[url]http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/02/wikileaks_usa_was_disappointed_in_finnish_attitude_to_terrorism_2360851.html?origin=rss[/url]
[quote]According to Wikileaks documents acquired by YLE, the United States has attempted to influence the attitude of Finns towards terrorism in various ways over the years. US embassy diplomatic cables show that in 2005 the United States was particularly annoyed by the Finnish view that a terrorist attack could not happen in Finland.
When a bomb exploded aboard a rush-hour train in the Spanish capital, Madrid, in March 2004, the Finnish leadership of the time condemned the incident and at the same time took a stand on the battle against terrorism. Then-Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen commented on the attack.
"It is fortunate for the Finns that there were no Finns involved neither in this, nor in 9.11 in New York. The nature of these strikes is such that they can affect anyone at all, also Finns, the citizens of any country. In this way, these strikes are a common matter," Vanhanen said in a comment to YLE radio news.
Vanhanen's position did not please the Americans. It was not enough, even though the then-Prime Minister called for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism in a comment. The US position was that Finland's political leadership should have stated that "the bombers could have struck as easily in Helsinki".
Simply arguing that vacationing Finns could have been aboard the Madrid trains did not please the Americans.
On the basis of the documents YLE has received from Wikileaks, the main challenge for US diplomats in the fight against terrorism in Finland at mid-decade was to change the it-can't-happen-here attitude that had taken root among Finnish politicians.
Experts say that this is not surprising. Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Tampere, Tuomo Melasuo, notes that in 2005 the Americans were promoting the Bush administration's war on terrorism everywhere.
"They, of course, wanted to get everyone in some way into the ranks. At that time a continuation in Afghanistan was on the table. It was hoped that all countries would stay in line," Melasuo points out.
Because of the Finnish thinking of being safely isolated, US diplomats even felt that Finland was slow in joining in the battle against terrorism. Examples given were that maritime travellers and freight were not being properly inspected.
In an effort to change the thinking of the Finns, the US brought experts to Finland to speak on issues including Islamic extremism. In addition, Finnish officials were taken to the United States to see how the war on terrorism was being managed.
Professor Melasuo does not believe that this kind of influence was very effective. Similar efforts were already familiar from the days of the Cold War.
According to Professor Melasuo only recently has there been a change.
"Finland has become strongly integrated into Europe - more than in 2005. It has already been six years [since the Madrid attack]. What happens elsewhere could happen here, too. This has perhaps also been affected by what happened in Stockholm late last year," speculates Melasuo.[/quote]
I'm not mad :colbert:
some US officials*
not US. don't generalize.
War on terrorism brought nothing but more destruction, death and financial losses.
Good for you Finland.
Finland is too cold to care.
:foxnews: Finland conspires with terrorists against the US government, more at 9. :foxnews:
In all seriousness, these guys are fucking dicks.
[QUOTE=booster;28051396]Finland is too cold to care.[/QUOTE]
Too [I]cool[/I] for counter-terrorism school.
[QUOTE=Jumbo_Grill;28051451]:foxnews: Finland conspires with terrorists against the US government, more at 9. :foxnews:
In all seriousness, these guys are fucking dicks.[/QUOTE]
Which guys?
[QUOTE=Melnek;28051386][B]War on terrorism brought nothing but more destruction, death and financial losses.[/B]
Good for you Finland.[/QUOTE]
Pretty much what's point of terrorism.
Bin Laden didn't win at 9/11. He is winning over the years of hysterical fear people create because of it.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;28051959]Pretty much what's point of terrorism.
Bin Laden didn't win at 9/11. He is winning over the years of hysterical fear people create because of it.[/QUOTE]
I have always thought this.
Surely terrorism is about terrorizing people (in anyway, either through propaganda or actual attacks) and in that sense you could say terrorism has effectively won in the US as people are constantly worrying and being paranoid (and generally being terrorized) about what could happen and has happened.
Whereas in other countries (including ones that have been attacked in recent years, such as the UK) terrorism is simply not worried about unless something is actually happening and even then it is put to the back of peoples minds shortly after.
If there was any other country I could be born in, it would be Finland.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;28051959]Pretty much what's point of terrorism.
Bin Laden didn't win at 9/11. He is winning over the years of hysterical fear people create because of it.[/QUOTE]
And the money U.S. pours on shit because of it.
[QUOTE=Jsm;28052184]I have always thought this.
