Think there aren’t international implications to Donald Trump’s grandstanding and actions with other world leaders? Well, the Guardian reports today that Sweden, yes Sweden has distributed a pamphlet, Om krisen eller kriget kommer (If crisis or war comes) to all 4.8m of the country’s households. Link to the pamphlet here.
Sweden has not been at war for more than 200 years. Pamphlets of this sort were first distributed at the height of the second world war in 1943, then updates were issued to the general public until 1961. After that, these preparedness pamphlets only went to local and national government officials, and then stopped in 1991.
The publication, which advises the general public about what to do in the event of a war, comes as debates on security and potentially of joining Nato, has intensified. This intensification is a result of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, recent Russian incursions into Swedish airspace and territorial waters and the threat of Russian cyber-attacks and disinformation. Sweden has also begun reversing military spending cuts and staged its biggest military exercises in nearly a quarter of a century last year.
If it is attacked, the leaflet which was distributed by the Swedish Government, says, “we will never give up. All information to the effect that resistance is to cease is false.”
This is alarming, to say the least. At least it’s clear that Russian cyberattacks are on the radar, not just with American elections, but top of mind for other countries too. It’s hard to not wonder though, where does this leave America with our Presidents’ love affair with the Russian leader, not to mention his inflammatory rhetoric towards North Korea?
I fear the crisis has already come.
