(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Ny Tid prints on the previous page an unknown letter from former Crown Prince Olav, written barely three months before the war came to Norway. He writes to his friend in New York, the editor Hans Olav: «It certainly does not look very bright or cheerful… Our efforts to stay neutral are difficult… the Norwegian Armed Forces is so weak… the danger of war with Germany on its own newspapers to judge is a reality that must be seen in the eyes. "
But peace came back, just what we celebrated with liberation day last week. With this in mind, it is timely to think about which militarization is currently underway. Among other things, the previous government decided that the Veterans Day should be celebrated at the same time as the release day after 2010. Therein lies a great paradox: Soldiers honored on Veteran's Day are engaged in international warfare around the world – first in Afghanistan, then Libya, and now in Iraq where Norway risks being involved in war crimes (see previous newspaper and today's chronicle). Erling Folkvord reminded us, in his speech at the Peace House 8. May, that these soldiers have recently been granted diplomatic passports in order not to be held responsible for war crimes. Since 21. March 1999, when Norway supported the bombing of Serbia, we have now actually got a new one war generation growing up.
May 8 was earlier about the liberation from the Nazis. Today, the medals are placed on some veteran chest because they have the war out. A day of peace? With the drones over our heads in downtown Oslo that day, where a group of F16 planes pass into formation, one thinks of the six similar planes that in 2011 bombed many of Libya's infrastructure, and left the country in chaos. Jens Stoltenberg, who led the government behind the decision, later gained his leadership position in NATO. By adding Veterans Day to May 8, a historically important day for peace and freedom has been hijacked – in an attempt to legitimize Norwegian participation in international attack operations, said the Norwegian Peace Council leader Hedda Langemyr at the Peace House's event. Or as the deputy leader of Red Marianne Leraand complements her online: Veteran's Day is "in reality poorly concealed war propaganda and attempts to recruit new Norwegian youth into future US-led wars".
Erling Folkvord ended his post by reminding us of Nordahl Grieg's poem For the youth (1956): “War is contempt for life, peace is creating. Put your energy in, death will lose. ” Professor of Social Medicine Per Fugelli pointed out to him that war can only be stopped spirit – to break the automation spiral of hatred, a psychopathological feedback system where fear creates fear. After years of colonialization, slavery, and economic looting, one must not continue to create demonizing political reasons to hate.
Last week, we can add that the EU is now trying to get the UN to use military helicopters to destroy what they see of possible smuggling boats in Libya – ie military attacks against a humanitarian crisis. Today's hidden militarization of civil society is also expressed in the latest issue of Military Studies (1/2015) with the rhetoric behind the Norwegian Defense's new slogan: "For everything we have. And everything we are."But the military's own people know what this is about, and point out that such slogans probably sound good in the Ministry of Defense and the Defense Staff, but in the 'combat departments it is still the battle cry' Til Valhall 'that sounds best […] in the face of the war's blind natural power . Yes – war is the hell of cruelty, despite the fact that people are now talking about defending universal human rights. On the battlefield – as Francesca Borri and others have described here in Ny Tid – it is the warrior culture that applies. It's been a long time since you could read in Soldier's Book (1913) on discipline, obedience, courage, bravery and camaraderie. One no longer dies for the fatherland – the soldier's profession has become a blind profession, and a popular one.
Today's war culture with medals, fighter jets, war films and other media is cultivated by many young people – I even have a couple of nephews who have been tempted. I myself chose to drop out of military school in my time. Young people sent to war have little critical sense and inexperience. Right-wing defense policy spokeswoman Regina Alexandrova, who in the Class Struggle states that "Norway is one of the few countries that have increased its defense funding", also boasts that "there has been a positive change, where the youth today are almost competing to get serving in the Armed Forces ».
On the one hand, the Right believes that NATO is "the guarantee of our security and our freedom". But when Crown Prince Olav hoped for support from the Americans (see the letter), he was unaware that the United States was becoming an armed force on expeditions across the Atlantic – or that Norway would become an active participant in the attack war.
When we celebrate Constitution Day this week, Ny Tid also follows up with an unknown letter from John Steinbeck to the same Hans Olav, in response to an invitation to the May 17 celebrations in 1944 (see page 9). He describes Norway as a place where "the human spirit is stronger than any plans and treacheries and weapons that may be brought against it".
Today, there is "nothing very bright or cheerful" about what the unfinished militarization involves Norway in. Something to keep in mind when you are happily celebrating with children and flags in the streets of Norway between the shooting of police with loaded firearms in the belt.
Have a good May 17th!
truls lie
