Swedish opposition calls for removal of US bases

marinesA Red-Green coalition government would demand the withdrawal of all US military bases outside of America, according to the latest party statement. The joint paper on Sweden’s foreign relations released by the opposition coalition has sparked widespread criticism from both the centre-right government and industry experts.

“It would lead to rearmament of offensive weapons,” said one security policy analysts in a report by Stockholm News, while the Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt also criticised the calls. “It’s a headless policy, classical anti-American leftist policy which would be impossible in a government position,” he said.

For the Social Democratic government, the calls represent a significant change in approach. In 2006, Prime Minister Goran Persson declared that: “The Government considers it essential to develop the transatlantic link and Sweden’s cooperation with the United States.” However, a government led by Mona Shalin, the current Social Democrat leader, would adopt a markedly different policy. “A Red-Green government will demand that the US dismantle its nuclear weapons and military bases outside its borders,” said Shalin.

The move would lead to the potential for destabilising security, especially in Asia and the Middle East, according to Frederick Lindvall from the Defence Research Agency. “Indeed, it would update the need for [their] own nuclear weapons in countries such as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Also in the Middle East the need for offensive weapons would increase,” he told reporters.

Christian Democrat leader Goran Hagglund said, “it is incredibly naive to think that Sweden can dictate the terms of voluntary co-operation between other democratic states.”

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