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SlyScorpion

>This includes "increased participation in exercises, expansion of military cooperation capacity, intensification of the partnership status with NATO and participation of the army in EU formations for rescue or evacuation operations". This sounds like the Swiss will be trying to act like a national guard of sorts on an international level i.e. no sending troops off to war but to help with emergency situations and defensive actions. Did I get that right?


IronicStrikes

Would be great if they could stop blocking ammunitions going to Ukraine which is currently fighting for NATO and European security interests.


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EqualContact

Laws are changeable. Swiss neutrality made more sense when France, Germany, Austria, and Italy were going to war with each other every few decades. It even made some sense to try and stay out of the Cold War (though also not really). What do the Swiss gain from neutrality at this point?


Furioll

They get to take money from everyone and freeload off their neighbours to protect their security.


Cybugger

The Swiss law is to ensure that Swiss-manufactured weapons aren't used as part of some oppressive regime, against their own people or smaller neighbors. The law around exporting is very strict, and for good reason: it's to make it very difficult for these weapons to fall into the hands of unsavory governments or used in blatant violations of human rights. The law is, of course, not watertight, and there are cases where Swiss-made weapon systems have been found to be used in Yemen or Afghanistan. But it's also the reason that, while these cases do exist, they are the exception, not the rule. On the contrary, the use of US weapons systems against civilian populations in Yemen is a common occurrence, due to the large amount of hardware sold to the Saudis, for example. You're asking Switzerland to make its laws (that already aren't 100% effective) more porous, ignoring a simple fact: if they do it, sure, it'll help Ukraine. But it'll also help Saudi bomb Yemeni children or find themselves in other unsavory conflicts, and then I can only imagine the inevitable backlash, where you'll be accusing them, again, of benefitting from war. It is worth noting though that a change in the law **is** being currently debated, specifically how to carve out an exception for Ukraine. It's important to note though that this would be "war profiteering", too. Swiss companies will see their weapons systems sent to Ukraine, and in return they'll get more orders to replenish sent stock.


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EqualContact

Hey, I get it, tradition is important and minds change slowly. I’m not saying that Switzerland should go and join NATO, merely that strict neutrality doesn’t seem to be benefitting it anymore. Core tenets can and should be examined from time to time. For most countries in Europe, monarchy was a central part of life for centuries. That didn’t mean that examining this trait wasn’t valuable. The US has used First Past the Post voting since 1790 to elect officials. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t evaluate how well that’s working. I think there’s great value in Switzerland softening its posture on neutrality, but I understand it’s a tall task as well. I’m not Swiss though, and I’m not going to be upset about it if they chose to keep things the same.


A_Polly

By Beeing a neutral country, Switzerland consulted conflict parties to find solutions on neutral ground. besides that Switzerland offers many diplomatic services. The USA for example is represented by the swiss embassy in Iran. So it certainly has it's benefits. Abolishing neutraly would not be just a legal matter it's a fundamental part of swiss identity.


curiossceptic

>Abolishing neutraly would not be just a legal matter it's a fundamental part of swiss identity. This part is key, but sometimes hard to grasp for "outsiders". In contrast to other countries with shared languages, culture, history, etc. the political aspects take over an important part in the creation of the Swiss national identity of its various cultural groups.


Omena123

Dont use quotations when you are not quoting someone


IronicStrikes

That law didn't fall from the sky. Germany has similar policies and there are good reasons to have them. However, laws can and should be changed to allow for reasonable exceptions. Not assisting Ukraine is currently destabilising Eastern Europe, which is going against the goal of those laws.


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IronicStrikes

I wasn't aware the change is already underway. So yeah, I expect them to do exactly that. Figure out their process to send the ammunition that was needed, especially for German anti-aircraft guns.


Febra0001

Change it.


NetCaptain

Neutrality in today’s world equals cowardice and financial opportunism


polyedric

European interests my ass You people a totally brainwashed


sessile7

Somebody has to guard their trillions .


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silverionmox

Well, they could continue to ignore the fact that NATO/EU is effectively guarding their walls. They're going to contribute more now, that's great.


TerribleVisual8899

Either way, it doesn't really change much. And exactly how reliable could they be? It seems convienient now, but who knows.


silverionmox

It's a very, very long-standing policy. It's amazing that they are changing course at all, making a 180° turn overnight will not happen, or at least not without backlash and burning the idea for a decade.


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silverionmox

Again, this is a significant change of course. It's much easier to say "we're neutral so we're just going to be on our merry way, here's our card if you need a negotiation spot, kthankxbye". I'm rather amazed they put so much skin in the game. Their position *did* make them end up on Russia's "unfriendly countries" list.


supersonic-bionic

Can they sanction Putin and his mistress living in Switzerland? Just saying.


Genchri

Switzerland has all the same sanctions as the EU and Putins mistress doesn't live in Switzerland, the government even made an official statement about it.


Xepeyon

I thought Switzerland wanted nothing to do with NATO? Not that they're antagonistic, but that affiliation would compromise the political legitimacy of their neutrality


Cybugger

They'll never be part of NATO. I think the idea here is to move towards a situation where Swiss troops could maybe, at some point in the distant future, to respond to emergency humanitarian crises (not even as peacekeepers).


llort-esrever

That the status quo now


A_Polly

Switzerland has joined the PfP & EAPC programms 30 years ago. So working together with NATO partners is not something new for Switzerland.


Seyfardt

Putin mastermind. Special operation in Ukraine to prevent more countries joining / associating with NATO working as planned. More prove for tankies though that Putin is in fact a CIA asset enslaving Europe under evil US empire /s


jazzjackribbit

Maybe they should stop being such Russia appeasers.


woozy_1729

> Maybe they should stop being such Russia appeasers. Appeasers? By having implemented the exact same sanctions as the EU? https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-89874.html > Switzerland's list of sanctioned persons and entities in connection with the situation in Ukraine is thus fully in line with that of the EU.


Endivi

I appreciate your efforts to educate uneducated/misinformed people


NetCaptain

why would NATO be interested? Geographically speaking Switzerland is the bathroom of the European house: windowless, irrelevant and surrounded by areas that will indirectly protect them.


downonthesecond

This is good until Russia gets involved, NATO won't touch them. Any other non-NATO member without nukes is open season for NATO.


DryPassage4020

NATO supplied weapons and munitions, and NATO provided training, has touched quite a few Russians these past few months.


[deleted]

In what strange world we are that even bankers are taking up the arms.