Norway, The New Pawn In US War Games

Eva Sennesvik returns again to No Bones About It to speak about the strong rising presence of the US army in the her native Norway. She writes in a personal capacity.

Norway is known to be a relatively peaceful corner of the world. We have strict laws against racism, sexism and hate-speech. We flourish in our multi-cultural community as we always have. But we have a serious threat to all of this, and that is our own government.

The previous Conservative government somehow managed to be re-elected, despite plans to make severe cuts in budget that will only affect those of our weakest, most needing help. Support centers for immigrants, homeless, women's aid shelters, community support groups etc. Stealing 300 million NKR from benefits to fund the 300 million NKR tax-relief they gave to shareholders.. And now wanting a staggering 500 billion to improve our military, without declaring the details around usage.

The most worrying side of this is their excess use of secrecy. We have rarely seen so many cover-ups or downright secret transactions from any government since WW2. Using the secrecy-act on more and more decisions made. What are they hiding from us?

What are they so afraid we will find out?

Well, one thing is the escalation of US military presence here, which is infuriating most thinking Norwegian! US Navy on Norwegian soil. Our government is in regular, secret meetings with the US military leadership. Only leaks and (thankfully) the US's inherent need to boast, gives us an eerie picture of what is to come.

In January of this year, 300 US Navy corps marines were placed at Værnes military-base in Central-Norway. Our government, and the US, calls this a training-camp, lasting one year at a time. But the fact the US are planning major expansions at that base is worrying. Most of the plans are heavily censored, so we don't know much. But it is a major expansion made for permanent presence, with hangers for US F-35 jets, MV-22 helicopters and even C-130 carrier planes.

The US already have 8 huge military equipment storage halls in Norway, hidden in our mountains somewhere. That is: 8 that we know about.

A letter written in 1949, by our then PM Gerhardsen, used to be the Norwegian stance on any military escalation on Norwegian soil. He wrote it to calm a worried Russian government back then, and the idea has been brought forward by activists today.. He wrote:

The Norwegian government will not sign or be a part of any contract with other states, that lets foreign powers open military bases on Norwegian soil, as long as Norway is not under attack or real danger of an attack.

Our current government is the first to break this partial promise.

The US has about 800 military bases on foreign soil as it is! So far we have been spared this sort of invasion. Because that's how we see it. Because they are actually here now, because our government gave us no time to react or at least have a say in the matter and it became evident that this was only one of many military moves that had been planned for a long time in secret.

With our government's refusal to keep the public informed, their tendency to cloud every new leak with lies and robotic repetitions of old lies to the extent they actually look like they themselves know nothing, and their secret meetings with the US military, leaves us to wonder about what actually is the end-plan to the US military presence here?!

The following bragging from Military.com, gave us a clue of what happened next, they wrote:

Only months into what will be a year long trial period for rotating Marine corps elements through this sleepy base in Central-Norway, Marine leaders are eager to expand the partnership, eying a plan to more than double the services presence here.

And the bombshell: They are opening yet another base here! This time at Setermoen in Troms, Northern Norway.

400+ men will be based there, and they are coming during this winter 2017-18.

Inching their way closer to our Russian border.

Not only making Norway a prime target for terrorist attacks, but also threatening the relatively peaceful co-existence we have had with our huge neighbour to the East. They are not exactly pleased.

The Russian embassy here writes:

We see the escalation as a further military preparation from the US, reinforced by anti-Russian propaganda hysteria. Current government (Norwegian) is professing a sustained aggressive rhetoric against Russia. The non-existent dialogue between the two military leaderships (Russian/Norwegian), forces us to take necessary actions to safeguard our country.

Our government is a US's lapdog, there is no doubt about that. But we do not need the US to make us pawns in a horrid war-game with Russia!! We do not need the US to make more plans of permanent bases here, bringing more 'Marine corps elements' on Norwegian soil!! Because they do want that.

Many of our older generation still remember the US stance on Norway during WW2 (they couldn't care less until someone told them about our heavy-water), and our seniors do not like seeing US marines here.

They also remember and are grateful for the Russians liberating Northern Norway from the Nazis. And these sentiments are shared by the younger generations too. Seeing US navy personnel here, does not give any of us reassurance of a safe and peaceful future. Rather the opposite. It's a dangerous and aggressive power play set in motion by the US, using our corrupt government and the general population here, to anger and threaten Russia. Nothing more.

The proposed military budget for Norway this year is a staggering 55 billion NKR.

Some has been spent in the US on F35s and CV90s. But a large portion of the sum will be used near the Russian border up North. The budget-debates are ongoing, but a lot of wheels have been set in motion by our Military, and will be hard to stop.

We are afraid of this escalation of both US and Norwegian military force, the aggressive rhetoric against Russia and anyone who are opposed to the US bases. It feels like we are heading straight for an Orwellian police state like in Nineteen Eighty Four or worse. We are already seeing people being forced out of their homes near air force-bases here. The government says: "For their own good. The new F35s are far louder than the current fleet, and noise-pollution is a danger to peoples health."

So where will this end? How will it end?

Honestly: with our current government we have no idea. Chances are it will not end well!

But we keep fighting because there is no other option than to fight. This is an ongoing invasion of sorts of Norway, blessed and facilitated by our government.

Image shows the US plan for Værnes, grey areas are the censored parts.

➽Eva Sennesvik has been an antifascist & human rights activist since the early 80’s, spent 10 years lobbying for a fairer society in Scandinavian countries and is currently involved in helping paperless refugees here in Bergen Norway. She writes speeches and pieces for public use on our escalating social problems and the extreme right's dangerous popularity.