It is similar direction in Denmark, at least as far as US laws to be applied.
Below are more details and headlines from today and yesterday:
Defense agreement with the USA is one security policy protection. One detail shows who wants it the most
'There must not be as much as an A4 sheet between Denmark and the USA'
Irrevocable for 10 years: Agreement allows American soldiers on Danish soil
The defense agreement with the USA is security policy all-encompassing from Denmark – a detail shows who wants it the most
Analysis: If you have to look at who gets the most out of an agreement, you can look at whether it goes beyond the standard terms and in whose favor. And judging by the defense agreements the US has recently entered into with the Nordic countries, it is us who have the hat in hand.
It takes two parties to enter into an agreement, and the compromise must be palatable for both.
This also applies to the defense agreements the US enters into with the Nordic countries. The first was with Norway last year. In recent weeks, agreements with Sweden and Finland have fallen into place.
And today it was announced that the superpower and Denmark have finally come to an end with the negotiations, which
have been going on since just before Russia entered Ukraine.
[...]
And from Jyllands-Posten
9/12/2023 AT 12:45 p.m
Expert on defense cooperation with the USA: Denmark has gone further than during the Cold War – and this will create a reaction from the Russians
The Americans have a clear agenda with the agreement, which gives access to Danish airforce stations, explains Peter Viggo Jakobsen.
The new defense cooperation with the USA 'marks a new breakthrough in Danish defense policy', explained Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Here she and Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen (V) announced the agreement which, among other things,
means that American soldiers and equipment can be stationed at the air stations in Karup, Skrydstrup and Aalborg.
'It is absolutely correct that this is a new marriage.
We have agreed to something we did not want during the Cold War. It is of course about the war in Ukraine, but
it probably would have come anyway because the Americans have such a great interest in this collaboration,' says Peter Viggo Jakobsen, associate professor at the Norwegian Defense Academy.
But from Arbejderen.dk there is an article that explains not all agree:
The Danish Defense Committee warned against foreign troops on Danish soil
Activists from the Peace Initiative were represented in the Danish Parliament's Defense Committee. Here they warned the parties' defense representatives about the consequences of giving the green light to the establishment of American bases on Danish territory.
It was not green youth that argued:
Tove Jensen (left) and Birgit Sørensen (right) from the Peace Initiative on their way to a meeting with the Danish Parliament's Defense Committee, where the two peace activists warned against opening up American military bases on Danish soil.
ML@ARBEJDEREN.DK
18 DECEMBER 2023 | 06:06
On Thursday afternoon, two peace activists from the Peace Initiative's base campaign 'No to USA bases' were represented in the Danish Parliament's Defense Committee.
Here they warned the parties' defense representatives about the consequences of giving the green light to the establishment of American bases on Danish territory.
- The Danish government is currently negotiating with the USA about an agreement that
opens up American bases and the permanent stationing of American troops on Danish soil, says Birgit Sørensen, active in the Peace Initiative.
With her was Tove Jensen, who is also active in the Peace Initiative.
- The negotiations and plans for an American military base in Denmark create great insecurity in the parts of the Danish public who are familiar with the impending agreement.
We want transparency and want to know the reasons for Denmark's need to enter into such an agreement with the world's biggest war machine, the USA. Such an agreement will mean that Denmark joins the US's base empire, and opens Denmark up to foreign troops, warns Tove Jensen.
Next, there are more notes from the news coverage of the event that announced the agreement. There will be some repetition, but considering the importance of the day, I think it is okay.
LIVE: American soldiers can be stationed in Denmark with a new agreement
The USA is in full swing entering into defense cooperation with the Nordic countries.
TODAY AT 13:57
USA er i fuld gang med at indgå forsvarssamarbejder med de nordiske lande.
www.dr.dk
Overview: This means the agreement with the United States
The USA can station American soldiers and store material on Danish soil.
Concretely, the soldiers can be stationed at three Danish air stations: Skrydstrup, Karup and Aalborg.
The government cannot answer how many American soldiers are expected in Denmark. But they will be evident in the streets, and you will meet them in Brugsen supermarket, says the Prime Minister.
The agreement is scheduled to enter into force in one year's time.
It is irrevocable for ten years. So even if Denmark wants to get rid of the American soldiers in five years, it cannot be done.
The USA will not be able to place cluster bombs or nuclear weapons in Denmark.
