[Goose]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sweden-offici...25276.html

Not really "news" but it is great that all the paperwork is done and there are no more bureaucratic reasons that information and planning cannot be totally "joint" with Sweden. This does matter, as before this happened an SSO could (and arguably should) get in the way and prevent distribution of some data to Sweden that was "NATO Only". Arguably, they would just be doing their job. I am sure some data was distributed anyway., but at least now there is no reason to disallow such transfers.

I’ve read precisely nothing to suggest that further NATO expansion is on the near horizon, but I’m interested whether any of you think Ireland, Switzerland or Austria would re-evaluate their neutrality any time in the foreseeable future.

I live in Ireland.  The Irish military is very small.  It has done UN peace keeping missions for many years.  There is no appetite here to join NATO.

IMO there is absolutely no desire in Switzerland to join NATO either. They have little capability (or desire) to project power. They also wouldn't be the first nation hit by any Russian attack. All being in NATO would do is force them to be ready to fight outside of their borders, which they are not prepared to do.
Austria is prohibited by treaty (Austrian State Treaty) from joining NATO. While such things do often get ignored these days, I doubt this one would be, as one of the treaty signatories was the USSR (along with the US and the UK).

[Goose]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sweden-offici...25276.html

Not really "news" but it is great that all the paperwork is done and there are no more bureaucratic reasons that information and planning cannot be totally "joint" with Sweden. This does matter, as before this happened an SSO could (and arguably should) get in the way and prevent distribution of some data to Sweden that was "NATO Only". Arguably, they would just be doing their job. I am sure some data was distributed anyway., but at least now there is no reason to disallow such transfers.

I’ve read precisely nothing to suggest that further NATO expansion is on the near horizon, but I’m interested whether any of you think Ireland, Switzerland or Austria would re-evaluate their neutrality any time in the foreseeable future.

I live in Ireland.  The Irish military is very small.  It has done UN peace keeping missions for many years.  There is no appetite here to join NATO.

IMO there is absolutely no desire in Switzerland to join NATO either. They have little capability (or desire) to project power. They also wouldn't be the first nation hit by any Russian attack. All being in NATO would do is force them to be ready to fight outside of their borders, which they are not prepared to do.
Austria is prohibited by treaty (Austrian State Treaty) from joining NATO. While such things do often get ignored these days, I doubt this one would be, as one of the treaty signatories was the USSR (along with the US and the UK).