Finns believe the world will become more insecure in 2008
@ 4:59 pm The daily Helsingin Sanomat had a survey done by Suomen Gallup asking about peoples’ opinions on security and safety.
The future looks bleak.
The majority of the people are thinking a major terrorist attack somewhere in the world is more probable, but the most troubling issues are unpredictable climate change and poverty. Even though the outlook isn’t positive, over half think that the current world political situation is safe and secure. It seems that the feeling of safety and security rises by the levels of education and income. Only one in ten Finns thinks the world is going into a better direction, over half think it will be going for worse, and women are more pessimistic than men. Over three quarters think that a terrorist attack by moslem militants is very probable somewhere in the world, however only one in ten believe it might happen in Finland. When asked off a list of 10 issues ranging from aids epidemic to the Darfur crisis to name the worst and second-worst problems the top issues were climate change and poverty, the war in Iraq came forth as the single largest issue followed by the nuclear arms crisis in Iran, aids and other epidemics and the Mid-East Conflict. While young people noted the climate change being the most problematic issue, men brought up the War in Iraq and the nuclear arms crisis Iran, fearing armed conflicts.
Suspicion, fear and carefulness are the characteristics of the (Finnish) small-nation psyche. A small nation will survive if it stays quiet and forgotten and out of the field when the big boys are playing. Finns state that both the USA and Russia are threats to world peace - big powerful figures always ride resentment. However there is a dilemma, the climate change is a global issue, and to tackle that one needs to come out into the field.
So, how will the world be in 2008? Full of love or full of hate?
“Suspicion, fear and carefulness are the characteristics of the Finnish psyche.” Where do you get these? Not from HS, as one might think from your post…
Comment by Heikki — Sat, Dec 29th, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
Ah, the cup is half empty, not that its half full and getting better.
We have had what? 7 years of no attacks and with the democrats comming in to power I see why “a terrorist attack by moslem militants is very probable somewhere in the world”
Yes its Clinton appeasment time again (Failure to get Ben Laden again.)
Comment by Winter "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Sat, Dec 29th, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
It never seizes to amaze me how stupid Finns when they pool the USA and Israel together with Iran, Iraq, North Korea and the Russia as the biggest threats to peace.
It reminds me of the attitude I see everyday in Helsinki… When you stand up for something then the people see you as trouble, and the same applies to world politics.
That is why Tarja Halonen et.al always get high marks for doing nothing because when you dont stand up for something then no one can blame anything on you.
Comment by mediocrity in Finland — Sat, Dec 29th, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
How will the world be in 2008? Full of Love or Hate? The world will be ripe to end 100% of American poverty.
It is something that finnish people see Povety and climate as the two bigest issues of 2008.
Yes as an advocate against world and US poverty, living in Maine, I say it is time the politians give more then lip service to the underpaid. I will vote for any of them willing and able to give us underpaid a forum from which to speak.
Jan
Comment by Jan — Sat, Dec 29th, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
“It never seizes to amaze me how stupid Finns when they pool the USA and Israel together with Iran, Iraq, North Korea and the Russia as the biggest threats to peace.”
Yes, it never “seizes” to amaze me either, because North Korea, Iran and Iraq are rather benign. Russia…well, it’s just Russia as usual.
But America and Israel, in their current posture, are truly threats to world peace.
“(Failure to get Ben Laden again.)”
Maybe they should look for his brother, bin, instead? Näh, of course not. It’s too difficult to brainwash the population without a bogeyman (who might attack at any time :-O ).
Jan: “I say it is time the politians give more then lip service to the underpaid. I will vote for any of them willing and able to give us underpaid a forum from which to speak.”
If you want to improve your condition, you need to get government OUT of your life. For example:
-Stop letting politicians draft laws which give corporate entities like health insurance companies carte blanche in ripping you off. Demand that contracts are enforced.
-Stop letting government spend your money on foreign wars that serve the interests of corporate bosses, shareholders, bankers and oligarchs.
-And above all, stop letting government grow in size and power. It only gets worse.
Vote libertarian, my friend.
Comment by Kristian — Sat, Dec 29th, 2007 @ 10:17 pm
“brainwash the population without a bogeyman (who might attack at any time ”
yea, same old Clinton talk, from a guy who did nothing but appeasment. Kinda sucks to see 7 years of no new attackes, but then when you get to kill them all in Iraq, one has to see why.
Yea, reality sure sucks for those on the appeasment left. I kinda like the results of being the aggressor for once.
Comment by Winter "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 1:42 am
“Russia…well, it’s just Russia as usual.”
Well, Russia seems to be buzzing everyone’s airspace and turning back time to the 50s and 60s at a fair pace. You know, it isn’t 1928/29 anymore and I really doubt Finland could fend off Russia a second time in a post-nuclear world with a few soft snipers fresh off their desk job in Nokia. I have no idea what Russia is up to but I don’t know that Finland should feel all that comfortable being next door with a negligible defense and of little strategic value to NATO.