Greenland and the Faroe Islands are not covered by the agreement.
If an American soldier commits a crime in Denmark, it will be the American authorities who must prosecute him - not the Danish ones.
Expert: New agreement makes Nato stronger
NATO stands stronger against Russia with the defense agreements that the US has entered into with countries such as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
This is according to Sten Rynning, professor of war studies and director of the Danish Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Southern Denmark.
- It is the point of the agreements that NATO and not least the USA must have easier access to bring troops right up to the immediate area close to Russia, so that the Russians cannot attack into NATO territory without expecting strong resistance.
It closes, so to speak, a gap in NATO's ability to deter an attack from Russia.
Because if you don't want to deter the Russians with nuclear weapons, you have to use something else, he says.
- It is conventional forces that can roll all the way to the border and ensure that the Russians do not roll forward. It requires an enormous amount of logistics and a great deal of muscle power to lift troops from west to east under NATO auspices.
- Denmark is just on the main road towards the Baltic countries, and that is what this agreement is about. The Americans will use the three air stations to move troops close to NATO's border.
A voice of protest, just one:
Enhedslisten: This is completely unheard of
The new defense agreement between Denmark and the USA causes great concern in the Enhedslisten.
Foreign affairs rapporteur Trine Perthou Mach calls it 'incredibly worrying'.
- It is incredibly worrying to give up sovereignty in this way to a foreign power, which must now have soldiers stationed on Danish territory, but where it is regulated by the USA and not by the Danish authorities.
But the defense minister says there is full control over what the Americans are doing. So what is there to worry about?
- I haven't read the agreement closely yet, but part of the discussion in the other Nordic countries is whether Danish authorities can have inspection rights. Can we investigate whether the Americans are complying with the agreements? Can we be sure there are no nuclear and cluster weapons? That interrogations are not carried out with torture? What happens if an American commits something criminal in Denmark - and why aren't Danish authorities supposed to investigate it?, she says.
In particular, the legal situation if an American soldier commits a crime in Denmark is worrying.
- If a Danish woman is raped and the main suspect is an American, it will not be the Danish authorities who have to investigate it. It must then be American authorities according to American law. It is completely unheard of, she says.
To counter the protest from the left and green party, Enhedslisten. If you asked the Danes who they prefer to be occupied by, the US or Russia, 94 % would, at a guess, say the US. Well, now they have their wish fulfilled, though it will take time before the agreement is ironed out with changes to current Danish/EU legislation.
The liberal left party, De Radikale, are slightly worried, but not really:
Radicals: Two things give cause for concern
The Radicals support the defense agreement the government has entered into with the United States.
This is according to Foreign Minister Christian Friis Bach, who calls the agreement necessary and important.
But even so, he has concerns about the agreement on a principled level:
- There are two things where there is cause for concern. One is the weapons we don't want: cluster bombs and nuclear weapons.
But how will they control that none of those weapons will be stored, well it is also his main concern:
- The second is crime committed by American soldiers on Danish soil. We want them to be prosecuted in Denmark. We hope the Americans will allow that, he says.
The government made it clear at a press conference earlier today that the agreement does not allow the Americans to store either nuclear weapons or cluster bombs in Denmark.
The agreement means that American soldiers who commit crimes on Danish soil must basically be prosecuted in the USA. And that is what Christian Friis Bach is worried about.
- The Americans have a rule of law and a strong legal system. They can prosecute their own citizens and that is what they want.
- But we want the citizens who commit crimes here to be punished here. We hope the Americans will make it possible, and we must push for that, he says.
TODAY AT 12:29 p.m
Expert: Russia will be angry - but mostly at other Nordic countries
The Russians will be angry about the new defense agreement between the USA and Denmark, says Peter Viggo Jakobsen, associate professor at the Defense Academy.
But it is not the Danish agreement that will excite the Russians the most, he estimates.
- What especially scares them is that the Americans will now have access to Finland. This brings the US very close to the Russian nuclear submarines and warships that can carry nuclear weapons, and which are supposed to deter the Americans from attacking Russia with nuclear weapons.
- So the closer you get to the Russian border, the angrier the Russians get. After all, we are in the middle of nowhere, so it will be the other Nordic countries that take most of the grumbling from Russia, he says.
