn.

“Sweden does not have to give up a good relationship with the US if we withdraw from this agreement. But a good relationship for Sweden is based on mutual respect, where Sweden is not forced to subordinate itself to a set of interests formulated in the Pentagon that do not coincide with ours”, they stress.

“Work for détente”

Instead of being “intertwined with a thoroughly militarised economy”, the authors prefer that Sweden as a NATO member “manage the role we have historically had and actively work for détente” – for example by mediating the potential conflict between China and the US.

They also see Donald Trump as a potentially unpredictable president whose leadership could involve great “risks” and therefore urge the Swedish parliament to “think twice about surrendering Sweden’s independence to Washington under these circumstances”.

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Swedish NATO force deployed in Latvia

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 20 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Swedish NATO soldiers land in Riga.

This weekend, around 550 Swedish soldiers arrived in Latvia’s capital Riga to join NATO’s multinational brigade and reinforce the US-led military alliance’s border with Russia.

– Many of us have worked hard and long for this, and now we are finally here, says Battalion Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Rosdahl, commenting on Sweden’s first ground deployment as a NATO country.

The brigade is one of eight being built up to be stationed along NATO’s eastern border, with the official aim of “contributing to the Alliance’s deterrence and defense and ensuring stability in the region”.

The Swedish contribution to the initiative consists of the 71st battalion, which will be deployed by the Southern Skåne Regiment P 7.

– I feel a great sense of pride in the task of contributing to collective defense together with our allies. It is a historic day, but at the same time our new normal, says Henrik Rosdahl.

Rotating with Denmark

The Swedish battalion’s mission in Latvia will last for about six months… After the six months, the Swedish force will rotate home and be replaced by a Danish force in the next six months. In one year, the next Swedish force will arrive in Latvia again deployed by the Southern Skåne Regiment”, the Swedish Armed Forces wrote in a press release.

Canadian Colonel Cédric Aspirault is leading the international brigade and says the Swedes are “a valuable addition to our combat-ready force”.

Each nation involved contributes directly to the success of the brigade, demonstrating a united alliance and a will to keep the peace, it said.

Swedish defense minister: “Supporting Ukraine is a duty – not a choice”

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 15 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Minister of Defense Pål Jonson (M) says Europe could face an “existential threat”.

During this year’s edition of Folk och Försvar’s national conference in Sälen, the rhetoric was at times very harsh and aggressive and Pål Jonson (M) went so far as to claim that it is no longer voluntary to support the government in Kiev.

–  Supporting Ukraine is not a choice. It is a duty, declared Sweden’s Minister of Defense.

The Minister went on to say that “the future of the European security order is now being decided on the battlefields in and around Ukraine” and that a dark time awaits the whole continent if Russia is not defeated.

– It will determine whether future generations will grow up in a Europe where international law or the law of the strongest will prevail. Supporting Ukraine is therefore an investment in our own security and our own future, he continued.

Jonson also boasted that Sweden has increased its support to Kiev every year and that it now totals almost SEK 48 billion (€4.2 billion).

– Last year, Sweden provided the sixth largest military aid in the world to Ukraine, he proudly proclaimed.

“Weakening the rules-based world order”

In the coming years, the Defense Minister also wants the Swedish arms industry to increase production and deliver military equipment directly to Ukraine “for several tens of billions”.

According to Jonson, it is not only Russia that is attacking Sweden through “hybrid attacks he also claims that “China, Iran and North Korea are supporting the Russian warfare”.

– This shows that this is a war with profound global consequences that further weakens the rules-based world order, he said.

– We must assume that Russia will pose a very serious threat to us and our allies for the foreseeable future.

“Existential threat”

Jonson sees the US as “crucial” to Europe’s security but says the superpower is busy with conflicts in other regions.

For this reason, Europe itself must rearm and strengthen NATO and, according to the defense minister, it is absolutely necessary that Sweden “does its part in this work” and increases investments in all military sectors.

– What was previously perceived as mostly theoretical problems about percentages and burden sharing can, in these times of gravity, pose an existential threat to Europe’s security, was another of the M-top’s admonitions.

The Nordic Times has previously highlighted Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s speech at the Folk och Försvar’s national conference and how he announced that “Sweden is not at war. But there is no peace either”.

Swedish PM: “Must prepare for war if we want peace”

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 13 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Ulf Kristersson is very happy with membership of the US-led NATO military alliance.

Sweden’s prime minister proclaims that Sweden is certainly not at war at the moment but that the Swedish people should not believe that there is any real peace either.

