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| Europe |
| Swedes Reinforce Gotland Island Against Russian Invasion |
| 2016-10-01 |
| [Newsweek] Sweden’s decision to reintroduce permanent troops to the island province of Gotland is wise in light of recent Russian aggression. Swedish soldiers exercising on Gotland received an order September 14 not to leave. The 150 troops will remain on the island until mid-2017, when a planned permanent unit should be fully established there. Sweden, which is not a member of NATO, has maintained a neutral status since the 19th century. However, it plays a vital role--both direct and indirect--in guaranteeing the security of the Baltic states, which are NATO members. Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, is strategically located halfway between Sweden and Latvia in the middle of the Baltic Sea. Control over Gotland would prove crucial in the event of any future conflict in the region. Due to its central location, Russia almost certainly factors the island into its Baltic Sea contingency planning. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #6 No. the islamists will take over at before the Russians show up, if they ever do. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2016-10-01 23:33 |
| #5 You mean the Swedes would be glad when Russians come, AP? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2016-10-01 12:03 |
| #4 The islamists will beat the Russians to Sweden by miles. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2016-10-01 12:00 |
| #3 Yes it will, rule of thumb sez 450 to overrun quickly, disregarding loss in transports and aircraft. Just a another thing for the Russers to consider. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2016-10-01 11:25 |
| #2 They have done it before and were beaten back https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_occupation_of_Gotland_1808 |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2016-10-01 11:15 |
| #1 150 will certainly give the Russian pause. (do I need to put a /sarc on that?) |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2016-10-01 09:35 |