Comment by hfb — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 1:47 am
“America and Israel, in their current posture, are truly threats to world peace.”
Correct, we both save the kids, as the pictures show, so that’s enough for europe to be ashamed, and critize as their cover up for doing nothing.
No, the only threat to world peace is the do nothing europeans. You are truly seen as weak, and willing to be exploited. Any cars left in France that have not been torched?
Comment by Winter "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 1:48 am
Didn’t I tell you already that Russia is invading Finland in 2008?
Comment by Alex — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 3:16 am
“Russia is invading Finland in 2008?”
Yes, we see them buying up everything.
Be very afraid.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 4:15 am
#2 winter
“We have had what? 7 years of no attacks…”
I guess by ‘we’ you are not referring to U.S allies or NATO members?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings
The cup is 2/3 empty. But I would not drink it. The last third is usually backwash. (Colbert)
Comment by Auriga — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 7:33 am
or, 11., the Pakistani allies that just lost opposition leader and fmr PM Bhutto… But Winturd lives in FoxWorld where nothing really matters in the end, except Hummers and boats, and if you fall off the prosperity wagon, well now, you can’t afford cable no more, now can you, so no more Fox.
Get ready for a fall, winturd.
Comment by Dave the Davelator — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 11:10 am
Where the hell are Phil’s nutty posts about Finnish culture, politics etc? This blog has gone from moderately entertaining to about as fun as having a baseball bat shoved up your rectum. Then again, I’m fairly certain that a couple of our guest bloggers like that sort of stuff.
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
@13 blame it on tired and excessively long postings from Hank, taxation from Sirkuspelle and high prices in Finland from Kristian.
Same shit, different day from these guys
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 1:55 pm
“This blog has gone from moderately entertaining…”
Perhaps this might be more suitable for your level of intellect?
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
I’ve got a problem with this statement: “Finns state that both the USA and Russia are threats to world peace - big powerful figures always ride resentment.”
You’re trivializing the whole question while ignoring actual developments. Since 1999, both USA and Russia have increasingly become more aggressive.
USA was attacked by al-Qaida, which understandably resulted in the war in Afghanistan, but then the PNAC policy has been introduced, as in Iraq. “Preemptive strike” is now a valid reason to go to war. Meanwhile, new “anti-terror” legistlation has been introduced everywhere. Thanks to f-ed up policymaking in the area of foreign policy, there has been no unified Western response against Saddam, for example. Instead, we have the U.S. behaving like a bull in a china shop. You can always blame France, but that doesn’t make the neocons any better.
Then, Russia attacked Chechenya in 1999. Normal development of the area into a nation-state has been prevented and a new nest of Islamist terrorism has been created. On more than one occasion, Putin has talked trash, just like Bush, about “tough anti-terror measures”. Russia unilaterally withdrew from a conventional weapons limitation treaty, and revamps its troops stationed to attack the West. Its newfound wealth will, just as in the Soviet Union, be spent into military buildup. And just as the USA, also Russia has adopted preemptive strike into its doctrine.
And on the topic of nuclear weapons, both USA and Russia have taken a more aggressive stance. USA has introduced the “nuclear first strike” doctrine, which is currently operational, and is developing a missile shield to enable nuclear strikes without retaliation.
So, it’s not just because big powers are always complained about, it’s because they have actively and maliciously worked against international peace.
Comment by sepisp — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
Yes, the answer is cut and run, hide, they will then not attack.
Sorry but that did not work. Time to be the bad guy again, and kick some but.
Reality sure sucks for european midsets.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 3:24 pm
Look, I always offer the shut me up line. Show me where your policy of “Cut and run”, “hide” works.
It sure did not under Clinton, where there were what 4 attacks? All were met with the “Cut and run”, “hide” policy by Clinton?
Complete Failure on 9/11.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
Show me where your policy of “Cut and runâ€Â, “hide†works.
That would be difficult to show, because we don’t cause problems that would ever necessitate such actions.
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
@19
“..because we don’t cause problems that would ever necessitate such actions.”
Go back to school and see who started WW2 and WW1 and then let me know where your European asses Europeans would be without the help of the USA.
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
20., it has been 60 years since WWII. I think Europe has greatly “cleaned up its act” in that time.
How has the US fared? Korea? Vietnam? South America? Iraq?
Next year… Iran? What’s friggin next?
Comment by Dave the Davelator — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Never compare Israel with the dictatorships surrounding the Israeli nation, we should help them instead - the Palestinians are trying to make friends by comparing Israel to the Nazis which seems to work frighteningly well (”hey, who wants to be a Nazi-supporter anyway???”).
The Western Liberal Democracies should support another Democratic nation; the Palestinian issue isn’t black and white, as it’s painted.
Comment by Mikael — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
“the Palestinians are trying to make friends by comparing Israel to the Nazis”
–> Palestinians don’t need to “try to make friends” because their cause is just. You can support Israel with all your money, energy and lies; but history has tought us that justice shall always prevail, no matter how long it may take.
