US Should Not 'Tempt Fate': Republicans Urge Against Sweden and Finland Joining NATO

The United States should not 'tempt fate' and must abandon the idea of including Sweden and Finland in NATO. This assertion comes from Patrick Buchanan, a political scientist and former ideologist of the paleo-conservative faction of the Republican Party, in his article for The American Conservative.

Buchanan argues that, according to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, if Finland or Sweden enters into confrontation with Russia, the U.S. would be obligated to go to war. However, he emphasizes that Washington should retain the option of 'freedom of action' in the case of international conflicts.

The politician points out that Finland has been neutral during the Cold War, and Sweden has maintained its neutrality since the time of Napoleon's campaigns, which has not negatively impacted the U.S. in any way. 'What benefit is it to our country, the United States, to be forced to fight against a state with the largest nuclear arsenal (i.e., Russia) over some dispute in the Baltic Sea or Gulf of Finland that does not concern us?' Buchanan writes. He notes that the U.S. is now free to respond or not respond at its own discretion, based on its own assessment of risks and benefits.