Posted on 02/13/2007 2:17:12 AM PST by Kurt_Hectic
The Norwegian government has decided to send more soldiers to Afghanistan, dispatching another 150 special forces to Kabul. The decision marks a new defeat for the Socialist Left Party (SV), which is part of Norway's center-left coalition government.
The special forces will be in addition to the roughly 530 Norwegian soldiers and officers already in Afghanistan.
The government previously has rejected calls for more troops from both NATO and key NATO members such as the US. Now it's changed its mind, clearly after intense negotiations among its three center-left parties that strive to maintain a united front.
Political observers claim the decision to send the troops is aimed at placating the Americans, who have been pressuring the Norwegians to do more to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan and help bring some stability to the war-torn country.
NATO, faced with a troop shortage in the face of new Taliban aggression, also has repeatedly asked Norway to send more troops. Norway's own non-socialist opposition parties have joined the call, contending that Norway must meet its obligations to NATO.
Norwegian Defense Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen of the Labour Party had maintained, though, that Norway already was doing enough in the country. The Socialist Left (SV) also had continued to resist efforts to send more troops, with SV leader Kristin Halvorsen claiming as late as this past weekend that she doesn't believe military power will help solve problems in Afghanistan.
She clearly was overruled during negotiations within the government coalition. Labour Party members including Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre are expected to have lobbied hardest to appease NATO.
Støre, who recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan, noted that he's seen for himself "how important it is to contribute" in the area.
Halvorsen, who also serves as Norway's finance minister and isn't one to admit defeat easily, was quick to point out on Tuesday that the additional troops won't be sent to the southern regions of Afghanistan. That's where fighting has been the worst, and where NATO has the most urgent need for reinforcements.
The new troops will instead be sent to Kabul, where Norway already has agreed to run the airport. Halvorsen still faces a challenge quelling dissent within her party, where several veteran politicians remain adamantly opposed to more Norwegian military involvement in Afghanistan, and who believe their party is sacrificing too much in order to stay in the government.
Related stories: NATO meeting to put more pressure on Norway - 28.11.2006 NATO discusses Afghanistan strategy - 17.11.2006 Participation means influence - 15.11.2006 NATO may come calling again - 13.11.2006 Norwegians under fire - 01.11.2006 Opposition grills government over Afghanistan - 24.10.2006 Norway disappoints NATO - 20.10.2006 NATO chief needs more troops - 19.10.2006 No forces now - 18.10.2006 More soldiers may head for Afghanistan after all - 15.09.2006 US and NATO want more military aid from Norway - 31.08.2006
Great news.
I lived in Norway for 18 years with my norwegian spouse and we were transferred to the states in 2005. Good time to be out of the country with the socialist government in power and there never ending rounds of tax increases. Kristin Halvorsen and her bunch thinks money grows on trees and it is only to pluck it.
What Socialists?
Oh, you mean Social-Democrats!?
There is a difference you know.
As Ronald Reagan once said: “I don’t care what kind of communists they are...”
I mean, who wants to pay 25.000$ over two years to take a low life and make them a tax payer?
Well those communists as you call them, did send soldiers to Kabul, since the largest of the communist parties in power there still feel committed to this piece of paper that the very same party’s leader (at the time) signed, ooohh what’s the name of that thing we’re all members off, NATO perhaps?
Soooo... A communist party (labor, social democrats) helped spy on Soviet, sends soldiers to Afghanistan and has 2/6 of the members in that “Friends of USA” group in parliament.
Not only is there a MAJOR difference between a communist and a socialist, there is a HUGE difference between those two and a social democrat.
But hey, we’re just a tiny nation and at least there are REAL friends like the UK who don’t have a Social Democratic (or communist as you say) PM..... oh wait... huh... I guess we’re all Communists then and so are a lot of the other NATO members...
gosh...
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