Members phkrause Posted January 26 Author Members Share Posted January 26 Here’s what to know about Sweden’s bumpy road toward NATO membership STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s bid to join NATO — held up for almost two years — cleared its next-to-last hurdle when Turkey gave its go-ahead this week to let the Nordic country into the alliance. https://apnews.com/article/turkey-sweden-nato-explainer-b5a94a1aa0a4088a60b920eaa09737a5? Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted February 12 Author Members Share Posted February 12 Trump says he once told a NATO ally to pay its share or he’d ‘encourage’ Russia to do what it wanted Donald Trump said that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to countries that are “delinquent” as the front-runner for the Republican nomination ramped up his attacks on foreign aid and long-standing international alliances. Read more. Why this matters: NATO’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said Trump’s words could undermine security and put American and European forces at risk. “Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk,” he said in a statement Sunday. Trump’s remarks come as Ukraine remains mired in its efforts to stave off Russia’s invasion and as Republicans in Congress have become increasingly skeptical of providing additional aid to the country as it struggles with stalled counteroffensives and weapons shortfalls. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ NATO leader says Trump puts allies at risk by saying Russia can ‘do whatever the hell they want’ American allies worry the US is growing less dependable, whether Trump or Biden wins Senators push forward with Ukraine aid package as their leaders say the world is watching Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted February 13 Author Members Share Posted February 13 Trump's NATO red line Trump's incendiary comments about NATO this weekend represent the most belligerent public posture he's taken against the Western alliance in his eight years as a politician. Why it matters: In Europe, where the war in Ukraine is approaching its second anniversary, Trump's remarks supercharged the existing angst among NATO leaders who fear his potential return to the White House. At home, the comments had two major — and familiar — impacts: Hijacking a bad news cycle for his likely election opponent, President Biden. Forcing Republican allies to insist Trump didn't mean what he said. Catch up quick: At a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump claimed he told the president of an unidentified NATO member that he would "encourage" Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to that NATO nation if it were behind on its defense obligations. The fallout was sharp and swift: Biden called the comments "appalling and dangerous," while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Trump's threats put U.S. and European soldiers "at increased risk." Article V of the NATO treaty — described as the "cornerstone" of the post-World War II alliance formed to protect Europe from the former Soviet Union — requires members to treat an attack on one ally as an attack on all of them. It has been invoked just once, after 9/11. Trump has long railed against NATO countries that do not spend 2% of their GDP on their military, though he frequently mischaracterizes the suggested target as part of a central fund that members pay into. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemns Trump's remarks. Screenshot via X Zoom in: More telling than Trump's inflammatory rhetoric on NATO, which came as little surprise, has been the reaction from Republican hawks who criticized him in the past for far less provocative statements. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who helped lead the charge on a bill that blocks the president from withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval, both defended his remarks this weekend. "NATO countries that don't spend enough on defense, like Germany, are already encouraging Russian aggression and President Trump is simply ringing the warning bell," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a top defense hawk, told the New York Times. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, said he doesn't think it's something Trump "honestly believes" — reprising the familiar Republican adage to take Trump "seriously, but not literally." Between the lines: Trump privately discussed pulling out of NATO several times during his presidency, and former national security adviser John Bolton has warned that a U.S. withdrawal would "almost certainly happen" in a second Trump term. The bottom line: Trump's campaign website features just one vague but ominous reference to his plans for the alliance: "[W]e have to finish the process we began under my administration of fundamentally re-evaluating NATO's purpose and NATO's mission." ps:What a genius!! Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted February 13 Author Members Share Posted February 13 Russia puts the leader of NATO member Estonia on a wanted list over the removal of Soviet-era monuments TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Estonia’s prime minister has been put on a wanted list in Russia because of her efforts to remove Soviet-era World War II monuments in the Baltic nation, officials said Tuesday as tensions between Russia and the West soar amid the war in Ukraine. https://apnews.com/article/russia-estonia-kallas-wanted-list-4ca301df09eace6643be66a9a4a93fe8? Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted February 14 Author Members Share Posted February 14 Biden says Trump sowing doubts about US commitment to NATO is ‘un-American’ WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday said Donald Trump’s comments calling into question the U.S. commitment to defend its NATO allies from attack were “dangerous” and “un-American,” seizing on the former president’s comments that sowed fresh fears among U.S. partners about its dependability on the global stage. https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-nato-congress-b1ae8f4702e430d1995d40f3bc05ea06? Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted February 15 Author Members Share Posted February 15 A new report says the world faces a ‘dangerous decade’ as instability and military spending rise The world has entered an era of increasing instability as countries around the globe boost military spending in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Hamas attack on Israel and China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, which has compiled its annual estimate of the global military situation for the past 65 years. Read more. Key findings: Global defense spending rose 9% to $2.2 trillion last year, the IISS said. The increase was even steeper in NATO. The alliance’s non-U.S. members have boosted military spending by 32% since Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, the institute found. Ten European members reached the alliance’s goal of spending 2% of their economic output on defense last year, up from two in 2014. European defense spending received renewed attention in recent days after Donald Trump’s comment that when he was president he told an unidentified NATO state he would “encourage” Russia to attack members that didn’t meet their funding commitments. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ New NATO member Finland elects a president set to keep up hard line on neighboring Russia Poland, France and Germany vow to make Europe stronger as fears grow over Russia and Trump How Trump urging Russia to invade ‘delinquent’ NATO members distorts how the alliance works Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted February 27 Author Members Share Posted February 27 Hungary approves Sweden's NATO membership Hungary's parliament on Monday approved Sweden's accession to NATO, clearing one of the final hurdles for the country to join the military alliance. https://www.axios.com/2024/02/26/hungary-approve-sweden-nato-membership? Hungary’s parliament ratifies Sweden’s NATO bid, clearing the final obstacle to membership BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO, ending more than 18 months of delays that frustrated the alliance as it sought to expand in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. https://apnews.com/article/hungary-ratify-sweden-nato-membership-efc791c0d2e4da9fdcb247a2d6624cab? Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 5 Author Members Share Posted April 5 Map du jour: NATO at 75 Data: NATO; Map: Axios Visuals The U.S. was top of mind today at the NATO meetings in Brussels. Why it matters: The alliance celebrated its 75th anniversary and two new members — Sweden and Finland — but worried about how to survive a potential second Trump administration, Axios' Dave Lawler and Zachary Basu report. Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 9 Author Members Share Posted April 9 German troops arrive in Lithuania, their first long-term foreign deployment since World War II Lithuanian leaders hailed a “historic event” as Germany on Monday began deploying troops in the Baltic country — a NATO member — marking the first time since World War II that German forces will be based outside the country on a long-term basis. Read more. Why this matters: Lithuania's Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that the move was “a great example” for all the countries on NATO’s eastern flank on the border with Russia and its ally Belarus. “We will create such a defense and deterrence architecture that no adversary from the east will even think about testing NATO’s Article 5,” he told reporters. Article 5 on collective defense is at the heart of the 32-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It states that an armed attack against one or more of the members shall be considered an attack against all. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Russians stage a rare protest after a dam bursts and homes flood near the Kazakh border Ukraine and Russia trade fresh accusations of targeting a major nuclear power plant Ally of late Navalny accuses ‘Putin’s henchmen’ of attacking him in Lithuania, vows not to give up Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 21 Author Members Share Posted April 21 Argentina asks to join NATO as President Milei seeks a more prominent role for his nation BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina formally requested on Thursday to join NATO as a global partner, a status that would clear the way for greater political and security cooperation at a time when the right-wing government of President Javier Milei aims to boost ties with Western powers and attract investment. https://apnews.com/article/president-milei-argentina-nato-f16s-military-bf56ef4b18646438500c921250c66e93? Quote phkrause By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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