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Hundreds of U.S. Marines land in Norway, irking Russia

REUTERS

 

A Boeing 747 with some 300 U.S. Marines, who are to attend a six-month training to learn about winter warfare, lands in Stjordal, Norway January 16, 2017. NTB Scanpix/Ned Alley/via REUTERS

 

OSLO (Reuters) - Some 300 U.S. Marines landed in Norway on Monday for a six-month deployment, the first time since World War Two that foreign troops have been allowed to be stationed there, in a deployment which has irked Norway's Arctic neighbour Russia.

 

Officials played down any link between the operation and NATO concerns over Russia, but the deployment coincides with the U.S. sending several thousand troops to Poland to beef up its Eastern European allies worried about Moscow's assertiveness.

 

Marines from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina landed a little after 10 am CET (0900 GMT) at a snow-covered Vaernes airport near Trondheim, Norway's third-largest city, where temperatures were reaching -2 degrees Celsius (28 degrees Fahrenheit).

 

U.S. troops are to stay in Norway for a year, with the current batch of Marines being replaced after their six-month tour is complete.

 

A spokesman for the Norwegian Home Guards, who will host the Marines at the Vaernes military base, about 1,500 km (900 miles) from the Russian border, said the U.S. troops will learn about winter warfare.

 

"For the first four weeks they will have basic winter training, learn how to cope with skis and to survive in the Arctic environment," said Rune Haarstad, a Home Guard spokesman. "It has nothing to do with Russia or the current situation."

 

In March the Marines will take part in the Joint Viking exercises, which will also include British troops, he added.

 

The Russian Embassy in Oslo did not immediately reply to a request for comment by Reuters on Monday. It questioned the need for such a move when it was announced in October.

 

"Taking into account multiple statements of Norwegian officials about the absence of threat from Russia to Norway we would like to understand for what purposes is Norway so ... willing to increase its military potential, in particular through stationing of American forces in Vaernes?" it told Reuters at the time.

 

A spokeswoman for Norwegian Ministry of Defence also said the arrival of U.S. Marines had nothing to do with concerns about Russia.

 

However, in a 2014 interview with Reuters, Norway's Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide said Russia's annexation of Crimea showed that it had the ability and will to use military means to achieve political goals.

 

(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis, editing by Terje Solsvik, Gwladys Fouche and Dominic Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-17

[Banana7]

Excellent move! Maybe Norway should annex part of Northern Russia, since many people in northern Russia want to become part of Norway.

[Enoon]

 

"the first time since World War Two that foreign troops have been allowed to be stationed there"

 

Except for training: Norwegian School of Winter Warfare - Forsvaret.no

"NSWW is one of the key elements of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Cold Weather Operations (COE-CWO)."

 

For instance:Royal Marines prepare for cold weather training in Norway - Royal Navy

"The crack of rifle fire and the roar of motor engines rebounded off the snow-covered fjords of northern Norway as Royal Marines prepared for NATO’s biggest winter war games."

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2017 by Enoon

[ChidlomDweller]

18 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Excellent move! Maybe Norway should annex part of Northern Russia, since many people in northern Russia want to become part of Norway.

Yes, just annex, hold a referendum 2 days later.  That all makes it right, doesn't it?

 

But seriously, having traveled many times to the Baltics and the part of Finland that was annexed by Russia in WWII in the 1980s and 1990s, one wonders why the Russians feel they are owed anything by these countries, like they are still to be respected as being the big brother looking out for them.  

 

I've seen with my own eyes what Russian rule did to them, and how the people felt about it.  Travelling there from Helsinki was like going back in time for 50 years, and the Helsinki nightclubs were full of East European women economically desperate enough to prostitute themselves. All Russia did for them was impoverish them, and still they think they should be treated as lord and master there.  

 

And now Trump fans are talking as if Putin's got a point that other countries should not meddle in Russia's "neighborhood", as if it's not 100% up to these independent countries.

