Sweden Clears the Final Hurdle

Sweden has cleared the final obstacle standing in its way to become a member of the NATO alliance with Hungary giving a green light to the Nordic nation's entry into NATO after a long time. Sweden's decision is truly historic as it marks a complete departure from the traditional stance of neutrality which it had maintained for over a century but had to abdicate following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 posing a renewed existential threat to entire Europe, especially, the Nordic nations, including, Sweden & Finland which share a long border with Russia. The entry of Finland earlier and now Sweden to NATO has actually led to the manifestation of Putin's fears of NATO's further eastward expansion in Europe, including, a direct sharing of border with Russia which effectively also eliminates any buffer zone for it against any potential NATO military action aimed at Russia. However, for NATO, the advent of Finland and Sweden marks the entry of two highly capable members with substantially advanced technological capabilities, well-trained & equipped military forces and well developed defense industrial bases. Further, Sweden's over 100 fighter jets, mostly Saab's JAS-39 Gripen variants, were custom designed with capabilities to effectively take on the Russian fighters during the Cold War-era while the sizable Swedish submarine fleet has unique capabilities to operate in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea, which even the U.S. Navy does not possess and envies it. Also, the Finnish forces, too, have unique capabilities to fight the Russian forces on the snow covered terrain of Northern Europe and one must not forget that the Finnish Army had a dealt a crushing defeat to the Russian troops during their attempted invasion of Finland in 1938, just prior, to the onset of World War II. The expansion of NATO, thus, has come at a highly strategic time in the over 70+ years long history of the alliance with the Bear having returned to his old ways necessitating the need for those possessing the unique know-how and ability to tame him by creating & setting up the required bear traps...