206 Global News Post 1

The article: “A Swiss security strategy that says yes to fighter jets, no to nuclear weapons” begins by discussing the upcoming UN Security Council meeting in which the Swiss Senate plans to vote on a new security strategy for the future. The main point of the article is to bring to light potential security plans and to discuss what would be the most optimal strategy considering Switzerland’s history and its current place in global politics. It is necessary to have a sound defense strategy, as the war between Ukraine and Russia shows that war is still being used in Europe as a means to resolve political issues.

The article is written by Dr. Beat Nobs, a former Swiss ambassador who served in the Swiss diplomatic core for over 20 years. He discusses a few of his ideas for potential strategies, but also highlights the complexity and difficulty in decisions such as these.  He begins by explaining how a good strategy would have to combine both defense and diplomacy. With the departments in charge of both of these topics working independently, it is difficult to find a strategy that would accommodate both departments’ needs. Dr. Beat Nobs argues that one notion which must be covered in this strategy is that on the defense side of the report, the Swiss Senate must consider supplies, gender equality, the type of possible conflicts, etc. Additionally, the diplomatic side of this strategy should prioritize peacekeeping and civilian protection. He states that one way they might go about achieving this is finally ratifying the TPNW, a treaty that prohibits the use of nuclear weapons.

Ultimately, in the wake of current events, a compromise must be made between the two departments which will ensure the safety of Swiss citizens as well as maintaining their historically peaceful reputation throughout the world.

Coffrini, F. (2020). [Photograph of Swiss Fighter Jets]. Popular Mechanics. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a34112191/swiss-fighter-jets/

Link to article: https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=A%20Swiss%20security%20strategy%20that%20says%20yes%20to%20fighter%20jets%2C%20no%20to%20nuclear%20weapons&docref=news/18F4AB705C1B9650