Edited January 17, 2017 by ChidlomDweller

[Enoon]

4 hours ago, ChidlomDweller said:

Yes, just annex, hold a referendum 2 days later.  That all makes it right, doesn't it?

 

But seriously, having traveled many times to the Baltics and the part of Finland that was annexed by Russia in WWII in the 1980s and 1990s, one wonders why the Russians feel they are owed anything by these countries, like they are still to be respected as being the big brother looking out for them.  

 

I've seen with my own eyes what Russian rule did to them, and how the people felt about it.  Travelling there from Helsinki was like going back in time for 50 years, and the Helsinki nightclubs were full of East European women economically desperate enough to prostitute themselves. All Russia did for them was impoverish them, and still they think they should be treated as lord and master there.  

 

And now Trump fans are talking as if Putin's got a point that other countries should not meddle in Russia's "neighborhood", as if it's not 100% up to these independent countries.

 

One can understand the whipped Russians admiring Putin, that is how they have been educated since the middle ages, but the foreign Putin lovers are a strange crowd.

 

Maybe they are just born "subs"?

 

 

Edited January 17, 2017 by Enoon

[Baerboxer]

None of Russia's business what the sovereign country of Norway does, who it invites and who comes and who does what. It ain't their land. Should mind their own business.

[ExpatOilWorker]

37 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

None of Russia's business what the sovereign country of Norway does, who it invites and who comes and who does what. It ain't their land. Should mind their own business.

 

True, but so is Cuba. World peace is a fine balance of give and take.

[Yahooka]

As a Norwegian Im somewhat concerned  that we never allowed  NATO troops to be stationed on our soil,even at the height of the cold war,but no it`s suddenly alright at the same time NATO is putting troops near the Russian border ?!?!

[Michael8511]

It's a strange timing with us troops in Norway and Poland at a time when Trump will strengthen the US-Russia relations and is very negative against NATO. It's also a time when NATO is expanding with new member states from east Europe and most likely also Sweden will join NATO. We all know Putins dislike of NATO and their expansion.

[IMA_FARANG]

Norway is a member of NATO and if they wish to have a joint defense exercise with the U.S. as part of NATO Russia has no right to comment.

[craigt3365]

3 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

Norway is a member of NATO and if they wish to have a joint defense exercise with the U.S. as part of NATO Russia has no right to comment.

But Russia will comment and spin it to look like the US and NATO are going after them. And some here will buy into it.  Greatpropaganda machine. 

[hawker9000]

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 7:38 PM, ChidlomDweller said:

Yes, just annex, hold a referendum 2 days later.  That all makes it right, doesn't it?

 

But seriously, having traveled many times to the Baltics and the part of Finland that was annexed by Russia in WWII in the 1980s and 1990s, one wonders why the Russians feel they are owed anything by these countries, like they are still to be respected as being the big brother looking out for them.  

 

I've seen with my own eyes what Russian rule did to them, and how the people felt about it.  Travelling there from Helsinki was like going back in time for 50 years, and the Helsinki nightclubs were full of East European women economically desperate enough to prostitute themselves. All Russia did for them was impoverish them, and still they think they should be treated as lord and master there.  

 

And now Trump fans are talking as if Putin's got a point that other countries should not meddle in Russia's "neighborhood", as if it's not 100% up to these independent countries.

 

'Not sure how many "Trump fans" actually fall into this category.  For many, including myself, Trump was simply a much better and obviously better choice than Hillary.  His apparent tolerance for all things Putin is probably high on the list of things even his supporters are dubious about and certainly not what got him elected.  He holds these views despite his support base, not really because of it.

[Basil B]

Cobra Gold must really "Irk" the Russians    ...when Pattaya is invaded by thousands of Yanks on R'n'R. 

Edited January 22, 2017 by Basil B

[Gene1960]

 

'Not sure how many "Trump fans" actually fall into this category.  For many, including myself, Trump was simply a much better and obviously better choice than Hillary.  His apparent tolerance for all things Putin is probably high on the list of things even his supporters are dubious about and certainly not what got him elected.  He holds these views despite his support base, not really because of it.

+1