03bfd84e   
   4c2a88d6   
   XPost: soc.culture.baltics, soc.culture.czecho-slovak, soc.culture.russian   
   From: ddfr@daviddfriedman.nopsam.com   
      
   In article   
   ,   
    holman@mappi.helsinki.fi (Eugene Holman) wrote:   
      
   > In article   
   > , David   
   > Friedman  wrote:   
   >   
   > > In article   
   > > ,   
   > >  holman@mappi.helsinki.fi (Eugene Holman) wrote:   
   >    
   > >   
   > > On the other hand, if Finland had joined NATO, it is at least unclear   
   > > whether the soviets would have invaded. Estonia didn't have that option.   
   >   
   > The 1948 Treaty of Friendship, Coperation, and Mutual Assistance   
   > specifically prohibited Finnish membership in NATO, since it was   
   > specifically directed against West Germany and countries allied with it.   
      
   In 1948, if Finland had instead chosen to join NATO, do you think NATO   
   would have agreed, and do you think it would have provoked or deterred a   
   Russian invasion (or neither)?   
      
   > Note that Sweden, which had far more latitude than Finland and was not   
   > constrained by such a treaty, also regarded it as prudent not to join   
   > NATO.   
      
   Sweden had less need of the protection of an alliance; Switzerland   
   didn't join either.   
      
   > Even now, close to two decades after the collapse of the USSR, Finland and   
   > Sweden have regarded it better not to link their national security with   
   > NATO membership.   
      
   But then, they don't have anyone currently threatening their national   
   security.   
      
   --   
    http://www.daviddfriedman.com/ http://daviddfriedman.blogspot.com/   
    Author of _Harald_, a fantasy without magic.   
    Published by Baen, in bookstores now   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)