Here's a doc of the remarks of ambassador Benson K. Whitney, appointed by Bush to replace John Ong when the Social Democrat/Socialist Left govt. replaced the Christian Conservative govt. last year. The remarks are breaking news today, but from a speech held 22. of May at the Nobel Institute:
Norway and the United States: Partners for the 21st Century?Remarks by Ambassador Benson K. Whitney
Nobel Institute
Oslo, Norway
May 22, 2006
(as prepared for delivery)
After five months as Ambassador, a basic question keeps nagging at me: What kind of relationship do Norway and the United States really want in this 21st century? Times and interests change. People and countries change. Maintaining any relationship, personal or national, demands a conscious effort to evaluate, and then adjust to current realities. So - what do Norway and the U.S. want of their relationship in this new century?
We have shared a special partnership in the 20th century that naturally sprang from our shared history. Hundreds of thousands of Norwegian immigrants enriched the American Melting Pot and became some of the strongest weave in the immigrant fabric of the American character. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in my home state of Minnesota. These ties also flowed in the opposite direction, channeling an enduring American influence on Norway. Strong people-to-people ties have grounded our relationship in fundamental common values. Norway and the U.S. have grown from the same root of constitutional democracy, sharing a deep devotion to the dignity of the individual, the rule of law, compassion for the needy, and above all else, an unwavering commitment to freedom.
These shared values met in our nations’ collective action at critical times in history. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder against Nazi tyranny and then Communist dictatorship. And together, because of our friendship, we helped win a destiny-defining victory for democracy in Europe.
But - it would be naive to say that our special relationship has not experienced strong forces for change in the past 20 years. The end of the Cold War vastly lessened the imminent security threats within Europe and on Norway’s border. The relationship of both Norway and the United States to Russia has changed dramatically and continues to evolve. Norway’s immense oil wealth and its position as a global energy supplier have created both a new sense of independence and enormous economic interests to protect. Importantly, as generations pass, the fundamental ties of heritage with the U.S. also become slowly, but inevitably, diluted.
So I must ask - no, we must ask - does our historic special relationship have meaning in the 21st century - or is it a vestige of the past? As sovereign nations, Norway and the U.S. have a right to strike their own course. Nations must choose very carefully where their strongest ties will be because special relationships require serious commitments of energy, resources, and sometimes, sacrifice. No nation can be all things to all countries.
Since coming to Norway I have heard voices express a wide range of views on our future relationship. Some say that Norway should strengthen its military, economic and cultural ties to Europe. Others think Norway’s wealth and the lack of an immediate security threat means it should avoid entangling relationships of any kind. It should instead carve out an independent course, focusing on global organizations, like the United Nations. Other voices caution that hard-won experience and global realities compel Norway to continue its special relationship with the U.S. And, while these paths need not be mutually exclusive, each requires choices and priorities. Again, it is simply not possible to be all things to all people.
Of course, it is for Norwegians to decide Norway’s path. As Ambassador, however, it is fairly within my concern that Norway actively addresses the question of our relationship; that intellectuals, politicians, business people, media, and ordinary Norwegians consider where and how we should go together in the future. We cannot assume our relationship in the 21st century, we must choose it.
I believe my country’s choice is made and is clear: we want the strongest, closest partnership with Norway. As you may recall, my President was the first world leader to call to congratulate Prime Minister Stoltenberg on his election victory and express our desire to maintain our historically close bilateral ties.
The U.S. is committed to this special relationship. Many of you have heard me say this since I arrived in Norway in January - my core mandate as Ambassador is to nourish our special relationship, promote the strongest bilateral ties possible, find new areas for cooperation, minimize disagreement, and ensure that when we disagree, to do so as respectful friends.
Some might ask - why is our partnership still important in the century ahead? The basic reason lies in the reality of 21st century challenges. They are largely global in nature and demand a cooperative global response by capable partner nations that can and will work together. For example, in this century, poorly governed states are not just a burden to their own people and a humanitarian concern, but now pose a security threat to us all. The very real threats of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction are emerging from within these weak and failed states now, so their internal political instability, poverty, and public health issues become global security challenges. Also, in the economic sphere of energy security, the tightly interlinked global economy means that instability anywhere causes energy insecurity everywhere.
