[Genuine Realist]

Hungary has approved Sweden's accession. The Baltic Sea is now "NATO Lake".

https://x.com/JackDetsch/status/17622053...86601?s=20

Interesting thread here on what Sweden's accession means for NATO in the Baltic.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine lit a fire under some countries.  Sweden was happily neutral and not a big spender on defense relative to GDP for many years.  Now it's a NATO member and over the 2% of GDP target.  Finland and Poland also changed course as a result of the invasion.  And of course the Baltics are panicking.  All of that has significantly strengthened NATO's position.  But can we light a fire under some of the big economic powers in Europe to follow suit?  And is that a good idea?  I throw up in my mouth when I think of Germany entering an arms race.   But maybe I need to reorient my thinking to the modern world and recognize that Germany truly is a force for good in Europe.  It is, right?

Sure. It's not like they're warlike or anything...

List of wars involving Germany

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j20voPS0gI

[Genuine Realist]

Hungary has approved Sweden's accession. The Baltic Sea is now "NATO Lake".

https://x.com/JackDetsch/status/17622053...86601?s=20

Interesting thread here on what Sweden's accession means for NATO in the Baltic.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine lit a fire under some countries.  Sweden was happily neutral and not a big spender on defense relative to GDP for many years.  Now it's a NATO member and over the 2% of GDP target.  Finland and Poland also changed course as a result of the invasion.  And of course the Baltics are panicking.  All of that has significantly strengthened NATO's position.  But can we light a fire under some of the big economic powers in Europe to follow suit?  And is that a good idea?  I throw up in my mouth when I think of Germany entering an arms race.   But maybe I need to reorient my thinking to the modern world and recognize that Germany truly is a force for good in Europe.  It is, right?

Sure. It's not like they're warlike or anything...

List of wars involving Germany

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j20voPS0gI