Moscow Slams Norway Plans to Double US Troop Presence

[DonViejo]

Source: Agence France-Presse/Military.com



Agence France Presse 15 Jun 2018

Moscow on Thursday criticized Norway's plans to ask Washington to double the number of U.S. troops stationed in the Scandinavian country and deploy them nearer the border with Russia.

The plans "cause us serious concern," Russia's embassy in Norway wrote on its Facebook page.

Before joining NATO in 1949, Norway allayed Russian fears by pledging not to open its territory to foreign combat troops so long as it was not attacked or threatened with attack.

The stationing of U.S. troops in Norway "contravenes the Norwegian decision from 1949... This makes Norway less predictable, can stoke tensions, incite an arms race and lead to a destabilization of the situation in northern Europe," the embassy wrote.

Read more: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/06/15/moscow-slams-norway-plans-double-us-troop-presence.html

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AUGUST 15, 2018 / 7:46 AM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

More U.S. Marines to train in Norway, closer to Russia

Reuters Staff


OSLO (Reuters) - The United States will more than double the number of Marines stationed in Norway, in line with plans first outlined in June, the Norwegian defense ministry said on Wednesday.

Plans to increase the number of Marines in Norway to 700 from 330 and moving some of them closer to the border with Russia had triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow, which called the plans “clearly unfriendly”.

The government in Oslo, increasingly concerned about Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, insists the increased U.S. presence is only for training purposes and should not be interpreted as a military escalation.

The Marines had been scheduled to leave Norway at the end of this year after an initial contingent arrived in 2017 to train for fighting in winter conditions. They are the first foreign troops stationed in Norway since World War Two.

more
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-usa-russia/more-u-s-marines-to-train-in-norway-closer-to-russia-idUSKBN1L017F?il=0

[TomVilmer]

1. And I fully agree in that "slam"

The Nordic countries have all been inviting the U.S. Army to do exercises. When Norway opens foreign bases, they call them temporary, if the troops go home for holidays. It is a stupid and unnecessary move, that will make nobody safer. Yankee go home!

[EX500rider]

5. You may feel more NATO/US troops makes Norway less safe...they obviously disagree.

Maybe they don't want to end up like the Ukraine?

[TomVilmer]

6. Ukraine is another quite complicated story...

Norway has nice memories about Russia, since Russian troops liberated big chunks of Norway during the WW2. The Norwegian town of Kirkenes was liberated in 1944 on October 25 - the very first freed from the German occupation of Norway. This happened over six months prior to the end of the War in Europe. After defeating Germany, the Russian soldiers went back home in 1945 on September 25.
https://www.norwegianamerican.com/news/king-commemorates-wwii-liberation-of-finnmark/

[heaven05]

2. oh please

this kabuki theatre garbage is getting old. What Norway probably doesn't know is the dumptrump administration is putting more American troops there to HELP Putin, trump's boss, in any takeover of these Scandinavian countries planned by Putin's nation. Norway, Sweden, Finland. Obvious military strategy by two fascist dictators, one true and one wannabe.

[Cold War Spook]

3. Wow, they want 700 total American troops.

How far into Russia does Moscow think they could get?

[mr_lebowski]

4. I suppose if they were all airplane pilots and there were planes there for them to fly

Maybe pretty far ...

But I doubt that's what they are.