Häkämies finds uses for the military

Defense Minister Jyri Häkämies (National Coalition Party) has kept a high media profile lately - stories can be found here, here, and here. To summarize, the NATO Response Force thing is plainly going to happen, Finnish troops in Afghanistan may be taking a greater role, and the EU's Nordic battle group may be heading to Sudan. There seems to be a growing Western orientation, to use a pompous expression, that is in line with Häkämies's party's general foreign policy approach. The next defense report, coming in 2008, will be more interesting than usual.

Update: Here's another one.