Source Aftenposten English Web Desk

Denies NATO cover-up

Defense Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen said Wednesday that Norway's new refusal to send special forces to aid NATO in Afghanistan had not been kept secret.

The government repeated its controversial October refusal to send additional forces to Afghanistan when NATO asked again for special forces last month, NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) reports.

"We have not kept this hidden. The letter (from NATO) was regarded as a simple inquiry," Sttrøm-Erichsen told NRK.

"We have chosen not to send special forces to southern Afghanistan this time. We said this in October and we repeated it in November," the defense minister said.

Conservative Party leader Erna Solberg was struck by the government not having made the letter public.

"The government would rather not show that there have in fact been concrete requests from NATO," Solberg said.

WTF? Why are they refusing when they have been so helpful in the past? Is this a socialist agenda since they have the reins?

The gouvernment did receive a new official request from NATO in November but the gouvernment DID NOT inform the public.

Norway do violate its own security and foreign policy and The Labour Party has bowed for the Socialistic Left and their hard line of disagreement with NATO and the USA. It will be very interesting to see the response from Socialistic Left if NATO call in the NRF force to Afghanistan.

It is turning into an ugly mess and the situation is not good for us being a close ally to the USA. We already notice the pressure from the US and the mood in NATO is not in our favour.

How does the general Norwegian public feel about this? I know the government seems to be wicked hard left but to be honest the Norwegians I know here are very much right wing pro-american types.

The general Norwegian supports NATO and our troops through NATO operations. Regarding the thrust towards our politicians on national security issues the thrust is declining after years of budget cuttings, removal of camps and units - and the no to NATO now is not making the situation better.