More NATO Expansion Still Makes No Sense

The alliance does not need to add Finland and Sweden, and they do not need to join the alliance.

James Stavridis huffs and puffs about Turkey’s possible blocking of NATO membership for Finland and Sweden:

At some point soon, some NATO members are going to begin asking, “If it is a choice between Sweden/Finland and Turkey, maybe we should look at our options.” That would be a mistake. Turkey boasts the second-largest army in NATO, has important facilities including Incirlik Air Base, and hosts NATO’s overall land-warfare command in Izmir.

NATO needs Turkey to continue being an active and positive member. It also needs to add Finland and Sweden [bold mine-DL]. No one wants to have to choose between them. It’s up to Erdogan to ensure that doesn’t have to happen.

Stavridis greatly exaggerates the value of adding Finland and Sweden to the alliance. He claims that this is “one of the most important moments” in alliance history and calls it a “vital chance” to bring these countries into NATO. The truth is that adding these states to the alliance does not do that much to bolster the alliance, and it adds new commitments at a time when the U.S. should be reducing the level of its commitment in Europe as European allies pick up the slack. The alliance does not need to add Finland and Sweden, and they do not need to join the alliance. If the alliance missed this “vital chance,” it would be just fine and so would they.