Excellent article, thank you for all the details! Your fight against joining NATO is very reasonable -- indeed, "[...] US military positions [...] are not 'protective umbrellas', [but] grave sources of danger."
But if I may, I would add some details for the sake of historical record.
Libya was also neutral (Muammar Gaddafi was the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement) and didn't threaten anybody. Why did then Libya get attacked by NATO in 2011, and Switzerland not?
Switzerland was allowed to be "neutral" because of her being part of the Western financial system -- Switzerland served as an OFFSHORE before the island offshores/tax havens (in my country, the phrase "to have a Swiss bank account" implies that the bank account owner is involved in shadowy, criminal business, or/and is a Western agent sponsored by his Western masters).
Besides that, during WWII Switzerland was not completely neutral. Switzerland provided Germany with arms, ammunition, and machinery, including locomotives as well as agricultural products. Allied bombing campaigns eventually forced Germany to move some of its arms factories to the safety of Swiss territory. Swiss territory was also used for all kinds of intelligence operations for all involved in WWII, but interestingly enough, the German SA and SS (secret police) were able to neutralize Soviet intel posts, but not the other way around. Also, it was Switzerland where Allen Dulles met with high-ranking SS officers in 1945, secretly negotiating their surrender to the USA, behind the back of the Soviet Union.
So, my conclusion would be that Switzerland was always a little wheel serving in the machinery of the Western financial empire (still maaged by the London City).
Until now, Switzerland served the empire as an offshore banker. Now, when the Western empire is trying to preserve its global domination by amounting all the accessible resources, Switzerland is asked to become a soldier and fight for the empire on the battlefield.
And, also, wasn't camarad Lenin living in exile in Switzerland from where he traveled to Russia to take over as a leader of Bolshevik revolution with the funds from a Jewish banker from Sweden? By not stopping Lenin, both countries showed openly that they were not neutral all the time but only when it suited them.
This is a fantastic piece. How tragic that a generation of the Left thinks it is 'progressive' to support NATO and its war-mongering. How could this have happened in societies like Sweden and Switzerland that are amongst the most educated and civilised on the planet?
Sweden had a Social-democrat prime minister called Olof Palme. He fought for Sweden's neutrality and independence. He condemned Americas war in Vietnam. He condemned the Israelis occupation of Palestinian lands. He condemned the American imperialism. He was murdered in 1986.
After his murder Sweden has been lost. His protégé named Anna Lindh tried to keep his anti-imperialist politics alive (she criticized U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003), but she was murdered in 2003. CIA assets (Carl Bildt, Magdalena Andersson and Pål Jonsson etc) have ruled since -86. Some tried to fight back but failed or were killed.
Sweden is not a sovereign country. Has not been for a long time, and now it's given up the veneer of neutrality by joining NATO. The betrayal of Assange and the cover up of Nord Stream proves the whole country is a lie.
***
Sweden closing Nordsteam investigation shocking cover-up:
I agree totally with you. In fact Sweden, who have had peace since 1814, and tried to hold some military neutrality, but not a political one, a very important distinction that is made clear in the article above. In fact Sweden have, in only a few years, turned in to a banana monarchy and a US colony with 17 bases as US territories with own jurisdiction and are now ruled by people with foreign agency. (read London, Tel Aviv, Washington)
BTW during WW2, Allen Dulles (fmr head of the OSS/CIA) operated closely with the immensely rich war profiteers Wallenberg brothers in Sweden, brokering deals to hide Nazi SS assets. Dulles was able to prevent any serious investigation of them.
It's interesting that British king George knighted older brother Marcus Wallenberg, while younger brother Jakob had received the German eagle with star from Hitler in 1941.
***
Today, the Wallenberg family controls about 40% of all businesses in Sweden.
Rememeber WW1? Remember how all the Bersteinian social-democracy agreed to go to war against each other instead of going to class war together against the oligarchs? It's not something new at all.
I'm definitely not a leftist. But I strongly agree with much of what you say. NATO was founded to stop the spread of communism, supposedly, and no longer has a reason to exist, except as a tool of the military/industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about prior to leaving office. I was against supporting Ukraine from the start, but was absolutely horrified when I heard that Switzerland had joined the sanctions cabal
This excellent and disturbing revelation regarding Swiss political parties adds significantly to my limited understanding of Swiss politics and culture. I am reminded of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the war criminal, Henry Kissinger. This, for me, was shocking as I had come to believe the myths that surrounded Switzerland. I am deeply, deeply saddened to see this further, deeper abandonment of guiding principles promoting peace, diplomacy, understanding among and between peoples.
It isn't a coincidence that WW1 started shortly after the creation of the FED. It isn't a coincidence that WW1 and WW2 were used to move gold from Europe to America, then from American to the Central Banks. It isn't a coincidence that items stolen from people by the NAZIs, ended up primarily in Swiss Banks.
