According to the polls the general elections in Norway on September 12 are likely to lead to a so-called “red-green” government coalition of the Workers’ Party (Arbeiterpartiet, Ap), the Socialist Left Party, (Sosialistisk Venstreparti, SV) and the environmentalist Centre Party (Senterpartiet, Sp). If this happens it may lead to a stridently anti-American foreign policy in Norway.

Chapter 13 of the SV party programme, entitled “Peace and Solidarity,” provides ample proof of the party’s anti-Americanism and its appeasement policy towards Muslim extremists.

Paragraph 13.1 of the chapter criticises the “preventive warfare and pre-emptive strikes” of the United States. This is further elaborated on in paragraph 13.18 calling for “the termination of Norway’s NATO membership” because Norway has to disentangle itself from the United States, “currently the greatest threat against World peace.” The latter allegation is made twice in the same paragraph, while not a word is said about al-Qaeda.

“NATO is reinforcing its military as well as political bonds to the currently greatest threat against World peace, the United States of America. […] The U.S. foreign policy is now what poses the greatest threat against World peace.”

Another criticism of the United States is that Washington does not want to endorse international treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Such criticism is remarkable from a party that is concerned that US foreign policy is violating the sovereign rights of other nations. Apparently the “sovereignty” of Iraq and Afghanistan to be oppressed by Saddam Hussein or the Taliban is more important than the sovereign right of the US to follow the decision of its majority in Congress and not endorse the Kyoto Protocol.

Does this mean that the SV favours oppression? Not at all, paragraph 13.6 states that the party intends to help all oppressed people to liberate themselves. Guess who is “one of the main causes of sub-development and the lack of progress” in the world? Conveniently the SV forgets the recent elections in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is worth  noting that the party recognises the right of the peoples of the world to decide their own economic and political development, except apparently that of the Americans to reject the Kyoto Protocol.

The SV “supports the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation,” wants “US-led occupying forces to be pulled out of Iraq, in order for a legitimate civilian government to be established” and “will make initiatives to counteract the US embargo against Cuba in order to reduce the negative impact on Cuban society.” Does this mean that Norway will soon follow Venezuela’s example and export cheap oil to Cuba? Perhaps it does, because according to the SV the oppressor of the Cubans is Washington, not Fidel Castro.

Will the SV soon be able to impose on Norway a foreign policy that defends petty dictators if only they are anti-American? The SV was founded in 1961 by a group of politicians that left the Workers’ Party (Ap) because it disagreed with the latter’s foreign policies. Contrary to the Ap, the founders of the SV were opposed to Norway’s NATO membership and opposed to joining the European Community. The present SV party programme is in line with the party’s history.

The Workers’ Party, which will be the biggest party in the red-green coalition that is likely to emerge in Norway after next week’s elections, is an outspoken proponent of Norway joining the European Union and has no problems with its NATO membership. Hence, SV leader Kristin Halvorsen will probably have to settle for less rigid policies than her party programme indicates. She has already indicated that she might be willing to do so, to the discontent of the hard core of her party. There is no doubt, however, that after 12 September a left-wing coalition in Oslo, which is only possible if the SV is part of it, will be less friendly to Washington and more appeasing to Muslim fundamentalism.