{"id":1591943,"date":"2022-08-06T08:32:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-06T12:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1591943"},"modified":"2022-08-06T08:32:54","modified_gmt":"2022-08-06T12:32:54","slug":"kathleen-j-anderson-senate-votes-to-approve-sweden-finland-nato-membership-is-it-the-right-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kathleen-j-anderson-senate-votes-to-approve-sweden-finland-nato-membership-is-it-the-right-move\/","title":{"rendered":"Kathleen J. Anderson: Senate Votes To Approve Sweden &#038; Finland Nato Membership \u2013 Is It The Right Move?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkathleen-j-anderson-senate-votes-to-approve-sweden-finland-nato-membership-is-it-the-right-move%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1591943&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><\/div>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s been a banner week for Republicans and Democrats coming together in solidarity \u2013 with the overwhelming approval by the Senate for Sweden and Finland\u2019s inclusion into NATO. This comes on the heels of Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s trip to Taiwan, which also had Republicans locking arms with their Democrat counterparts in a rare sign of almost universal agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s a shame we can\u2019t get the same kind of cooperation on domestic issues, but I suppose we should take bipartisanship where we can get it. However, one Senator stood against the pack, voting no; Republican Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri. (Technically, two, if you count Senator Rand Paul\u2019s \u201cPresent\u201d vote.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There always has to be one that rocks the boat; in this case, Senator Hawley has willingly accepted that role. Is he bucking the tide to keep his name relevant for a possible presidential run, or does he feel that perhaps we should be focusing our efforts elsewhere?<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Between infrastructure, gun safety, CHIPs, and the PACT Act, all passed in less than a year, I can&#8217;t recall a period of so many big and substantive bipartisan accomplishments for Congress. <\/p>\n<p>With a 50\/50 Senate.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jaketapper\/status\/1554616632240218112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 2, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Containment Versus Expansion<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Senator Hawley argues with his no vote that we should focus on who he believes is our most significant threat to national security: China. Instead of expanding resources in the European region, he argues we should focus on containing China in the pacific.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In an op-ed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2022\/08\/03\/josh-hawley-finland-sweden-nato-00049346\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Senator Hawley lays out<\/a> the reasoning behind his no vote, summarizing:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cNATO expansion would almost certainly mean more U.S. forces in Europe for the long haul.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"subscribe\" class=\"email-signup inarticle\">\n<h4>Support Conservative Voices!<\/h4>\n<h5><strong>Sign up to receive the latest<\/strong> political news, insight, and commentary delivered directly to your inbox.<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A proponent of what former President Trump espoused, Hawley believes that other countries should be pulling their fair share of the weight to ensure world stability. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/2022\/08\/01\/why_ill_vote_no_to_add_sweden_amp_finland_to_nato_576004.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mr. Hawley goes on<\/a> to state:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cUntil our European allies make the necessary commitments to their own national defense, we must not put more American lives at risk in Europe while allowing China\u2019s power to grow unchecked.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s fair to note that while Russia continues its campaign to envelope Ukraine and push further west, China has been building up its capabilities. What is Mr. Hawley so concerned about? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Let\u2019s take a quick trip to the other side of the globe to see what he\u2019s referring to.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">McConnell on measure to allow Sweden\/Finland into NATO: If any senator is looking for a defensible excuse to vote no, I wish him good luck. This is a slam dunk for national security that deserves unanimous bipartisan support.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChadPergram\/status\/1554877479915061252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 3, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/pelosis-taiwan-trip-met-with-cheers-from-republicans-handwringing-from-military-brass\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pelosi\u2019s Taiwan Trip Met With Cheers From Republicans, Handwringing From Military Brass<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Enemy In Our Backyard<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The recent trip to Taiwan by Speaker Pelosi has raised the ire of China, and there is no doubt the Chinese recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/live\/world-asia-62404233\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">live-fire drills<\/a> in response are a sign of things to come. The question is, when will their aggression reach a tipping point?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">China has been trying to undermine our efforts for a long time, and more covertly than we\u2019ve seen in the past. For example, recently, I reported on how China has been gobbling up land right here in the U.S.A., near strategic military installations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/chinas-gobbling-up-of-us-farmland-raises-questions-over-the-red-giants-influential-reach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2019, the Department of Agriculture<\/a> reported that China had purchased over 192,000 acres of American farmland. Coupled with their attempts to infiltrate our institutions of higher learning and their build-up of military capabilities, one could argue we\u2019ve been in a soft war with China for many years. But, unfortunately, we don\u2019t appear to be winning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Speaking of winners and losers, a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/china-v-u-s-war-game-highlights-disastrous-weaknesses-in-our-military-might\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">war game<\/a> that pitted the United States against China in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan had us at best locked in a protracted war and, at worst, a nuclear engagement with the Asian superpower. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawley.senate.gov\/hawley-op-ed-why-i-wont-vote-add-sweden-and-finland-nato\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mr. Hawley<\/a> discusses this in his op-ed when he writes:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201c\u2026more than three decades after the Soviet Union\u2019s fall, the geopolitical landscape is different. Russia is still a threat, but the Chinese Communist Party is a far greater one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, the counterargument is that expanding NATO shows strength to both Russia and China.