It isn't a coincidence that Rothschild Bank and BIS are both headquartered in Switzerland.
***
The Swiss "neutrality" has been fake for decades. In the 1970s or 80s Austrian chancellor Kreisky still remarked, "why would we need a secret service when we can buy the [Swiss newspaper] 'Neue Zürcher Zeitung' at most railway stations". Nowadays this is a Western propaganda rag as they come. They even put their national pension fund under US administration..
Nazis were smuggled in Ratlines to Switzerland and on to Spain with false red cross credentials. Spain remained Nazi after the war and gave passports to the and Peron allowed them to enter Argentina
On January 15, 1919, 67 days after her release from prison, a paramilitary unit dragged Rosa Luxemburg out of her apartment in Berlin, took her to a Hotel, beat her and shot her in the head. Her body was thrown into a canal. The man who ordered it, captain Waldemar Pabst, was never charged. In later interviews he confirmed he had given the order and he had the backing of the SPD minister, of her own Party.
Grazie Prof. Lottaz per portare alla conoscenza di noi tutti questo articolo che descrive , con i fatti , ciò che sta' accadendo non solo in Svizzera ma in molti paesi pseudo-democratici europei ovvero la distruzione dello Stato di Diritto e del diritto internazionale .
In tutta Europa le parole Pace , dialogo e diplomazia sono bandite con la complicità dei media tradizionali e dei finti partiti di "centro-sinistra" che addirittura esaltano la guerra in modo vergogna .
Praticamente le classi politiche europeee hanno demandato i compiti istituzionali a forze estranee d'oltreoceano .
They're replaceable in that aspect and the whole capitalist scheme actually seems to undermine democracy by concentrating way too much power in few hands, who are in turn servant to foreigners.
Great analysis by Nicklaus, highlighting the bankruptcy of values among centrist liberals (let’s not kid ourselves, the SP and Greens are centrists). I moved to Switzerland precisely because of of its neutrality and independence from NATO, the EU and theoretical position outside of the mainstream west. I truly appreciate the political system with its prominent direct democracy, so therefore the current debate of the role of Switzerland in the world and the meaning of neutrality is welcome. What is concerning is how narrow the polls look currently, however I’m confident that in the end the Swiss will vote to codify neutrality in the constitution come September 27. The concept of neutrality seems hard-wired into the national understanding of many Swiss that I know, and as we know from other countries, liberal politicians do not reflect the views of their voters on many issues. But they don’t seem to even be trying to convince anyone to reject neutrality in the referendum (I have not seen a single advert campaigning for that, but thousands for neutrality).
Thanks Pascal for giving us this informative article about the swiss military view as a self defence only. The reason why the Nato-powers want to reign you in lies perhaps in the enigmatic name of the biggest NATO base in Europe, in Kosovo. Actually a part of ex Yugoslavia, nowadays Serbia, BONDSTEEL. The name is in itself an insult to all serbians. And is a clue for the interest from MIC, the bonds in the swiss vaults, I reckon. Hands off from Switzerland, I hereby declare.
Switzerland's greatest strategic asset is its neutrality. That elements within Switzerland itself seek to destroy that neutrality is both sad and perplexing.
"jeder «wehrfähige» Staatsbürger (und Bürgerinnen auf freiwilliger Basis) spätestens im Alter von 20". Just a translation flaw ...
Great article, though the role of Switzerland for hiding dubious money (see spanish former king and his daughters) is one big reason for swiss' performing with neutrality.
In Japan, Swiss neutrality is frequently cited across the political spectrum—the traditional left has long championed unarmed neutrality, while certain conservative realists occasionally float armed neutrality.
However, looking at the structural reality, one has to wonder if Switzerland’s sustained peace is less a product of neutrality itself and more a fortunate outcome of its geography, surrounded entirely by relatively friendly neighbors.
When applied to Japan’s neighborhood—flanked directly by nuclear-armed, authoritarian powers—neutrality often feels less like a guarantor of peace and more like a mechanism that simply defers one's place in the invasion queue.
Thank you for articulating this framework so clearly.
Excellent article, thank you for all the details! Your fight against joining NATO is very reasonable -- indeed, "[...] US military positions [...] are not 'protective umbrellas', [but] grave sources of danger."
But if I may, I would add some details for the sake of historical record.
Libya was also neutral (Muammar Gaddafi was the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement) and didn't threaten anybody. Why did then Libya get attacked by NATO in 2011, and Switzerland not?
Switzerland was allowed to be "neutral" because of her being part of the Western financial system -- Switzerland served as an OFFSHORE before the island offshores/tax havens (in my country, the phrase "to have a Swiss bank account" implies that the bank account owner is involved in shadowy, criminal business, or/and is a Western agent sponsored by his Western masters).