Surely terrorism is about terrorizing people (in anyway, either through propaganda or actual attacks) and in that sense you could say terrorism has effectively won in the US as people are constantly worrying and being paranoid (and generally being terrorized) about what could happen and has happened.
Whereas in other countries (including ones that have been attacked in recent years, such as the UK) terrorism is simply not worried about unless something is actually happening and even then it is put to the back of peoples minds shortly after.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Terrorist attacks are a possible threat which happened few times in part 10 years.
Damage caused by fear of them is reality happening every day.
Terrorism is about oil.
Mid-East pumps the gallons, US keeps it safe. If anything, 9/11 was good for the oil business as now there are thousands of soldiers 'fighting against terrorism'. You simply need a good and benevolent excuse for the public if you're sending your troops to wage wars over resources. 'Fighting against terrorism, for justice and peace and yadda-yadda...' or 'Keepin' the gasoline coming', pretty obvious which gives you the more favorable look on the international scale.
[QUOTE=Hori;28052501]Terrorism is about oil.
Mid-East pumps the gallons, [b]US keeps it safe[/b].[/QUOTE]
ahahahah, good one
I suppose the thing Finns find themselves asking is why on earth would terrorists bother to bomb us? Our mämmi looks too much like poo? HK (the Finnish food producer, not the German weapons manufacturer) making too many sausages?
As an American, I have to say...
Go Finland [img]http://static.facepunch.com/fp/ratings/winner.png[/img]
[QUOTE=Sgt Doom;28052591]I suppose the thing Finns find themselves asking is why on earth would terrorists bother to bomb us? Our mämmi looks too much like poo? HK (the Finnish food producer, not the German weapons manufacturer) making too many sausages?[/QUOTE]
Yep, we're so useless even the terrorists don't care.
[QUOTE=AlphaGunman;28052627]Yep, we're so useless even the terrorists don't care.[/QUOTE]
Linux.
Max Payne.
Angry Birds.
[QUOTE=Sgt Doom;28052591]I suppose the thing Finns find themselves asking is why on earth would terrorists bother to bomb us? Our mämmi looks too much like poo? HK (the Finnish food producer, not the German weapons manufacturer) making too many sausages?[/QUOTE]
Too many Electric Saunas compared to Wooden Saunas.
Why should Finland have to worry, what have they ever done to piss off terrorists?
What I mean is, officials in the US act like everybody in the world has to be afraid of a certain group of radicals because they're perceived by a lot of people here just to be "evil" like they don't have some sort of cause behind all their violence. Muslim extremists or whomever they're worried about aren't going to bomb Finland for no reason.
it's so cold the homemade bombs don't even go off
[QUOTE=imadaman;28052710][B]Linux[/B].
Max Payne.
Angry Birds.
[/QUOTE]
Quick someone start a conspiracy about how Finns don't care about terrorism because they support terrorists with un-American software like Linux.
I am sure I have read some bullshit conspiracy theory about linux and terrorism.
:tinfoil:
That's a good thing on their part, not buying in to the sensationalism can help discourage attacks.
[QUOTE=Jsm;28052876]Quick someone start a conspiracy about how Finns don't care about terrorism because they support terrorists with un-American software like Linux.
I am sure I have read some bullshit conspiracy theory about linux and terrorism.
:tinfoil:[/QUOTE]
Haven't heard anything about terrorism, but it's a hacker operating system made by hackers for hackers for hacking, apparently.
[QUOTE=imadaman;28052960]Haven't heard anything about terrorism, but it's a hacker operating system made by hackers for hackers for hacking, apparently.[/QUOTE]
No, you're mixing it up with [url=http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001.12.2.42056.2147.html]Lunix[/url].
Well dammit. My apologies.
[QUOTE=raBBish;28053045]No, you're mixing it up with [url=http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001.12.2.42056.2147.html]Lunix[/url].[/QUOTE]
I laugh every time I read this article. Thank you for linking to it.
Well once Finland gets attacked they'll be into it... it's only a matter of time before those religious idiots realize that Finland doesn't do this enough, or that enough, to their liking and then strolls up there with a bomb
[QUOTE=Roof;28052241]If there was any other country I could be born in, it would be Finland.[/QUOTE]
It's a good country I'll give you that, but the winters are pure hell.
Like today, -32c
Finland is my Valentine. :3:
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