Comment by anonymous — Sun, Dec 30th, 2007 @ 9:18 pm
viva Palestine! sooner or later they will get that land back
bear with me
Comment by Anonymous — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 12:53 am
No, the bear is with me. Long live Israel!
Comment by TNA — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 2:54 am
@ 22-25 And then you wonder why Finns think you guys have a problem???
Comment by Hank W. — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 3:16 am
Proclamation 5704â€â€National Year of Friendship With Finland, 1988
Finnish settlers first arrived in this country in 1638, when Nordics, many of them natives of Finland or Swedes who spoke Finnish, established the colony of New Sweden in present-day Delaware. They introduced European civilization to the Delaware River Valley and began the transformation of a vast wilderness. Theirs were the pioneer spirit and virtues that are the foundation of our national character. The 350th anniversary of their landing is a most fitting time to celebrate the legacy of America’s Finnish pioneers and their descendants and to recall that the friendship of the United States and Finland has deep historical roots.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=34805
Comment by History lesson — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 12:07 pm
Thanks History lesson, but how do you explain all the Finns taking over south Florida?
USA, be very afraid, the Finns are comming.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
“because we don’t cause problems that would ever necessitate such actions.”
then how do you explain all the burning cars in France?
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
“then how do you explain all the burning cars in France?”
Probably the same way you’d explain the riots in LA a few years ago?
Comment by Anonymous — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
Why is it that Bush and Tarja Halonen have not met to talk about US/Finland cooperation?…Is creeping modern Findlandisation
coming back,due to evil Putinism reigning in Baltic region?!
Comment by infinndel — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Well, Paavo Lipponen just got decorated with
‘http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Friendship
Comment by Hank W. — Mon, Dec 31st, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
winnie:
“then how do you explain all the burning cars in France?”
Cars? I thought they were “citrons”.
On that note…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXOJ28b6WIo
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Tue, Jan 1st, 2008 @ 12:50 am
“explain the riots in LA a few years ago?”
yea, that happend one time, yours are like every day.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Tue, Jan 1st, 2008 @ 1:21 am
“yea, that happend one time,”
What about Katrina? Shooting at rescue helicopters?!
We don’t shoot at rescue people here, yet.
Comment by Anonymous — Tue, Jan 1st, 2008 @ 4:54 am
“What about Katrina?”
and all those rapes inside the superdome? And we know Bush blew the dykes himself.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Tue, Jan 1st, 2008 @ 5:27 am
winnie:
“yea, that happend one time, yours are like every day.”
Trouble every day indeed…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8RikzkiPTY&feature=related
Oh, but that was written about another one time incident. Well, I suppose that history prior to Fox doesn’t matter.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Tue, Jan 1st, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
“We don’t shoot at rescue people here, yet.”
We do throw rocks and stuff at fascist pig firemen, though.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Tue, Jan 1st, 2008 @ 5:28 pm
“Vandals have torched 372 cars as France celebrated the New Year,”
and that was considered a good year……
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Wed, Jan 2nd, 2008 @ 12:06 am
“7 years of no attacks”
Probably the main reason for that is that the the policies implemented in response to the 9/11 attacks by the pro-torture and pro-death US administration have done more to undermine the standing of the USA in the world militarily, economically and morally than could have been achieved through the terrorists’ own limited firepower.
Why do you think that Bin Laden release a tape shortly befor the ‘04 elections urging Americans not to vote for Bush? Didn’t he know that his words would have the opposite effect? Of course he did; he obviously wanted four more years of staying the course.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Wed, Jan 2nd, 2008 @ 3:15 am
I actually discovered a cool feature in my Renault: If you try to stuff something into the gas tank with bare hands, your finger is very likely to get stuck in the closing mechanism. Now this is a nice thing to find out after you have thrown in a burning match.
What comes to world politics, I rather see my kids and potatos growing. Those so gung-ho about getting to wars with zero finnish national interest can pack-up and, book a ticket to a crisis of their choice and take sides. I’m sure every one of them welcomes some extra hands. In war, there’s lot of heavy stuff that needs to be carried. Back and forth.
Comment by Antti rn — Wed, Jan 2nd, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
” rather see my kids and potatos growing.” and so would I.
But you let Darfur happen, you had the EU presidency and did nothing. So drum roll please… results…. 1 million dead.
Thanks Finland, it was all on your watch.
Comment by Winter "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Thu, Jan 3rd, 2008 @ 12:37 am
Well, stuff happens. Various fennic nations have been persecuted to extinction over the history with nobody paying attention. Fewer grannies putting those terrible swastikas in their handiworks, I guess.
Besides I have heard various powerful testimonials about the white man’s burden being called off. EU ends at Gibraltar. Darfur is more OAU’s jurisdiction.
Comment by Antti rn — Thu, Jan 3rd, 2008 @ 12:00 pm