He is right about Russia, but also naive, or speaking against his better judgement when he says: "
we are in the middle of nowhere", considering that the narrow Danish Straits are used for war ships of both countries. How is that in the middle of nowhere?!? On the other hand, if the deal has to be sold to the public, which it will come hell fire or high water, his statement is wise. Symbolically, however,
Iceland, which was part of Denmark until 1944, witnessed a significant vulcanic eruption last night and this morning.
Volcano erupts in Iceland after series of earthquakes | DW News
So much for hell fire, and there is an unusual and fresh warning out for high water in the seas around Denmark as a result of a storm. In short nothing to worry about. It is just like in a movie, as the guy from Island states regarding the eruption.
TODAY AT 12:18 p.m
Expert: The Americans will be able to send planes really, really quickly to Europe
The US has now entered into defense agreements with a number of European countries. Now also Denmark.
Many of the agreements give the Americans access to air stations, and there is a reason for that, assesses Peter Viggo Jakobsen, associate professor at the Defense Academy.
- The USA is in the process of making itself capable of being able to send planes really, really quickly to Europe in a war situation in order to deter a Russian attack on a NATO country.
- It is necessary to have many different air stations for that. With the missile threat, you make a nice target for the Russians if you have many planes gathered at one base.
- When you can spread your planes over almost all NATO countries, the Russians don't really have anything to shoot at, he says.
TODAY AT 12:00
Troels Lund Poulsen: It will not be a mini-USA
Although the Americans will now have the opportunity to station soldiers and store material at three Danish air stations, there will be no question of the air stations becoming American in practice.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen emphasizes this.
- We are not creating a mini-USA. It is a cooperation agreement in which the Americans comply with our international obligations. But having said that, the Americans must have the opportunity to store material to the extent that they think it makes sense.
TODAY AT 11:55
What does Denmark get out of it?
The US will therefore be able to station soldiers in Denmark and store equipment at three Danish air stations.
But what does Denmark get out of the agreement?
This gives defense correspondent Mads Korsager a suggestion for:
- The advantages for Denmark are – roughly speaking – that the better relations we have with the USA, the safer Denmark is. Denmark is not a strong military power, but if we follow in the wake of the USA, then Denmark will become a safer place, because the USA is the world's strongest military power.
- By virtue of that friendship alone, it is a strengthening of Danish security, he says.
TODAY AT 11:50
Defense correspondent: I paid attention to that
DR's defense correspondent, Mads Korsager, followed the entire press conference.
He is particularly adamant that it is three named air stations that will form the framework for defense cooperation.
The USA will be able to station soldiers and place equipment at the three air stations.
- It actually makes good sense. All the airfields are large geographically, there is plenty of space to establish an American presence, and they are also fairly well guarded, says Mads Korsager.
TODAY AT 11:39
The agreement is valid for ten years - no matter what
The agreement must first be completely in place here in Denmark before it comes into force.
Among other things, some legislation must be changed, and therefore part of it must go through the parliament first.
The government therefore expects the agreement to come into force in a year's time, says the Minister of Defence.
And then it will apply for ten years. No matter what. The agreement is irrevocable for the first ten years.
So even if, in a few years, the Danish government wishes to send American soldiers home, it cannot be done.
- We are looking at a very tense situation in our immediate area. Therefore, I think we should be happy about this agreement, which also extends forward, says Troels Lund Poulsen.
And who created "the very tense situation in our immediate area"? The US will give you the "correct answer", no doubt.
TODAY AT 11:35
Who should prosecute US soldiers?
One of the major discussions in other countries where the United States has entered into similar defense agreements is who should prosecute American soldiers if they commit crimes.
For example, in Germany there has been a situation where an American soldier had killed a German. He is being tried by a court-martial in the United States instead of a German court.
And as a starting point, it will also be like this that the Americans prosecute themselves, says Mette Frederiksen:
- It will basically be the case that the Americans themselves can prosecute if something were to happen. Unless Denmark in a concrete situation considers that we want it differently, says Mette Frederiksen.
TODAY AT 11:32
The Danes will meet American soldiers in Brugsen [Brugsen is a common supermarket chain]
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will not put a concrete number on how many American soldiers can come to Denmark, because it depends on the situation.
But it becomes clear that they are going to be here:
- You will get to see American soldiers on Danish soil, and you will also be able to hear that when you shop in Brugsen, says the Prime Minister.
