The most revealing was a fresh report from the defense institute FFI (the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment) that analyzed threats against Norway, the article reads. In the report, which sets the premises for the Defense Ministry from 2009 to 2012, Russia is identified as a "military threat." There's no fear of invasion, but rather a "limited, military action."
Oslo’s position on Russia has changed, Aftenposten further notes. It has been “reclassified as a threat,” which is evidenced, in addition to the defense institute report, by Defense Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen who has altered her word usage of late. She has stressed that Russia isn't likely to exert power, but notes that its military build-up can't be overlooked. "We must be aware that developments can take another direction than we want and expect," Strøm-Erichsen said in a recent speech before the national defense group in Oslo. The defense minister is seconded by General Torgeir Hagen, chief of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, who says that Norway’s defense and security policies should consider what’s going on at its “Eastern neighbor’s.”
Espen Barth Eide, state secretary attached to the Defense Ministry, says Russia has consciously positioned itself as an "international player with a demand for attention and influence." Oil income and foreign currency reserves have helped give the country new economic clout that it lacked when the Soviet Union fell apart. He believes Russia is capable of shattering the balance of forces in the region.
What one feels upon reading the Aftenposten material, is chagrin and disbelief. The Norwegians are descendants of the Vikings, righteously proud of their judgment, sobriety and common sense. Can it be that the best of them (aren’t a nation’s top officials the best of its people?) really think what the newspaper says? Do they really believe the Russians do not know black from white?
However, if the question is asked it should not be left unanswered. So we’ll have to further elaborate on the issue, going through a pile of newspapers and printouts of our neighbors’ official web resources, and ask a few more rhetoric questions.
So, Norway has “reclassified” Russia as a “threat” as recently as last week. In this context, what should we think of the September 2006 statement by Defense Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen who disclosed Oslo’s plan to increase the number of forces in parts of the country adjacent to the Russian border? It was reported by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). What about her appeal to the NATO allies to intensify combat training, again, in the north? What about the so-called “Clock Work/Hard Fall,” “Cold Response” and so on?
Should we forget how the aforementioned intelligence chief, Torgeir Hagen, told the national defense group in November 2006 that the number of problems solved by military intelligence had grown 400 %(!) since 2003? It mainly happened due to the special attention given to Russia, the “openhearted and good-natured Norway’s” intelligence chief added, despite his own admission that Russia is no longer seen as an enemy (Norwegian Defense Ministry website).
“Russians are coming! Horrible and cruel, and capable of anything.” Well, maybe. There’s no proof so far. On the other hand, there’s evidence of how far Norwegians are prepared to go. For example, a special task force was sent in October 2005 to seize the Russian trawler Elektron accused of fishing illegally in the Barents Sea, newspaper Verdens Gang reported. Defense Ministry spokespeople then refused to confirm or deny the information (NRK, January 12, 2006). Can you imagine those professional “terminators” armed to the teeth, unleashed on ordinary fishermen? (We do not want to offend Norwegian soldier and officers in any way, as they were doing their job.) Those who preach universal good overstepping rules and borders do not stop short of anything. Can anyone say what Norwegian servicemen are doing overseas, in Afghanistan, while 150 more are preparing to march off to that country soon? The answer “helping to establish peace and democracy” would be incorrect as there is no peace or democracy there, unless one regards the 4,000 deaths in 2006 as normal. Meanwhile, the “horrible” Russians are staying at home trying to put things right there. They aren’t dreaming of any Crusades.
In conclusion, we’d say no one wants to offend anyone. Time will tell who was right. For example, Norwegian Professor Willy Østreng, Ocean Futures Society activist, said in early February that official Oslo (not Russia) continued to think in “cold war” terms (newspaper Nordlys, February 2, 2007). The tensions could be easily remedied: let’s just stop using double standards and try to understand each other. "It's more important than ever that we continue our policies based on dialogue and concrete cooperation, both multilaterally and bilaterally," State Secretary Barth Eide said.