Besides that, during WWII Switzerland was not completely neutral. Switzerland provided Germany with arms, ammunition, and machinery, including locomotives as well as agricultural products. Allied bombing campaigns eventually forced Germany to move some of its arms factories to the safety of Swiss territory. Swiss territory was also used for all kinds of intelligence operations for all involved in WWII, but interestingly enough, the German SA and SS (secret police) were able to neutralize Soviet intel posts, but not the other way around. Also, it was Switzerland where Allen Dulles met with high-ranking SS officers in 1945, secretly negotiating their surrender to the USA, behind the back of the Soviet Union.
So, my conclusion would be that Switzerland was always a little wheel serving in the machinery of the Western financial empire (still maaged by the London City).
Until now, Switzerland served the empire as an offshore banker. Now, when the Western empire is trying to preserve its global domination by amounting all the accessible resources, Switzerland is asked to become a soldier and fight for the empire on the battlefield.
Completely agree with your take on the role of Switzerland within/on behalf of the empire
And, also, wasn't camarad Lenin living in exile in Switzerland from where he traveled to Russia to take over as a leader of Bolshevik revolution with the funds from a Jewish banker from Sweden? By not stopping Lenin, both countries showed openly that they were not neutral all the time but only when it suited them.
This is a fantastic piece. How tragic that a generation of the Left thinks it is 'progressive' to support NATO and its war-mongering. How could this have happened in societies like Sweden and Switzerland that are amongst the most educated and civilised on the planet?
I never got to vote on NATO.
Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪
Sweden had a Social-democrat prime minister called Olof Palme. He fought for Sweden's neutrality and independence. He condemned Americas war in Vietnam. He condemned the Israelis occupation of Palestinian lands. He condemned the American imperialism. He was murdered in 1986.
After his murder Sweden has been lost. His protégé named Anna Lindh tried to keep his anti-imperialist politics alive (she criticized U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003), but she was murdered in 2003. CIA assets (Carl Bildt, Magdalena Andersson and Pål Jonsson etc) have ruled since -86. Some tried to fight back but failed or were killed.
Sweden is not a sovereign country. Has not been for a long time, and now it's given up the veneer of neutrality by joining NATO. The betrayal of Assange and the cover up of Nord Stream proves the whole country is a lie.
***
Sweden closing Nordsteam investigation shocking cover-up:
youtube.com/watch?v=O_Gc0u4TdjY
I agree totally with you. In fact Sweden, who have had peace since 1814, and tried to hold some military neutrality, but not a political one, a very important distinction that is made clear in the article above. In fact Sweden have, in only a few years, turned in to a banana monarchy and a US colony with 17 bases as US territories with own jurisdiction and are now ruled by people with foreign agency. (read London, Tel Aviv, Washington)
BTW during WW2, Allen Dulles (fmr head of the OSS/CIA) operated closely with the immensely rich war profiteers Wallenberg brothers in Sweden, brokering deals to hide Nazi SS assets. Dulles was able to prevent any serious investigation of them.
youtu.be/eKDI2rxQ-fA?t=906
***
It's interesting that British king George knighted older brother Marcus Wallenberg, while younger brother Jakob had received the German eagle with star from Hitler in 1941.
***
Today, the Wallenberg family controls about 40% of all businesses in Sweden.
Nobody gives the give public a vote on matters of any importance.
Rememeber WW1? Remember how all the Bersteinian social-democracy agreed to go to war against each other instead of going to class war together against the oligarchs? It's not something new at all.
Because humans are sheep led by sociopaths.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, any development that the establishment of the day didn't like could automatically be blamed on Jews.
Crops failed? Because Jews.
Freak storm sank the royal fleet? Everyone knows that Jews not only hate us because we are so noble and kind, Jews also can control the weather.
Foreign invasion? Machinations of Jews.
King's eldest son and heir turns out to be a rather flamboyant and barely closeted homosexual? Jews, you silly goose!
No evidence needed. Because Jews. What, are you on their side?
Today's establishment is far more enlightened. They do not blame unwanted election results and social dissension on Jews. Instead, they blame Russia.
I'm definitely not a leftist. But I strongly agree with much of what you say. NATO was founded to stop the spread of communism, supposedly, and no longer has a reason to exist, except as a tool of the military/industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about prior to leaving office. I was against supporting Ukraine from the start, but was absolutely horrified when I heard that Switzerland had joined the sanctions cabal
This excellent and disturbing revelation regarding Swiss political parties adds significantly to my limited understanding of Swiss politics and culture. I am reminded of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the war criminal, Henry Kissinger. This, for me, was shocking as I had come to believe the myths that surrounded Switzerland. I am deeply, deeply saddened to see this further, deeper abandonment of guiding principles promoting peace, diplomacy, understanding among and between peoples.
