NEWS ANALYSIS: When Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg walked into the NATO summit in Brussels last week, she’d already gained more backbone for her government’s own delicate dealings with China. New US President Joe Biden’s willingness to confront and criticize power-hungry Chinese leaders at the G7 summit the day before carried over to the subsequent […]
Norway drops frigate lawsuit
May 27, 2021
The Norwegian defense ministry has withdrawn its lawsuit against classification society DNV in the wake of its frigate Helge Ingstad’s sinking in November 2018. The ministry had blamed DNV, but the state’s own accident investigation board later blamed poor training of the frigate’s crew instead. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported Thursday on how the defense ministry’s […]
Solberg survives Bergen Engines breakdown
May 21, 2021
Prime Minister Erna Solberg has avoided a lack of confidence vote in Parliament after she and her justice minister, Monica Mæland, apologized for the government’s lack of preparedness regarding the aborted sale of Bergen Engines this spring. That’s mostly because no one wants to unseat her government just 100 days ahead of the September election. […]
US nuclear sub was met by protests
May 10, 2021
The US Navy’s nuclear-power submarine USS New Mexico tied up at a civilian harbour just outside Tromsø in Northern Norway on Monday, to a warm welcome from Norwegian defense forces and protests by angry local residents. The latter fear such sub berthings will make their home a target in the event of war, and that […]
Objections explode over US presence
May 7, 2021
A steady rise in the presence of US troops and military equipment on Norwegian soil looks set to reach a new high, setting off a torrent of objections and angry commentary in both local and national media. Critics claim the Norwegian government, by offering the Americans unprecedented access and liberties, is violating its own base policy […]
Intelligence agency not so intelligent
April 22, 2021
NEWS ANALYSIS: Norway’s military intelligence agency known as E-tjenesten has reportedly been rebuked by the Parliamentary commission (EOS) that oversees its activities. The government is intent on keeping EOS’ latest report on the agency’s spying activity secret, though, leading many to wonder what the agency, the military and the government have to hide. EOS’ long-awaited […]
Troops start pulling out of Afghanistan
April 15, 2021
Norway intends to finally start pulling its remaining NATO troops out of Afghanistan from May 1st. The delayed withdrawal comes after the US and NATO confirmed a new coordinated pullout deadline of September 11, 20 years after the terrorist attacks on the US that led to the lengthy and unsuccessful war against terrorism. Norwegian Foreign […]
Russia reacting to NATO ‘provocation’
March 31, 2021
UPDATED: Norwegian fighter jets joined others from NATO allies in responding to Russia’s latest show of force over the North Sea, the North Atlantic and both the Baltic- and Black Sea this week. They tracked and flew up alongside at least 10 Russian bomber jets that were sent out shortly after NATO members’ meeting of […]
Government halts firm’s sale to Russia
March 23, 2021
After weeks of controversy, the Norwegian government has changed its mind and will, after all, halt the sale of Bergen Engines to TMH International of Russia. The government now apparently agrees that national security interests are at stake, since Bergen Engines has supplied and still services some of the motors on several Norwegian defense vessels […]
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