– Let’s plan for the worst, so we can continue to hope for the best, declares Ulf Kristersson, and calls for continued escalation and rearmament.

During this year’s edition of Folk och Försvar’s national conference, those in power gathered in Sälen to discuss issues related to Sweden’s defense and security policy. This year, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also took part, and in his speech he focused on trying to explain how the government actually views Sweden’s current defense policy status.

– Sweden is not at war. But neither is there peace, the Prime Minister emphasized.

– Real peace requires freedom and that there are no serious conflicts between countries. But we and our neighbors are exposed to hybrid attacks, which are not carried out with robots and soldiers, but with computers, money, disinformation and the risk of sabotage, Kristersson further argued.

“Take this seriously”

In March, it will be one year since Sweden joined the US-led NATO alliance, and the Prime Minister was very proud when he described how Swedish aircraft already contribute to NATO’s airspace surveillance, how 600 Swedish soldiers are on their way to Latvia and how Sweden is ready to contribute to NATO’s naval forces as well.

– It is an asset for Sweden in NATO that support for our membership is so strong and broad. Politically, but also among the population. It is an expression that we live in serious times. But also a sign that Sweden has changed.

Kristersson believes that Sweden has previously been “a somewhat naive idealist on the sidelines” but has now become much wiser and has become “a realist at the center of events“.

According to the Moderate leader, Sweden and other countries are not being subjected to conventional warfare instead, he believes it is a “proxy war” where, for example, Iran is accused of hiring gang criminals to commit acts of violence in Sweden and where Russia is allegedly “undermining democratic elections” in European countries.

– So take this seriously. I and the government take it seriously, he admonished.

“It’s all about priorities”

There do not seem to be any plans to improve relations with Russia and promote de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy instead, the focus is on deterrence and continued rearmament.

– The Russian threat is by all accounts a long-term one. So must our defense be… It’s all about priorities. We can afford to defend our freedom – but we cannot afford to lose our freedom, he said.

The Prime Minister also stressed that Sweden “is not only a place of freedom and self-realization – but also of responsibility and self-sacrifice” and paid tribute to the young Swedes who “do their duty” by joining the Swedish army.

– Now it is a new era once again. And it doesn’t have to be a pre-war era, but as is well known, those who want peace must be prepared for war.

Ulf Kristersson Anthony Blinken
Kristersson and outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Photo: U.S. Department of State/Public Domain

“Let’s plan for the worst”

He says that today, just as in the Cold War days, the struggle is between “democracy and dictatorship“, and although he claims that he and his party do not want a war, he says it is nevertheless of the utmost importance to consolidate, arm and increase militarization if one were to happen.

– We won and the dictatorship lost. There is no law of nature that makes it always so. But the free world has done it before and we can do it again. Let’s plan for the worst, so we can continue to hope for the best, he concluded.

The Nordic Times also highlighted Folk och Försvar’s national conference 2024, where the focus was on Sweden’s entry into NATO and alleged domestic and foreign threats to the country.

Swedish army chief wants Sweden to prepare for war with Russia

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 13 December 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Jonny Lindfors was appointed Army Commander as recently as 2023.

British Army Chief Roland Walker recently visited his Swedish counterpart Jonny Lindfors, where they discussed military cooperation, the international situation in general and the war in Ukraine in particular.

Walker believes that Europe must be ready to fight a war against Russia within just a few years – and the Swedish army chief shares this view.

– History shows again and again that Russia may seem to be down for the count, but they always come back. That’s why we have to be ready, because we who have supported Ukraine will be their target, said the British military chief.

– The Russian self-image that they have the right to create spheres of influence by subjugating neighboring countries threatens the European security order. They are not only waging war against Ukraine but against the collective West, Lindfors agrees.

Roland Walker says Ukraine’s resistance to Russia “is a source of inspiration for all European countries” and he was very pleased with what he saw during his visit to Sweden.

– The soldiers I met were very clear about their purpose, to defend Sweden and by extension, the alliance (NATO).

“Exceptionally fanatical NATO supporter”

The visit took place on November 19 1000 days after Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, and the British general says it is vital that the West continues to support Kiev in every way possible.

One person who has reacted to the statements from the two military leaders about war with Russia is Gustav Kasselstrand, leader of the nationalist party Alternative for Sweden. He called Lindfors an “exceptionally fanatical NATO supporter” who, however, does not seem particularly interested in actually defending Sweden.