This material was previously postet under the title “The meandering steadfastness of Jens Stoltenberg” at out Telegram channel, “Beorn And The Shieldmaiden”. There, we accompanied this material with a number of recent video-quotes of Jens Stoltenberg to emphasise the duplicity and to set the contrast to his 1985 self.
Some time ago, Scott Ritter, former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, answered the question of “Is NATO bracing for a full-scale war with Russia?” thus:
It’s important to draw a distinction between official NATO policies and what have increasingly become the independent statements of a NATO secretary general who is divorced from reality.
Incidentally, a version of that question was raised in an article on the pages of this blog on June 24 2014: Is the West gearing up to invade Russia once again?, but we digress.
Let us assume for a moment that Jens Stoltenberg was not “divorced from reality”, but was actually trying to fulfil the political goal of his youth: To free Norway from NATO!
– What better way to achieve that than to destroy NATO from within?
Facsimile of the article in Aftenposten from 23.02.1985, reprinted in Abcnyheter.no.
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane with Jens. Below, is the English translation of the 1985 interview in one of Norway’s main newspapers.
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Norwegian Break-up With NATO Is Our Goal
Tomorrow Jens Stoltenberg will become the new leader of AUF [Workers’ Youth League]: charming, intelligent and quick-witted. Outgoing, but not boisterous. Unlike his father, former Defence Minister Thorvald Stoltenberg, the 25-year-old student wants Norwegian withdrawal from NATO.
Now he wants to influence the mother party [Labour Party] to pursue a more active distribution and equalization policy.
– The AUF hopes to get a pass for it at the Labour Party’s National Congress in March, says Stoltenberg.
The incumbent AUF-leader does not have much in terms of free time. But it will be a little jogging anyway, during the end of final term at Department of Economics.
The dark-haired bundle of energy has been deputy chairman of the AUF for two years, chairman of the youth party’s International Committee for four years and a member of the central board since 1979. But alongside politics and studies. he also manages other things-such as: evening shift as a journalist in Arbeiderbladet and teaching undergraduate students at Blindern. Stoltenberg has written his thesis on oil revenues and uncertainty.
[The inset picture]
Incoming AUF leader Jens Stoltenberg: – We will influence the Labour Party to pursue a more active economic equalization policy, says Jens Stoltenberg.
Like his predecessor, Egil Knudenc, Jens Stoltenberg is a likeable guy. The young socialist from Oslo’s best West End is predicted a bright career in the mother party.
— I’m not hiding where I grew up. Because there is no reason to. The fact that I come from the west side of the city does not mean that I am environmentally isolated.
He also does not hide the fact that his family background contributed to the AUF.
— Of course. But I am concerned that people evaluate me based on what I do and say. Not because I am the son of Thorvald.
You are not a NATO supporter.
— No, that’s right. AUF’s goal is to reduce the blocks and Norwegian withdrawal from the alliance. However, we also acknowledge that Norway is likely to be a member of
NATO in the coming years. Therefore, we will also set requirements for how Norway should act as an alliance member. We must fight for nuclear-free zones and freeze our nuclear arsenals.
Is foreign policy a particular concern for the future AUF leader?
— No, I am interested in the whole range of political issues. The main issues for AUF are also my main issues, namely the fight against youth unemployment and the work for cheaper and more housing.
We have got Stoltenberg out of the hectic Congress Hall and found a peaceful corner. Well, peaceful.
— Hey, Jens, hello, hello…
Cheerful greetings and kind faces tell that he is an immensely popular guy in the youth community.
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In the interview, Jens Stoltenberg was adamant to be evaluated by his words and deeds. And that evaluation is not in his favour. Everything that he’s done after he first became the PM of Norway can hardly be aligned with the ideals that his younger self spoke of. His deeds changed in line with what benefitted his career, while his words tried to mask it with the flourish and grand talk of a Holywood-like persona reading a skilfully written script.
Stoltenberg was not the first, however. Another present-day NATO figurehead was protesting against NATO’s deployment of missiles in Germany in 1982. Meet Olaf Scholz!
Olaf Scholz protests NATO missiles in Germany, 1982.
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– Thanks to Putinger’s Cat for drawing our attention to the article.