Several political parties fear US Marines must seal gaps in Norwegian Armed Forces
Sosialistisk Venstreparti (SV), Senterpartiet (Sp) and Rødt (Red) are concerned that US Marines will fundamentally change the Norwegian defense and security policy.
SV, Sp and Rødt have asked if the soldiers have not just come to train, but if the government is also looking at this as a way of sealing deficiencies in the Norwegian Armed Forces, reported Klassekampen newspaper.
330 soldiers from the US Marine Corps are currently located in Værnes. In Indre Troms, a similar arrangement is working on a new concept of Allied Training.
‘I am worried that there is a significant change of Norwegian defence policy without an informed debate,’ said Audun Lysbakken.
The government has referred to ‘rotation-based training’.
‘We think it’s serious and dramatic, and it leads to Norway being undermined by the United States to an even greater extent,’ said Rødt leader, Bjørnar Moxnes, to Klassekampen.
‘One might wonder if US troops are going to replace Norwegians,’ said Sp’s defence spokesperson, Liv Signe Navarsete.
The government has denied that the soldiers could replace Norwegians. Defence Minister, Ine Eriksen Søreide, said that they’re part of a deterrent policy against Russia.
‘They must first and foremost train, but it is clear that, with their presence, they are visible proof that the security guarantee in NATO is real,’ she said on Friday.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
