| ID | 080324 |
| Title Proper | Ambivalent ally |
| Other Title Information | Norway in the new NATO |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Rottem, Svein Vigeland |
| Publication | 2007. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | NATO's future has long been in question, with the core of the debate revolving
around America and other great powers. This article finds comparable tensions
among smaller members. Examining the case of Norway, it argues that since the
end of the Cold War, Norway has lacked a clear mandate for its role in NATO,
and as such should be considered an ambivalent ally. This ambivalence is seen
when Norway reluctantly follows through on NATO policy. NATO's readiness to
act in the High North also is questioned.
This article examines Norway's NATO relations in four dimensions, collective
defence and collective security, position and values, influence and national priorities,
scepticism and reliability. Here realism and constructivism can provide us with an
analytical backdrop to explain Norwegian ambivalence. International power structures
create and constrain windows of opportunity for Norway, but national and international
norms and identity should not be left out of the analysis. Norway is entangled
in realist politics, but the legacy of neutrality and the perception of Norway as a
peaceful nation cannot be ignored. The result of this tension is Norway's unsettled
relationship with the new NATO. |
| `In' analytical Note | Contemporary Security Policy Vol. 28, No.3; Dec 2007: p619-637 |
| Journal Source | Contemporary Security Policy Vol. 28, No.3; Dec 2007: p619-637 |
| Key Words | Strategic Culture ; World Order ; International Relations |