4 ms·

So, this is mostly a US-centric forum, but I wonder what is the take on this from the perspective of a Finnish person. Is there any controversy or concerns of

So, this is mostly a US-centric forum, but I wonder what is the take on this from the perspective of a Finnish person. Is there any controversy or concerns of becoming a foothold for future conflicts? This whole thing has been dragging on for sometime now, had the opinions shifted over time?

sbaiddn 4y ago
Well the PM who nursed this just lost the election. But I suspect most Fins agree with the decision.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- mastax 4y ago
  Lost the election (while gaining seats) to a party which has been pro-NATO for longer.
  - sbaiddn 4y ago
    ... so she lost the elections, but most Fins support the ascension.
    - Paradigma11 4y ago
      She has not gained as much additional popularity as other parties did.
- Cenk 4y ago
  That is true, but her Party received a higher percentage of votes in this election compared to the last one. If anything, her popularity increased.
- carlosjobim 4y ago
  Finns always agree with government decisions. If government policy is to stay out of NATO, finns will think that's the sound and rational way. If the government policy is to get into NATO, they will ask the media to support the idea and finns will change their opinion and think it's a splendid idea. Finns think as they are told to, like their neighbours in Russia.
zimzam 4y ago
According to articles I've read polling indicates 80% support amongst the Finnish population
hypertele-Xii 4y ago
I was born when the Soviet Union fell. All my childhood I watched media like James Bond and played games like Command & Conquer about Russian invasion, saw my extended family suffer the generational trauma of war, and being male, am forced by threat of imprisonment to personally accept social responsibility for sacrificing my life defending our country from Russian invasion, I'm pretty fucking relieved the nightmare is over. Just hoping we can prevent WW3, or at the very least win it together.
- foverzar 4y ago
  > I'm pretty fucking relieved the nightmare is over. Ouch. Genuinely hate to be the bearer of bad news, but everything I know about politics (especially from Russian perspective) tells me that this is only the beginning and uncorking of a potential conflict. I assume, you do not expect that NATO membership would put Finland into a direct hot confrontation with Russia, thus turning into a kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy? > WW3, or at the very least win it together. Eh, there will be no winner in WWIII - only how much everyone loses before they decide to strike some kind of eventual deal. And IMO the WWIII had already started by the modern military standards of multi-domain operations.
  - The_Colonel 4y ago
    > I assume, you do not expect that NATO membership would put Finland into a direct hot confrontation with Russia, thus turning into a kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Neutrality is no protection against aggression. Vienna was famously one of the first targets for Soviet nuclear strike.
    - tasuki 4y ago
      Is there a list somewhere?
      - The_Colonel 4y ago
        No list, but some details are here: https://www.independent.ie/world-news/vienna-top-of-soviet-nuke-targets-list-in-cold-war-26063617.html https://www.independent.ie/world-news/vienna-top-of-soviet-n...
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
Stagnant 4y ago
The decision to join NATO has had overwhelming support among the general population throughout the process. Over 80% of the population were in favor of joining when we applied for membership last year and the opinions have stayed around the same. According to a poll conducted in early february this year, 82% were in favor, 10% undecided and 8% against. Parliament votes were 184-7 last month when they approved the membership. Joining NATO is widely regarded as the safe and rational choice. Russia already saw Finland as part of "the west" and Russia's attack on Ukraine meant that our international relations with them were pretty much destroyed. Staying out of NATO made no sense from that point onward. Why try to stay "neutral" with no formal defense pact, when Russia viewed us as hostile anyway? So yeah, I would say that the vast majority of Finns feel safer now, and becoming a NATO member has been seen as a positive thing overall.
- veeti 4y ago
  > Parliament votes were 184-7 last month when they approved the membership. Most of the seven were also not re-elected in Sunday's election.
- foverzar 4y ago
  > Russia already saw Finland as part of "the west" > Why try to stay "neutral" with no formal defense pact, when Russia viewed us as hostile anyway? Good point, thanks for that perspective. Was there hypothetically any way Russia could signal if it was not the case though?

sbaiddn 4y ago

Well the PM who nursed this just lost the election. But I suspect most Fins agree with the decision.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
mastax 4y ago
Lost the election (while gaining seats) to a party which has been pro-NATO for longer.
- sbaiddn 4y ago
  ... so she lost the elections, but most Fins support the ascension.
  - Paradigma11 4y ago
    She has not gained as much additional popularity as other parties did.
Cenk 4y ago
That is true, but her Party received a higher percentage of votes in this election compared to the last one. If anything, her popularity increased.
carlosjobim 4y ago
Finns always agree with government decisions. If government policy is to stay out of NATO, finns will think that's the sound and rational way. If the government policy is to get into NATO, they will ask the media to support the idea and finns will change their opinion and think it's a splendid idea. Finns think as they are told to, like their neighbours in Russia.

zimzam 4y ago

According to articles I've read polling indicates 80% support amongst the Finnish population

hypertele-Xii 4y ago

I was born when the Soviet Union fell. All my childhood I watched media like James Bond and played games like Command & Conquer about Russian invasion, saw my extended family suffer the generational trauma of war, and being male, am forced by threat of imprisonment to personally accept social responsibility for sacrificing my life defending our country from Russian invasion, I'm pretty fucking relieved the nightmare is over. Just hoping we can prevent WW3, or at the very least win it together.

foverzar 4y ago
> I'm pretty fucking relieved the nightmare is over. Ouch. Genuinely hate to be the bearer of bad news, but everything I know about politics (especially from Russian perspective) tells me that this is only the beginning and uncorking of a potential conflict. I assume, you do not expect that NATO membership would put Finland into a direct hot confrontation with Russia, thus turning into a kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy? > WW3, or at the very least win it together. Eh, there will be no winner in WWIII - only how much everyone loses before they decide to strike some kind of eventual deal. And IMO the WWIII had already started by the modern military standards of multi-domain operations.
- The_Colonel 4y ago
  > I assume, you do not expect that NATO membership would put Finland into a direct hot confrontation with Russia, thus turning into a kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Neutrality is no protection against aggression. Vienna was famously one of the first targets for Soviet nuclear strike.
  - tasuki 4y ago
    Is there a list somewhere?
    - The_Colonel 4y ago
      No list, but some details are here: https://www.independent.ie/world-news/vienna-top-of-soviet-nuke-targets-list-in-cold-war-26063617.html https://www.independent.ie/world-news/vienna-top-of-soviet-n...

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

Stagnant 4y ago

The decision to join NATO has had overwhelming support among the general population throughout the process. Over 80% of the population were in favor of joining when we applied for membership last year and the opinions have stayed around the same. According to a poll conducted in early february this year, 82% were in favor, 10% undecided and 8% against. Parliament votes were 184-7 last month when they approved the membership. Joining NATO is widely regarded as the safe and rational choice. Russia already saw Finland as part of "the west" and Russia's attack on Ukraine meant that our international relations with them were pretty much destroyed. Staying out of NATO made no sense from that point onward. Why try to stay "neutral" with no formal defense pact, when Russia viewed us as hostile anyway? So yeah, I would say that the vast majority of Finns feel safer now, and becoming a NATO member has been seen as a positive thing overall.

veeti 4y ago
> Parliament votes were 184-7 last month when they approved the membership. Most of the seven were also not re-elected in Sunday's election.
foverzar 4y ago
> Russia already saw Finland as part of "the west" > Why try to stay "neutral" with no formal defense pact, when Russia viewed us as hostile anyway? Good point, thanks for that perspective. Was there hypothetically any way Russia could signal if it was not the case though?