Que Russian whining about hostile encirclement in 3, 2, 1...
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0N02E820150409?irpc=932
Quote
Nordic nations agree on defense cooperation against Russia
OSLO | Thu Apr 9, 2015 5:34pm EDT
OSLO (Reuters) - Calling Russia the biggest challenge to European security, Nordic nations agreed on closer defense ties and increased solidarity with the Baltic states on Thursday, aiming to increase regional security through deterrence.
Writing in a joint declaration, the defense ministers of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland said Northern Europe must prepare for possible crises or incidents because of Russia.
"Russia's leaders have shown that they are prepared to make practical and effective use of military means in order to reach their political goals, even when this involves violating principles of international law," the ministers wrote in a joint statement in daily Aftenposten.
"There is increasing military and intelligence activity in the Baltics and in our northern areas," the ministers said. "The Russian military is challenging us along our borders and there have been several border infringements in the Baltics."
The statement comes amid heightened tensions in Europe since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine a year ago. With large Russian minorities living in the Baltics, concerns have grown in the region about the risk of Russian intervention.
Finland, which borders Russia, and Sweden are not members of NATO but have increased cooperation with the trans-Atlantic alliance, and the joint declaration has been among their strongest responses to Russia's aggression.
"Russia's actions are the biggest challenge to the European security," the ministers said. "Russia's propaganda and political maneuvering are contributing to sowing discord between nations, and inside organizations like NATO and the EU."
The ministers said that closer cooperation in the Nordics and solidarity with the Baltic would improve security through deterrence as it would lift the threshold for military events.
The Norwegian defense ministry confirmed the statement's authenticity and said it would be published as an editorial in major newspapers in all Nordic countries in the coming days.
(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi and Terje Solsvik; Editing by Leslie Adler)
They left the Baltic sisters out so I guess this doesn't really matter.
A fearsome alliance to be sure.
But yeah kind of lame not even Estonia gets included.
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 10, 2015, 07:22:28 AM
They left the Baltic sisters out so I guess this doesn't really matter.
But that's the whole point. They don't actually want to be committed to anything, and the Baltic States might actually be attacked.
Meanwhile, Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine formed a joint military brigade. :ph34r:
Time for a three-sided battle royale for Courland between the Kalmar Union, Russia and the Commonwealth. :homestar:
Sweden couldn't win a civil war.
Don't pretend to be all humble with us. We know you have the Swedish Coastal Rangers and their ability to speak several languages.
Pity we have just a tent, two tanks and a JAS-Gripen between us.
Quote from: Norgy on April 10, 2015, 12:12:16 PM
Pity we have just a tent, two tanks and a JAS-Gripen between us.
Trade one of your tanks for a second tent, and you can park both your pieces of equipment out of the rain. :smarty:
Norway's elite force is always busy on some NATO mission. The rest of our "defence" is pitiful. Last year we couldn't even put our brand spanking new frigates at sea. Our airforce consists of a few F-16s that still can fly and some Dakota transport planes (called Hercules here). It's hardly a force to be reckoned with. The move from conscription to professional army hasn't really worked all that well.
The situation in Sweden is probably much better. Finland and Denmark I admit I know little about.
I would guess Finland takes defense fairly seriously.
They just need to find "Leningrad" on their maps, and they'd be allright.
Quote from: Martinus on April 10, 2015, 07:55:56 AM
Meanwhile, Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine formed a joint military brigade. :ph34r:
Time for a three-sided battle royale for Courland between the Kalmar Union, Russia and the Commonwealth. :homestar:
Only if you are in the front line, leading the assault on the enemy.
Quote from: Siege on April 10, 2015, 02:59:33 PM
Quote from: Martinus on April 10, 2015, 07:55:56 AM
Meanwhile, Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine formed a joint military brigade. :ph34r:
Time for a three-sided battle royale for Courland between the Kalmar Union, Russia and the Commonwealth. :homestar:
Only if you are in the front line, leading the assault on the enemy.
Marty would make a fabulous hussar.
Frankly who wouldn't look fabulous as a hussar?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fth01.deviantart.net%2Ffs71%2FPRE%2Ff%2F2013%2F089%2F1%2F4%2Fpolish_hussar_v2_by_mynameisbyron-d54ugck.jpg&hash=9aebdcee05e82869d0aab72f3c7f7e2b9176dfb7)
I was under the impression that hussars are light cavalry? :unsure:
Generally they are.
Don't know if I mentioned it or not, but it's pronounced hoo-zar. I had thought it was pronounced husser, but a Canadian dude in their hussar regiment set me straight.
Quote from: citizen k on April 10, 2015, 03:05:39 PM
Marty would make a fabulous hussar.
For five minutes, then he'd fall off his horse.
Hoo-zars is definitely the right pronunciation from what I know. Saying anything else sounds silly to me.
Quote from: Valmy on April 10, 2015, 07:25:00 AM
A fearsome alliance to be sure.
But yeah kind of lame not even Estonia gets included.
I think it's more about the non-NATO members though. The Balts are already protected. Finland and Sweden, not so much.
Incidentally the British view that I've seen is that Scandinavia are pretty good at defence policy, where it matters, and add a lot.
Quote from: Valmy on April 10, 2015, 03:12:09 PM
Frankly who wouldn't look fabulous as a hussar?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fth01.deviantart.net%2Ffs71%2FPRE%2Ff%2F2013%2F089%2F1%2F4%2Fpolish_hussar_v2_by_mynameisbyron-d54ugck.jpg&hash=9aebdcee05e82869d0aab72f3c7f7e2b9176dfb7)
Frankly the best thing to come out of Poland, except Hillshire Farm's Polska Kielbas. Excellent fried.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on April 10, 2015, 03:21:25 PM
Generally they are.
Don't know if I mentioned it or not, but it's pronounced hoo-zar. I had thought it was pronounced husser, but a Canadian dude in their hussar regiment set me straight.
In English, its Hussar (a sound, not e, and emphasis on the second syllable). In the original Magyar (and maybe German and some other eastern European languages, not sure) its more like hoo-zar. The Canadian dude may have been referring to how his unit referred to themselves, but the vast majority of the English-speaking world uses the English pronunciation.
I thought Canada pronounced it like "hoe-ser". :P
Quote from: Tonitrus on April 10, 2015, 07:10:35 PM
I thought Canada pronounced it like "hoe-ser". :P
I was deliberately avoiding provoking the caknuckleheads with Bob and Doug Mckenzie references.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 10, 2015, 03:14:15 PM
I was under the impression that hussars are light cavalry? :unsure:
Basically everywhere else they were; Poland was the big exception.
Hussars were a 19th century light cavalry.
Husaria were a 17th century Polish heavy cavalry.
That's like comparing dragoons and dragons. :P
Or Roman legions and the French foreign legion.
Quote from: Martinus on April 11, 2015, 07:54:00 AM
Hussars were a 19th century light cavalry.
Husaria were a 17th century Polish heavy cavalry.
That's like comparing dragoons and dragons. :P
:rolleyes:
Try again when you've actually bothered to check even one article on the history and origins of Hussars, both in general and in the Polish iteration in particular.