It isn't a coincidence that WW1 started shortly after the creation of the FED. It isn't a coincidence that WW1 and WW2 were used to move gold from Europe to America, then from American to the Central Banks. It isn't a coincidence that items stolen from people by the NAZIs, ended up primarily in Swiss Banks.
It isn't a coincidence that Rothschild Bank and BIS are both headquartered in Switzerland.
***
The Swiss "neutrality" has been fake for decades. In the 1970s or 80s Austrian chancellor Kreisky still remarked, "why would we need a secret service when we can buy the [Swiss newspaper] 'Neue Zürcher Zeitung' at most railway stations". Nowadays this is a Western propaganda rag as they come. They even put their national pension fund under US administration..
Nazis were smuggled in Ratlines to Switzerland and on to Spain with false red cross credentials. Spain remained Nazi after the war and gave passports to the and Peron allowed them to enter Argentina
Excellent article
On January 15, 1919, 67 days after her release from prison, a paramilitary unit dragged Rosa Luxemburg out of her apartment in Berlin, took her to a Hotel, beat her and shot her in the head. Her body was thrown into a canal. The man who ordered it, captain Waldemar Pabst, was never charged. In later interviews he confirmed he had given the order and he had the backing of the SPD minister, of her own Party.
Grazie Prof. Lottaz per portare alla conoscenza di noi tutti questo articolo che descrive , con i fatti , ciò che sta' accadendo non solo in Svizzera ma in molti paesi pseudo-democratici europei ovvero la distruzione dello Stato di Diritto e del diritto internazionale .
In tutta Europa le parole Pace , dialogo e diplomazia sono bandite con la complicità dei media tradizionali e dei finti partiti di "centro-sinistra" che addirittura esaltano la guerra in modo vergogna .
Praticamente le classi politiche europeee hanno demandato i compiti istituzionali a forze estranee d'oltreoceano .
The best weapon Switzerland has is direct democracy.
And banking system
They're replaceable in that aspect and the whole capitalist scheme actually seems to undermine democracy by concentrating way too much power in few hands, who are in turn servant to foreigners.
Great analysis by Nicklaus, highlighting the bankruptcy of values among centrist liberals (let’s not kid ourselves, the SP and Greens are centrists). I moved to Switzerland precisely because of of its neutrality and independence from NATO, the EU and theoretical position outside of the mainstream west. I truly appreciate the political system with its prominent direct democracy, so therefore the current debate of the role of Switzerland in the world and the meaning of neutrality is welcome. What is concerning is how narrow the polls look currently, however I’m confident that in the end the Swiss will vote to codify neutrality in the constitution come September 27. The concept of neutrality seems hard-wired into the national understanding of many Swiss that I know, and as we know from other countries, liberal politicians do not reflect the views of their voters on many issues. But they don’t seem to even be trying to convince anyone to reject neutrality in the referendum (I have not seen a single advert campaigning for that, but thousands for neutrality).
It’s simply diplomacy.
Nobody of influence and authority cares what Swiss people think or like or want.
You think a farmer takes a poll of his cattle, asks them to vote on steak or dairy?
Thanks Pascal for giving us this informative article about the swiss military view as a self defence only. The reason why the Nato-powers want to reign you in lies perhaps in the enigmatic name of the biggest NATO base in Europe, in Kosovo. Actually a part of ex Yugoslavia, nowadays Serbia, BONDSTEEL. The name is in itself an insult to all serbians. And is a clue for the interest from MIC, the bonds in the swiss vaults, I reckon. Hands off from Switzerland, I hereby declare.
Switzerland's greatest strategic asset is its neutrality. That elements within Switzerland itself seek to destroy that neutrality is both sad and perplexing.
"requires every citizen deemed fit for service—and allows women to volunteer—to receive military training"
Do you spot it? I'm going to read the german version now.
Not able to edit. Here the german version:
"jeder «wehrfähige» Staatsbürger (und Bürgerinnen auf freiwilliger Basis) spätestens im Alter von 20". Just a translation flaw ...
Great article, though the role of Switzerland for hiding dubious money (see spanish former king and his daughters) is one big reason for swiss' performing with neutrality.
A fascinating read.
In Japan, Swiss neutrality is frequently cited across the political spectrum—the traditional left has long championed unarmed neutrality, while certain conservative realists occasionally float armed neutrality.
However, looking at the structural reality, one has to wonder if Switzerland’s sustained peace is less a product of neutrality itself and more a fortunate outcome of its geography, surrounded entirely by relatively friendly neighbors.
When applied to Japan’s neighborhood—flanked directly by nuclear-armed, authoritarian powers—neutrality often feels less like a guarantor of peace and more like a mechanism that simply defers one's place in the invasion queue.
Thank you for articulating this framework so clearly.