6/12/2022 No to Swedish membership in NATO. Statement fromThe Revolutionary Communist Youth of Sweden (RKU)Read NowStatement approved by RKUs national conference 27-28/5 On the 16th of May, the Swedish government decided that Sweden is to apply for membership in NATO. The official reason is that is the best way to “defend Swedish safety considering the change in regards to security since the Russian invasion of Ukraine”. In reality, this is nothing but an excuse to complete an already long ongoing process. In 2016 Sweden and NATO signed the so-called ‘host country agreement’ which, among other things, gives NATO the right to hold military exercises on Swedish territory. The Swedish government at the time refused Swedish membership in NATO, stating “Military non-alignment is at the core of Swedish security policy” and “in a time of increasing tensions in Europe, Swedish neutrality helps to counteract military escalation and instability”. Now they have turned their coats: Sweden is to join the war alliance as quickly as possible, for the same reasons that once were used to avoid membership. The already hollow non-alignment is now finally dead with the Swedish NATO application. The process has not been without issues. On the 13th of May, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, proclaimed that he would oppose Swedish membership in NATO, as he believes Sweden to take the Kurdish organisations PKK and YPJ too lightly. In order not to block the Swedish application, Turkey has, among other things, demanded: an end to the Swedish arms embargo against Turkey, an end to Swedish support of Kurdish groups in northern Syria, and that select Swedish citizens, whom Turkey consider terrorists, be expelled from Sweden to Turkey. Which of these demands will be met, and how, remains to be seen. But considering Swedish weapons exports in general, and the repatriation of Ahmed Agiza and Muhammad al-Zery in 2001, it seems likely that the Swedish state will once more trade human lives to get its way. Human lives are not highly valued in regards to this issue. Imperialism and war are the main antagonists of humanity, and membership in NATO means increased involvement with the USA and their global politics of war, as well as a further surrender of sovereignty over our foreign policy. In the long term, this may also lead to the sacrifice of our population in a future war, and the placement of nuclear weapons on Swedish soil. The capitalists are the winners in imperialist wars and the working class the losers. The struggle against NATO and imperialism does not stop at a Swedish membership in NATO. It will on the contrary demand even greater effort from all friends of peace, to turn this catastrophic tide. The RKU therefore says: Down with imperialism! No to Swedish membership in NATO! AuthorRevolutionary Communist Youth of Sweden (RKU). Original RKU publication Archives June 2022
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