http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26791044
QuoteNorway's ex-PM Jens Stoltenberg has been appointed Nato's next secretary general, replacing Denmark's Anders Fogh Rasmussen
He will take over as leader of the 28-nation military alliance in October, when Mr Rasmussen steps down after a Nato summit in Wales.
Mr Rasmussen has headed Nato for the past five years.
Mr Stoltenberg was prime minister of Norway at the time of Anders Breivik's bomb and gun attacks in 2011.
Breivik killed 77 people when he targeted government buildings in Oslo and young people and officials at a youth camp run by Mr Stoltenberg's Labour party.
Continue reading the main story
Meet Nato's new chief
Mr Rasmussen said on Twitter that Mr Stoltenberg was "the right man to build on Nato's record of strength and success".
He added that the Ukraine crisis demonstrated the need for Nato to show strong and determined leadership.
Mr Rasmussen expressed concern on Friday about the "huge military build-up" by Russian forces on Ukraine's borders.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Norway's ex-prime minister would "bring a wealth of experience to this role at the helm of the transatlantic alliance and he will take over during a crucial year in the history of the organisation".
As well as tackling the crisis in Ukraine, Mr Cameron said he would lead the withdrawal of Nato-led forces in Afghanistan at the end of the year.
In its statement, Nato said: "Mr Stoltenberg will assume his functions as secretary general as from 1 October 2014, when Mr Fogh Rasmussen's term expires after five years and two months at the helm of the alliance."
This
IS so going to rile up the moron brigade in Norway it's almost worth losing a great leader.
The Secretary General has determined that misspelling is dangerous to your butt.
fanboi
Anyways, time for "House of Giske"
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmultimedia.dn.no%2Farchive%2F00177%2FLB_Trond_Giske_32_177185c.jpg&hash=12788016dd194a4432b26a5531f678fc2e02c14e) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trond_Giske)
and 12 years of Blue-Blue government.
Quote from: The Brain on March 28, 2014, 02:51:42 PM
The Secretary General has determined that misspelling is dangerous to your butt.
Better?
And forgetting words in sentences isn't misspelling, it's called "ageing".
Quote from: Norgy on March 28, 2014, 02:54:36 PM
Quote from: The Brain on March 28, 2014, 02:51:42 PM
The Secretary General has determined that misspelling is dangerous to your butt.
Better?
And forgetting words in sentences isn't misspelling, it's called "ageing".
I haven't read the OP.
He's the most inoffensive mangina I can imagine but he should know a thing or 2 about how Russians roll. :hmm: Which is what NATO needs right now.
Quote from: Legbiter on March 28, 2014, 03:02:28 PM
He's the most inoffensive mangina I can imagine but he should know a thing or 2 about how Russians roll. :hmm: Which is what NATO needs right now.
well, did he learn that sucking up to russia over shtockman was bound to fail?
Are we trending toward a Scandi-only NATO rule, much like the IMF must be headed by a Yuro and the World Bank by a Yank?
It seems like a nice sinecure. Let's not kid ourselves though: The US President is the leader of NATO.
Quote from: Neil on March 28, 2014, 03:07:46 PM
It seems like a nice sinecure. Let's not kid ourselves though: The US President is the leader of NATO.
True, and that's why Stoltenberg's ability to win friends and influence people might be a good thing. He won't decide much, just continue building. His father was a top-notch foreign minister.
Quote from: Norgy on March 28, 2014, 03:12:30 PM
Quote from: Neil on March 28, 2014, 03:07:46 PM
It seems like a nice sinecure. Let's not kid ourselves though: The US President is the leader of NATO.
True, and that's why Stoltenberg's ability to win friends and influence people might be a good thing. He won't decide much, just continue building. His father was a top-notch foreign minister.
Yeah, daddy really aced that Yugoslavia peace negotiation thing.
Political dynasties. :yucky:
Quote from: Viking on March 28, 2014, 03:07:03 PM
Quote from: Legbiter on March 28, 2014, 03:02:28 PM
He's the most inoffensive mangina I can imagine but he should know a thing or 2 about how Russians roll. :hmm: Which is what NATO needs right now.
well, did he learn that sucking up to russia over shtockman was bound to fail?
Wasn't that some joint-development gas deal with the Russkies that fell through?
Quote from: Neil on March 28, 2014, 03:07:46 PM
It seems like a nice sinecure. Let's not kid ourselves though: The US President is the leader of NATO.
Of course, but he still needs able managers. Stoltenberg seems to fit the bill.
Quote from: Legbiter on March 28, 2014, 03:20:03 PM
Quote from: Viking on March 28, 2014, 03:07:03 PM
Quote from: Legbiter on March 28, 2014, 03:02:28 PM
He's the most inoffensive mangina I can imagine but he should know a thing or 2 about how Russians roll. :hmm: Which is what NATO needs right now.
well, did he learn that sucking up to russia over shtockman was bound to fail?
Wasn't that some joint-development gas deal with the Russkies that fell through?
