US tough demands on Sweden

"Therefore, the United States secretly make tough demands on Sweden" 

Updated 2010-12-09 09:23.  Posted 2010-12-08 19:03 

There are no foreign policy reason for Sweden's double game with the U.S. and the necessity that the Justice Department experience to go behind people's backs. The only reason is the domestic foreign policy as social democracy conducted throughout the postwar period with the hypocrisy surrounding the neutrality policy. It is degrading to Sweden, writes Peter Bratt. 

In October 2008, a delegation from the American FBI on its way to Stockholm to bring about a formal agreement on combating terrorism. The delegation briefed the U.S. ambassador in Stockholm, Michael Woods. He writes in one of the telegram published by WikiLeaks and reported by "Documents Inside", it can be difficult for the Swedes to go along with the Co-Americans want. If they refuse you must make clear to them that the current visa-free travel to the U.S. will cease, writes Woods.

Negotiations are under threat, that is. 

In another telegram describes the outcome of the negotiations. Swedes agree to the cooperation that the U.S. request, provided it is in accordance with the powerful but informal arrangements already established.

United States get the information they want, provided that it is kept secret. 

Why is the Justice Department to indicate certainty to join U.S. cases?

It's about much more than the visa rules, it's about the whole security policy.
The answer is to look at the time after the end of World War II. Soviet constituted a growing threat, but the Social Democratic government could not possibly join NATO, such as Norway and Denmark did. The policy of neutrality was a sacred dogma, majority of the people believed, erroneously, that it kept us out of war. 

USA Sweden promised help in the event of war against Sweden accounted for a far-reaching secret cooperation. It is the core.

When the DC-3 was shot down in 1952, it was to the Soviet Union learned that the Swedish FRA helped by the U.S. with its war planning against the Soviet Union. FRA had advanced American equipment for radar reconnaissance against the United States was part of the reconnaissance results. 

Today, the Swedish security still depends on America's good will. Half of each fighter aircraft consists of U.S. components, from the engine to arming. If the U.S. stops the delivery of spare parts and weapons to JAS paralyzed the Swedish Air Force quickly. 

U.S. must approve any export orders of Swedish aircraft to other countries.

During the IB store in 1973, we were able to show that Sweden submitted the names to the U.S. on the American soldiers who fled the war in Vietnam and sought refuge in Sweden. It was SAPO had the list of names, but if it would have been released after an official request from the United States, it must pass the parliamentary committee set to check SAPO. The committee had been set up to prevent the abuse of power by SAPO's side, after extensive debate at the end of the 60th century. 

It was not for political reasons, therefore, gave SAPO list to IB, which in turn forwarded it to the U.S..

So it was then, and apparently it works the same way today, 38 years later. Gladly cooperation, but it takes place in informal, ie covert forms, so that it does not come to public attention. 

When the U.S. embassy writes about current powerful but informal arrangement in terms of cooperation between Sweden and the United States on issues of terrorism, so it is not about secret but legal agreement. There are such secret agreements, but the embassy writes about are something else. It involves the cooperation is not regulated anywhere. Like when IB handed over the names of the Vietnam deserters.

IB was so informal that it formally did not even exist. Are you so casual one can do anything. It also took place. 

After almost 30 years decided Persson government to appoint a commission to review the IB. The Security Commission did a very good job. It was the first time a government investigation could hear everyone involved under oath, and had the right to resort to various coercive. 

It was impressive, but there was a catch. It just had the right to examine IB's domestic part, espionage against the Swedish people. What foreign part had been doing was too sensitive.

And the explanation is clear now, the same secret western cooperative activities remain.

The root of it all is called double entry on the policy of neutrality.

 

It is indeed abandoned, but it lives on in the Social Democratic voters are not believed to accept NATO membership (nor the US-dependent that we actually live in) and therefore must continue cooperation in covert forms. Alliance Government has said that a membership can be considered only after the Social Democrats say yes. 

There are no foreign policy reason for double game with the U.S. and the necessity that the Justice Department experience to go behind people's backs. The only reason is the domestic foreign policy as social democracy conducted throughout the postwar period with the hypocrisy surrounding the neutrality policy.

The secrecy surrounding the Swedish security policy that allows the United States to set stringent requirements for Sweden, in secret.  

It is degrading for Sweden. 

A commission that examined all secret settlements and all performed together with the U.S. and other NATO countries after the collapse of the Scandinavian Defence League 1949 is probably a necessity to clear the air and lay the basis for a transparent security. 

The fault lies not in the security policy content in substance, not in the West cooperation, but in secrecy. It has been over six decades, has evolved into a form of national life lie that turned democracy into an illusion - all to the Social Democratic Party alone would make the political advantages of neutrality policy goodwill. 

Peter Bratt,
journalist and author 

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