Thus, 21st century threats blur the lines between security, political, economic, and humanitarian interests. These interconnected global problems demand global responses. Our interests and the world’s needs compel us to work together to use a 21st century relationships to address 21st century problems.
In this context, Norway and the United States are natural partners, uniquely suited to work together on these new kinds of challenges. Simply stated, we share the desire, the means, and the values that are needed. I am struck that in any place around the globe where there is conflict or suffering you are bound to find a Norwegian trying to make things better, and usually beside that Norwegian you’ll find an American lending a helping hand. That is the nature of our peoples.
Around the world, Norway and the U.S. create an especially powerful diplomatic combination. Norway is viewed as a trusted, non-threatening advocate for peace and development, while the U.S. brings to bear its global reach and the weight of a superpower. Both nations can offer their impulse to do good and a willingness to expend real resources. We are both countries of doers and not just talkers. That sets us apart - together.
Indeed, the agenda for such a 21st century partnership between Norway and the U.S. is large. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has spoken of the need for a “transformational diplomacy” where the U.S. will work with close partners like Norway to help build and sustain democratic states that both meet the needs of their people and operate responsibly in the international system. This is our best chance to truly combat terrorism. It is both morally right and in our self-interest to seek transformation in far-flung places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, Kosovo, Belarus, Haiti, and Darfur. And we do - and we should.
On other security fronts, the U.S. and Norway should be the driving forces for realizing the potential of NATO and transforming both its role and its resources to meet new challenges. We must lead together in the battle against non-proliferation. We must maintain and even deepen our critical security relationship that frequently goes unheralded. Norway and the U.S. must, when necessary, be able to project power around the world to do the right thing militarily when we need to.
The High North offers another place where our two countries should focus our 21st century agenda. Yes, it is true that Norway will be an increasingly important supplier and that the U.S. will be a growing consumer of hydrocarbons, but there is much more to our shared interest in the region than that. Both nations have a profound interest in enhancing global energy security, because we both deeply care that supply disruptions hurt the economic security of billions of people. Both Norway and the U.S. have strong interests in a stable security environment and a protected natural environment in the High North. We have common concerns about the warming of the Arctic region and need to fully understand why this is happening and determine together what is the best approach for dealing with it.
Our common 21st century agenda should offer the less fortunate of the world our countries’ overriding compassion. President Bush recently said:
“We show compassion abroad…because
believe in the God-given dignity and worth of a villager with , or an infant with malaria, or a refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl sold into slavery. We also show compassion abroad because regions overwhelmed by poverty, corruption, and despair are sources of terrorism, organized crime, human trafficking, and the drug trade.”
We must show compassion because it is the right thing to do. It is also the best way to protect our own citizens.
The list of potential cooperation goes on and on from there - human rights, vaccinations, UN reform. Neither of our countries can meet all these global challenges successfully alone. But few countries can do more if they act in partnership. This is the reason it is important for us to remain committed to our work together.
Maintaining such a 21st century partnership will demand more of us than in the past. We will have to work at it. How? To start, we must combat the dilution of our people-to-people ties. Mutual understanding only comes through direct experience of one another. Norway must appreciate that America is more than SUVs, Desperate Housewives, and Oprah. The U.S. must appreciate that Norway is more than sweaters, trolls and ski jumpers.
And so we must reverse the troubling decline in the educational and other exchanges between our nations. Today, only 6% of Norwegian students going abroad for degrees go to the United States, which now trails Australia, the UK, and Denmark. Only a trickle of Americans are coming to study in Norway. This is simply not good enough. I want you to know that increasing the number of exchanges between Norway and the U.S. will be one of my top priorities.
