pat@symplex.UUCP (03/19/84)
<GIFT TO FIRST-LINE EATER.> Sweden has a history of aggressive neutrality, which includes firing at any combatants attempting to use Swedish air space to carry on an attack. During WWII German planes transiting to Norway which violated Swedish air space were fired upon in this manner. I don't believe this stand can be construed as anti-American nor pro-Soviet. I see it more as Sweden's acceptance of the inevitab- ility of American-Soviet madness & the refusal to join in it in any capacity, even passively. Richard Patrick Symplex Communications Belmont, Ca ..!fortune!dsd!symplex!pat
fair@dual.UUCP (Erik E. Fair) (03/20/84)
Well, at least they can't shoot down our ICBM's! (Or is *that* what the
Ariane booster is for?) :-)
Erik E. Fair
dual!fair@Berkeley.ARPA
{ihnp4,ucbvax,cbosgd,decwrl,amd70,fortune,zehntel}!dual!fair
Dual Systems Corporation, Berkeley, Californiadavid@randvax.ARPA (David Shlapak) (03/20/84)
Not to worry...going after sub pens and SS-20 installations is not
a job for cruise missiles (GLCMs, SLCMs, ALCMs, or whatever)...
P.M. Palme is simply re-asserting Sweden's hard-won neutrality
in this bi-polar world...
-- dasjpg@sdchema.UUCP (03/20/84)
I suspect that if the Soviets fired ICBMS at the West, Mr. Palme would wave at them as they passed over Sweden.
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (03/21/84)
{}
I just love to read about Sweden's paranoia with subs. It seems
the latest sub threat turned out to be a Blue 1976 Volvo that had
been dumped at sea in some sort of insurance fraud. They must
have a fix on almost every metalic object in the sea by now. I
hope they get their sea-junk inventory completed soon so they
can get back to trapping real subs. I wonder what they depth
charged for three weeks last year, a 1967 VW? Seems to be a
conspiracy here to make Sweden use up all their depth charges.:-)
T. C. Wheelerakt@mcnc.UUCP (Amit Thakur) (03/22/84)
in the book, "World War III", by General Sir John Hackett, (second edition, considerably different from the first edition) sweden aids and defends the west. i believe symplex!pat is right to say that the swedes are more interested in defending their neutrality aggressively, rather than supporting one side or the other. (in the book, the swedes try to shoot down russian planes that violate their airspace on the way to and from norway. they also shoot at submarines that come in too close to shore.) akt at ...decvax!mcnc!akt
jpg@sdchema.UUCP (03/24/84)
I was under the impression that Sweden helped the Nazis during WWII.
I belive that (among other things) they allowed Germany to transport
troops from Norway through Sweden into Finland in preparation for the attack on
Mr. Palme's favorite country in 1941.
Jerry (I'll never buy a Volvo) Greenbergpiet@mcvax.UUCP (Piet Beertema) (03/28/84)
Maybe that's the reason why the US denies the European countries that
accepted their cruise missiles the right to have (co)control over their
firing. One bad day they might get directed against the US...
--
Piet Beertema, CWI, Amsterdam
...{decvax,philabs}!mcvax!pietrobert@erix.UUCP (Robert Virding) (03/28/84)
Swedish foreign policy is based on agressively defending its neutrality
against ALL intruders, whether east or west. This policy is supported by all
the major political parties both conservative and social democrats.
We have now for a long time been trying to get rid of foreign submarines
which are intruding in our waters. As these are probably from eastern europe
(maybe not all of them?) I doubt that you will object to this. But this
would make us just as "pro-west" as the fact that if NATO planes flew in
over our territory they would be led out would make us "pro-east". If you
are *seriously* neutral then you are neutral all both directions (or at
least try to be).
Concerning the missiles which you are so distressed to hear might be used
against US cruise missiles, they will naturally be used against intruders
from the east as well. Of course, you could always sell us just the number
we would use against Warsaw pact planes and so not leave any left for NATO
planes and missiles. :-)
Taking Palme's statement to mean that Sweden is pro-Russian can only mean
that you feel that there is no middle ground. A "if you're not for us then
you're against us", type of mentality. That type of attitude is childish and
would just make it harder for Sweden to remain neutral.
SLIGHT FLAME
I think you should look into the facts before you come with wild statements
concerning the foreign policy of other countries.
EMALF THGILS
Robert Virding @ L M Ericsson, Stockholm
UUCP: {decvax!philabs}!mcvax!enea!erix!roberttrb@drux3.UUCP (BuckleyTR) (03/30/84)
... Now here's a good one... "Socialist Prime Minister Olof Palme's Government has announced that Sweden will seek to defeat any Western nuclear counterattack against Soviet targets in the Kola Peninsula (SS-20 missile complexes, submarine pens, and military airfields) by shooting down U.S. Cruise missiles as they pass over Swedish territory from northern Europe. "It gets worse: To shoot down our missiles for the Soviets, Sweden is adapting Falcon radar systems manufactured by U.S.-based I.T.T. At least 24 Falcon systems have been ordered by the Swedes, and the first was delivered in January." From the New York Times Tom Buckley ...ihnp4!drux3!trb