- It will change the streetscape, the places where they will be. And we are looking forward to that, it says.
TODAY AT 11:28
No cluster bombs or nukes
The Minister of Defense says that one must continuously discuss with the United States what the American presence in Denmark should look like.
But all activities must take place in coordination with the Danish defense and with respect for Danish sovereignty and legislation.
- The same applies in relation to the storage of certain types of weapons, which of course must respect Denmark's obligations under international law.
- It is relevant in relation to, for example, cluster bombs. And nothing changes Danish policy on storing nuclear weapons on Danish territory, says Troels Lund Poulsen.
There is a precedence in Denmark when it comes to US to say no officially, and allow it unofficially. If it comes out, it will be said that it was in just a transit to Poland or similar.
In another article published yesterday, there was:
Finland allows American soldiers to come very close to the border with Russia
The new agreement gives the US military unhindered access to a number of military areas and buildings in countries close to Russia.
By
Rasmus Christiansen
YESTERDAY AT 09:23
Several countries close to Russia, both before and after the invasion of Ukraine, have given the green light for American soldiers to be stationed in their countries. And today a new country joins the list.
Because today an agreement on greater defense cooperation between the USA and Finland is being officially signed.
This allows American forces to get very close to the border with Russia.
Today, the agreement will be formally signed, after which it must be officially approved by the legislatures of the two countries.
- The agreement makes cooperation and operations easier and faster to organize in peacetime. It will also be vital in times of crisis, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said last week when the agreement was announced.
Included in the agreement is a list of 15 facilities and areas to which the US military will have unfettered access and which it can use to store military equipment and ammunition.
These include four air stations, a military port, and access via rail to northern Finland, where the US military can use an area for storage.
An area that is a few hours' drive from the border with Russia, writes the Reuters news agency.
Agreement also concluded with Sweden
Finland, which became a NATO member earlier this year, is far from the only country to have entered into such an agreement with the United States.
On December 6, Sweden entered into a similar agreement.
The agreement gives US forces access to 17 areas and facilities, including four air stations, a port and five military bases.
Unlike Finland, however, Sweden is still waiting for them to be approved as a NATO member.
In addition, the United States has made similar agreements with Norway, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Estonia.
The Danish government is also in the process of negotiating a similar cooperation with the USA.
Will not store nuclear weapons
The American presence in Finland can be made permanent, but there are currently no plans for that, the Finnish government says.
The agreement states that Finland will not allow nuclear weapons, biological weapons or anti-personnel mines - a type of mine designed to kill or maim people - to be stored or transported on Finnish territory.
According to Reuters,
Finland is also in the process of improving its railway infrastructure around the border with Sweden, which should make it easier for the countries' allies to send forces and equipment to cities that are close to the border with Russia.
The Russian government has repeatedly criticized Finland's NATO membership and warned that it risks escalating the conflict further.
President Putin echoed that criticism in an interview with Russian state television that aired Sunday.
- The West has taken Finland and drawn them into Nato. Why? We solved all the problems we had with Finland a long time ago. There were no problems, but there will be now, Putin said.
The above agreements prepares the US to protect its interests in Europe, in case of a collapse of NATO. If NATO is broken, it will allow for Ukraine style proxy engagements, without committing to article 5 and involve a greater area than the US can afford. Moreover, if Russia/Ukraine is no longer an issue, it will allow for conflict in Western Europe itself.
The new agreements with Sweden, Finland and Denmark mark a development, but then, at least
in the case of Denmark, the government has been more than willing to take initiatives on Ukraine in the direction of more war and less peace, with rather few people protesting both the military aid and the massive funding, all made at the expense of the local citizens. It can be concluded that all is as it should be in a country Shakespeare's play Hamlet brought to notice, even if it is hard to rejoice when people accept manipulation and lies.
It is worth noting that Kaliningrad is now practically encircled, while the access to the Russian city of Saint Petersburg, is in a dormant siege from the side of the Baltic sea, that can be activated any time. This was also signaled by the bombing of the Nord Stream pipeline that followed the first wargames with US military presence on the Island of Bornholm in 2022, thus breaking an agreement made with the Soviet Union, about not having US soldiers on that island. The US and Denmark broke the spirit of the agreement, but held onto the claim they did not break its letter, since the Soviet Union no longer exists. I guess that is how snakes perpetuate what they call peace.