“The deployment of us soldiers in Varese (Værnes) is an example of what the government are more concerned how to please the Americans and NATO, rather than a responsible security policy”.
It is the opinion of Haltbrekken Lars (Lars Haltbrekken), candidate in deputies of Parliament from the Socialist left party (SV) from Trøndelag, the decision to extend the rotation, which gives 330 U.S. Marines the opportunity to study and train in Varese in North Trøndelag until 2018. The government took this decision on Wednesday.
“It is a violation of the Norwegian base policy. The government can no longer hide behind claims that it is “the order based on the principle of rotation” or “temporary learning.” We now have on Norwegian soil came the American base, and this is contrary to what happened in Norway since 1959,” says Haltbrekken.
Requires consideration of the issue in Parliament
The socialist left party last year opposed the arrival of the Americans in Værnes. The party believes that it promotes the growth of tension in relations with Russia.
“In the fall of the socialist left party will demand that this question was considered by the Storting. Then it will be necessary to evaluate this system with 330 soldiers, and if the United States begins to advocate for the increase of the contingent, it is clear that the Storting will have to thoroughly consider this issue.”
“And if the fall will be a change of government, a new majority, we will fight to send American soldiers home.”
Since the 1980s, the years Norway has an agreement with the United States on the preliminary storage of military equipment and ammunition, in 2006 the Storting decided to expand the scope of the agreement in terms of strengthening the position of Norway.
Wonderful experience
“We have excellent experience of American Marines in Varese. Everything happens according to the rotation principle, which means that American soldiers are not posted here on a regular basis.”
This view Elin Radom Agdestein (Elin Rodum Agdestein), representatives of the Right party (Høyre), who is also a member of the Committee on foreign Affairs and defence of the Storting.
“In addition, they are located in the garrison under the command of Norwegian so this is not actually an American base,” says Agdestein, which believes that all this is in our own interests.
“In the event of a crisis or the beginning of the war Norway is completely dependent on reinforcements, which can give the allies”, — said Agdestein.
For the Marines it is important to train using the equipment, stored in Stardale (Stjørdal), it was used in the exercise and in Trøndelag, and Finnmark.
Fear that soldiers may be more
Lars, Haltbrekken from the Socialist left party believes that all this can lead to tensions in our part of the world.
“First they said it will be just for a year, now extended to two years. We also know that the Americans wanted to increase the number of soldiers to 600,” says Haltbrekken.
He is worried that the issue was discussed at a closed meeting in Parliament, and he hoped that in the autumn they will be able to conduct truly open public debate on this issue.
“Such things can’t happen in secret, in a closed session in Parliament”.