We must also reinforce the underappreciated security cooperation between our nations. Our mutual security challenges lie far outside our own borders. They require projecting power far from home. Working effectively together means Norway must continue to invest in its armed forces. Both countries must proceed with concrete efforts at military transformation to more mobile, flexible forces. Military exchanges, joint training, and the use of common technology platforms will ensure a military interoperability that will allow Norway and the U.S. to project power together wherever needed. Norway’s continued participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program would maximize our continued ability to work together globally. I hope that going forward with this decision will be seen as not just an economic issue, but also one of critical strategic importance.
We must also be careful to protect our relationship through our words and behavior. As in all true friendships, our relations must contain both affection and candor. I will work hard to strengthen our ties by an eager commitment to hearing and speaking the truth between friends. I have already had some lively discussions about U.S. policy on detainees, about Iraq, about global warming. I am not afraid of those discussions. I welcome them. We, in the end, may disagree, but we can come to understand what stands behind each other’s thinking. That is what special friends do.
I have noticed sometimes, however, that skepticism of the U.S. now sometimes crosses over into outright anti-Americanism. I hope Norwegians will resist a clichéd attitude that reflexively views the United States’ every action as motivated by some bad intent. That is not right and it is not fair. Of course the U.S. make mistakes, but they should not define us as a nation. We should be credited for struggling with them openly and trying to fix them.
And I also believe that unrelenting critics - and the media - frequently overlook the many positive actions the U.S. takes in the world. For example, did you know that 400,000 Africans are receiving AIDS treatment as part of the $15B U.S. public health program that will impact tens of millions more with prevention and treatment? Did you know the U.S. has spent over $20B in the past four years on climate change research and clean energy technologies? Did you know that the U.S. is leading the world in pursuing debt relief for developing countries? We are not always right, but I am proud that we try to do what is right, not only for Americans but for the world.
Building this partnership will take effort and perseverance. But I strongly believe that the effort will pay off for both of us by promoting peace and prosperity around the world.
In conclusion, I again pose the essential question - what kind of relationship do Norway and the U.S. want to have in the 21st century? I cannot answer for Norway. But I do have a clear vision from the American perspective and it is rooted in a bit of Norwegian culture.
In Norse mythology, the universe consisted of nine different worlds held in three concentric levels - Asgard, Midgard, and Niflheim. This universe contained the interacting realms of gods, humans, giants and dwarves. The central axis of these levels and worlds was the mighty ash tree Yggdrasil, the great Guardian Tree that connected and nourished all living things.
Although we’ve dispensed with the mythological creatures, our world too is now a very complex and layered system. And we will increasingly depend on structures that connect us and bring order to our world. Our Guardian Tree is comprised of the community of nations and the unity of peoples that embody the enduring human ideals of justice, compassion, peace, and above all, freedom.
The United States and Norway are among the strongest branches of our global Yggdrasil. And so it’s the responsibility of free peoples like us to work closely together to strengthen these ideals and challenge those who would subvert them. Is this idealistic? Yes, of course it is - but our peoples have consistently put such shared ideals to work across time and across the world. I am proud that both Americans and Norwegians spring from a tradition of pragmatic idealism that finds hope and opportunity in the world, not just threats and fears. Our common tradition is to make a difference for the good and leave the world a better place for our children and grandchildren. This is the spirit that created my country and yours; this is the spirit that led all of our ancestors to seek better lives when history and natural circumstances threw obstacles in their paths.
So, yes, I strongly believe that Norway and the United States must re-commit to this special relationship. The world needs it and our values demand it. We should not shy away from tending our Guardian Tree. Let us choose our friendship, not just in memory of the past, but in hope for the future. Let us make our relations a true “Partnership for the 21st Century.”
Thank you.
Document:
http://www.dagbladet.no/download/NobelSpeech.doc
News (Norw):
http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2006/05/24/467099.html
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My take on this is: Can I choose which America to be friends with? 'Shared ideals' - that's bullshit. It's not the US I have a problem with, it's the Bush govt. - just like 70 percent of the Am. people ;-)
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