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">So\u2026when will Sweden &#038; Finland be paying NATO for all<br \/>those DECADES when they refused to join? <\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ve enjoyed regional protection for nearly 60 years.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Old Street Doc (@Foshee13144) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Foshee13144\/status\/1555216340105003008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 4, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/chinas-gobbling-up-of-us-farmland-raises-questions-over-the-red-giants-influential-reach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chinese Companies Have Quietly Acquired Billions In U.S. Farmland: What You Need To Know<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A Good Question<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The overwhelming support by Republicans was a win for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stripes.com\/theaters\/us\/2022-08-03\/nato-sweden-finland-senate-russia-6865696.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Senator McConnell<\/a> said of the vote:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cThere is just no question that admitting these robust democratic countries with modern economies and capable, interoperable militaries will only strengthen the most successful military alliance in human history.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Already both countries participate in NATO missions, and Finland does meet the feeble 2% GDP spending target on defense requirements. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/senate-vote-ratifying-finland-swedens-membership-nato-rcna41276\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mr. McConnell<\/a> goes on to argue:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cEven closer cooperation with these partners will help us counter Russia and China. Their accession will make NATO stronger and America more secure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s hard to see any tangible way that adding Sweden and Finland will counter China. And <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/policy\/defense\/3586658-senate-ratifies-accession-of-sweden-and-finland-to-nato\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russia isn\u2019t too happy<\/a> about the idea, stating in June that if the two countries join NATO, they will position nuclear weapons along their northwestern border.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/08\/03\/us\/politics\/sweden-finland-nato-senate-vote.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton<\/a> said of the vote:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cThe real question today is whether adding two capable and strong nations to our mutual defense pact will make us stronger or weaker.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That is an excellent question, Mr. Cotton.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">China is a communist government that oppresses its own people &#038; wants world domination.<\/p>\n<p>We should be engaged &#038; attentive to their grasp for land, production of marijuana &#038; theft of ideas in the US\u2014they\u2019re not here for our benefit. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6br79B9zDd\">pic.twitter.com\/6br79B9zDd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SenatorLankford\/status\/1550133507468341251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 21, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Writing Checks Our Military Can\u2019t Cash<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I catch some flak sometimes for my position on foreign policy. But, as a military woman who spent 20 years in uniform, I believe in a strong and lethal defense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I have no love for communists or oppressors, and I believe we must always portray strength when it comes to our adversaries, particularly Russia and China. The problem is that we are in no way prepared to fight a war with China, let alone China <em>and<\/em> Russia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Allow me to list the reasons why:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Let\u2019s not forget <a href=\"https:\/\/americanmilitarynews.com\/2022\/08\/air-force-hosts-drag-show-at-kid-friendly-diversity-inclusion-festival-on-base\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joint Base Langley-Eustis\u2019<\/a> recent \u2018Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summer Festival,\u2019 which I am sure had our Chinese and Russian counterparts shaking in their boots.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Joint Base Langley-Eustis, reportedly hosted a drag show Sat., to kick off its inaugural &#8216;family friendly&#8217; \u201cDiversity, Equity, &#038; Inclusion Summer Festival\u201d outside the Langley Airforce Base in Virginia. The US military has gone woke. Our enemies are laughing. \u2013 GatewayPundit \ud83d\ude21 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QLuS9u8l1I\">pic.twitter.com\/QLuS9u8l1I<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 CJ4America (@GrammyC4Zone) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GrammyC4Zone\/status\/1554102233360470016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 1, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I agree with <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalinterest.org\/feature\/why-i-won%E2%80%99t-vote-add-sweden-and-finland-nato-203925\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mr. Hawley<\/a> in part when he ends his op-ed discussing the changed geopolitical landscape from 70 years ago with:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201c\u2026a truly strategic American foreign policy \u2013 one that looks to this nation\u2019s strategic interests now, rather than the world of years ago \u2013 must embrace this reality, and prepare for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hopefully, we will start preparing for what is inevitably around the corner soon. Otherwise, we may be stretched too thin over promises we cannot sustain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/the-truth-behind-military-brass-incompetence-and-the-system-that-perpetuates-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Truth Behind Military Brass Incompetence And The System That Perpetuates It<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.<\/strong><br \/>The Political Insider ranks #3 on <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.feedspot.com\/political_blogs\/\">Feedspot\u2019s<\/a> \u201c100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s been a banner week for Republicans and Democrats coming together in solidarity \u2013 with the overwhelming approval by the Senate for Sweden and Finland\u2019s inclusion into NATO. This<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1592149,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1591943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1591943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1591943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1591943\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1592149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1591943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1591943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1591943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}