Norway is out

[ahasverus]

x-post
ok no hard feelings, just wondering

[ahasverus]

Probably 'cause we have a liberal-conservative government while at least Swedens is social-democratic.

[VetLegion]

Countries like Poland sent to kiss American ass. Denmark is different, they sent out of conviction, and I can't decide whether to admire that or roll my eyes at it.

[Gangerolf]

also because sweden and finland are traditionally neutral countries

[Pekka]

probably because we don't send combat troops to fight wars outside our borders? And we're not allied either. And we don't have the money for such operations. Nor the political will. And we don't exactly have the public support for it either.

[VetLegion]

Exactly. And why didn't Denmark name the same reasons? It's not like USA would have been very upset about it. They sent anyway.

[Pekka]

Enough reasons? Then, give me the good reasons, why it would be in our national interest to go against all these other reasons? We're more into let's keep to ourselves and let others rumble. We don't need your problems, you go ahead, thank you .

[VetLegion]

You misunderstood me, what Finland and the rest of the world did (nothing) is the reasonable and easy thing to do. It doesn't surprise me. The opposite surprises me.

[Pekka]

Denmark is a NATO member, yes? For that, they have alliance of some kind. They can send troops outside borders to meet these kinds of demands. Political will, well absolutely, they just did it so I guess it shows it's there. I don't know what the public opinion is, but I guess since it's dropping everywhere in the world, including the US, so I don't think ti's that high, but maybe it's still higher than in most countries.

[Pekka]

Well you asked why and I gave you the explanation. The question I asked was rhetoric one.

[VetLegion]

France is also in NATO and look at them. Germany too. They're in Afghanistan but not Iraq.

I don't know what the public opinion is, but I guess since it's dropping everywhere in the world, including the US, so I don't think ti's that high, but maybe it's still higher than in most countries.

The two Danes who commented it here supported the involvement. As I said, I don't know what to think about that.

[Pekka]

YEah they are, but we aren't, so in comparison I gave you few things they have that we don't for this operation.

At the end, maybe it was a coin toss I don't know.

[Gangerolf]

it's obviuosly a combination of many factors

- right wing government
- nato
- don't know the numbers, but the contribution is small and it's focused on humanitarian stuff
- and what makes you think they didn't do it to kiss american ass?

[VetLegion]

What do they possibly gain by kissing American ass?

[Christmann]

Originally posted by Gangerolf
- don't know the numbers, but the contribution is small

Around 500. So it's not that small considering Denmark's size.

and it's focused on humanitarian stuff

Err... not anymore than the contributions from the other members of the coalition.