Basically Helge Lund and Stoltenberg bend over backwards to suck russian dick to get a share of the field to feed gas to melkeøya gas terminal. Then, once statoil had planned out the deep sea operations he russians backed out and kept the plans. Then shale gas hit and the whole thing got cancelled, since the amreekans no longer needed gas.
Quote from: Viking on March 28, 2014, 03:24:12 PMBasically Helge Lund and Stoltenberg bend over backwards to suck russian dick to get a share of the field to feed gas to melkeøya gas terminal. Then, once statoil had planned out the deep sea operations he russians backed out and kept the plans. Then shale gas hit and the whole thing got cancelled, since the amreekans no longer needed gas.
So practical experience in how playing nice dosen't work on Russians. :lol:
Quote from: Viking on March 28, 2014, 03:16:46 PM
Quote from: Norgy on March 28, 2014, 03:12:30 PM
Quote from: Neil on March 28, 2014, 03:07:46 PM
It seems like a nice sinecure. Let's not kid ourselves though: The US President is the leader of NATO.
True, and that's why Stoltenberg's ability to win friends and influence people might be a good thing. He won't decide much, just continue building. His father was a top-notch foreign minister.
Yeah, daddy really aced that Yugoslavia peace negotiation thing.
It didn't go well. We both are aware of that. :)
Quote from: Legbiter on March 28, 2014, 03:29:16 PM
Quote from: Viking on March 28, 2014, 03:24:12 PMBasically Helge Lund and Stoltenberg bend over backwards to suck russian dick to get a share of the field to feed gas to melkeøya gas terminal. Then, once statoil had planned out the deep sea operations he russians backed out and kept the plans. Then shale gas hit and the whole thing got cancelled, since the amreekans no longer needed gas.
So practical experience in how playing nice dosen't work on Russians. :lol:
one can only hope so
Quote from: Norgy on March 28, 2014, 03:29:34 PM
Quote from: Viking on March 28, 2014, 03:16:46 PM
Quote from: Norgy on March 28, 2014, 03:12:30 PM
Quote from: Neil on March 28, 2014, 03:07:46 PM
It seems like a nice sinecure. Let's not kid ourselves though: The US President is the leader of NATO.
True, and that's why Stoltenberg's ability to win friends and influence people might be a good thing. He won't decide much, just continue building. His father was a top-notch foreign minister.
Yeah, daddy really aced that Yugoslavia peace negotiation thing.
It didn't go well. We both are aware of that. :)
well, here's hoping he sticks to arranging invitations and seating arrangements at the nato summits.
top tip, don't place the greeks next to the turks, or the danes next to the canadians.
Fair enough. You don't like him. But a look at SIAN's Facebook group or just any random discussion makes the last sentence of your profile a blatant lie.
Just thought you'd like to know, since you are all about "facts".
Quote from: Norgy on March 28, 2014, 03:44:38 PM
Fair enough. You don't like him. But a look at SIAN's Facebook group or just any random discussion makes the last sentence of your profile a blatant lie.
Just thought you'd like to know, since you are all about "facts".
Never been to SIAN's facebook, but it seems you have.
Edit: I don't dislike him, I am eminently neutral about him. He's so blatantly neutral and bland on everything without having passion, drive, ideas or values. He's a follower not a leader and he has steered the path of least resistance from the beginning. Personally I'd prefer he stayed on as AP leader long enough for somebody capable of replacing him. Right now it seems they are railroading Jonas Gahr Støre into the job. He's like Stoltenberg only without the organizational or political skills or nouse but with meetings with HAMAS on his resumé. Giske is the Tammany operator of Norwegian politics and a scumbag unlike any other, and he will prevail.
I don't think I can support someone who used the slogan 'Jens we can'.
Quote from: Sheilbh on March 29, 2014, 01:43:05 AM
I don't think I can support someone who used the slogan 'Jens we can'.
It's pronounced Yens, if that helps...
When I read "Stoltenberg", my first thought is always the former minister president of Schleswig-Holstein and Federal German finance and defense minister, Gerhard Stoltenberg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Stoltenberg
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heise.de%2Ftp%2Fartikel%2F37%2F37753%2F37753_1.jpg&hash=3abd9514f7d1cc96fc98fc7d8c76c585f78d5452)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kas.de%2Fwf%2Fdoc%2Fkas_20546-1290-1-30_90.jpg&hash=9b170f10a39a0afd31bb7135d98dfc4f12b908cc)
"Politics must serve the people!"
Guy can't take a dump without General Breedlove's permission anyway. Who gives a shit who the secretary is, the SACEUR has all the juice.
Quote from: Syt on March 29, 2014, 03:32:38 AM
When I read "Stoltenberg", my first thought is always the former minister president of Schleswig-Holstein and Federal German finance and defense minister, Gerhard Stoltenberg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Stoltenberg
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heise.de%2Ftp%2Fartikel%2F37%2F37753%2F37753_1.jpg&hash=3abd9514f7d1cc96fc98fc7d8c76c585f78d5452)
Handsome fellow. :swiss: