Russian rearmament
by C G Holm

Four military researchers from The National Defence University in Helsinki have recently published a report on Russian military doctrine, Russian rearmament and the effects for Finland. The authors are Stefan Forss, Lauri Kiianlinna, Pertti Inkinen and Heikki Hult. The study has significance also for Sweden. The report is written in English under the title The Development of Russian Military Policy and Finland.

What once was a military force in decay has during the past years turned into reinforcements and rearmaments. Not least in the northwest, that is the area close to the Baltic, Finland and Sweden.

Strategy for dummies
by Roger Klang

Sweden has the longest coastline of the Nordic countries and the largest area. In the middle of the Baltic there is ”the aircraft carrier” Gotland, a large island. These are facts that must be considered in Swedish defence planning.

Chinese neocolonialism in Africa
by Fredrik Runebert

China has, under ”state capitalism”, been developed into a succesful exporting nation, long called ”the factory of the world”. Double digit growth figures during the 1980s and through the 2000s is based on manufacturing of large quantities of goods at low cost. In order to get supplies China has put large efforts into securing supplies of zinc, copper and oil from Africa, where a large part of the available world resources are located. China’s own resources is not at all enough for its manufacturing volumes. Is the Chinese expansion into Africa neocolonialism or an effort to let the Africans develop themselves?

Criminals in IRS and other authorities
by Bertil Wedin

The Internal Revenue Service have flagrantly supported the Democratic left and tried to stop the activities of the Tea Party Movement. Even Barack Obama finally concluded that he had to fire the top officials of the IRS.

The road to a succesful housing market
by Sten Dybeck

How to solve the crisis in the market for rented housing? The solution is the same close cooperation between parties and the same entreprenuerial power that was shown when rent control was introduced 68 years ago (during World War II, when all construction labour served in the conscript army). Such efforts would rebuild the confidence in the market for rented housing and attract new capital.

The Green’s frightening Congress
by Sven Enberg

The recent Congress of the Swedish Green Party was a frightening show of the left wing pushing through, against the party leadership’s more pragmatic views. After the Congress, Green Party Leader Gustav Fridolin said that that’s what Congresses are meant for, giving the leadership guidelines. But the guidelines this time told the leadership to go against their former policy. This will reduce the electoral base when the electiorate realizes what the Greens really mean.

The Swedish middle class cannot afford,
because of high taxes
by Sven Enberg

Sweden is one of the richest countries in the world. The government budget is healthy and in balance. But the Swedish middle class have small margins and almost no savings. Actually one fourth of Swedes in ages 30–49 say that they will not manage more than six weeks without their salaries. And almost half in the same group have less than 50.000 (4.000 $) in liquid savings. Consultant Philip Ledrulf shows in a report that the smallest extra expense threatens with disaster for the average family.

The Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939
by Tommy Hansson

Lots has been written on the German invasion of half Poland September 1 1939, the starting point of World War II. Less has been written on the Soviet invasion of the other half of Poland, two weeks later. The invasion was brutal and included murder, mass arrests, deportations and torture.