Swedish alignment requires arms – Aftonbladet

June 27, 2015. BISCUITS investigation

On the way to the Ministry met the members of the investigation with a little unruly name of military equipment Revision Committee yesterday by a newspaper headline about the Russian invasion exercises the Gotland. An event that looks like a thought.

A Question of Security

Arms exports are security policies. It’s a lot of other things too, like industrial policy, technology and morality, but the export of weapons is definitely also a matter of safety. And the perception of security in our part of the world has changed. Hence the headlines.

The industry must be able to export to Sweden to have a production of weapons that can secure our alliance and our ability to defend ourselves.

Without it we would be in the hands of Second, in plain NATO.

The study, popularly shortened biscuit, now proposes a democracy criterion for Swedish exports of military equipment. The worse the state of human rights and democracy, the harder it’ll be. Countries with “serious shortcomings in the democratic status” should not get to buy Swedish weapons.

A new cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia would be impossible.

At the same time, the Committee notes that the issue of exports is a Political overall assessment. Ultimately, the responsibility for the assessment of government must have some latitude to do their job.

Massive parliamentary majority

So far, the report is a reasonable balance. There will be a tightening up and clarification, but there will be no stopping that could endanger the Swedish alliances and giving NATO lobby new arguments.

The above proposal is also a massive parliamentary majority. It is only the Left Party and the Sweden Democrats who dissent.

Easy grip to take off

While the application of any regulations ultimately a question of how it is controlled, and in the case of war materials there has been in the greatest secrecy. Now talking Committee of increased openness, but how much is it worth?

Do you really have openness, there are some easy steps to take. Unblock confidentiality of those politicians who review decisions and introduce a common rule to lift declassified after, say, ten years.

At that point, the security interest in general gone, but the people who violated their powers remain. Already the realization would mean a lot when decisions are taken.