Stoltenberg has shown the way. Hurray for Norway!
Stoltenberg, Støre and Trump (screenshot from Times News)
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre went through a continuous storm and series of defeats in the first three years and three months of his reign.
But then Jens Stoltenberg came in as Finance Minister, and suddenly the gray stones have turned to gold.
The Christian Conservatives in Norway snorted at me on February 4th when I declared in a Viewpoint article on our new Israelfriends page, just one hour after the presentation of Støre's pure Labour Party crew:
«Stoltenberg will take seriously the signals from Trump about the future of Israel and the Middle East. I really think that the experienced foreign policy expert Jonas Gahr Støre will appreciate that.
Our position is that the new Støre government could be a blessing for Israel. Let's give this government a fair chance.»
Witnessing Trump's press conference in the Oval Office yesterday, along with his Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of Defense, and with Støre and Stoltenberg from Norway, was a real pleasure,
As I wrote on February 4th about Stoltenberg:
«As NATO chief, he built a trusting relationship with Trump 1. Signals from the first days of Trump 2 indicate that the trust between Trump and Stoltenberg is maintained. This is worth its weight in gold for Norway and Støre.
In contrast to Støre's first government, Støre/Stoltenberg bring a weight and insight that Støre/Eide has lacked.»
The fact that Erna Solberg and Sylvi Listhaug have unfortunately continued their negative crusade against Trump, even after his inauguration three months ago, indicates that they are playing for the Norwegian gallery. But we must learn that we do not achieve results by jumping when VG, Aftenposten, NRK and TV2 say jump. Their commentators are incompetent, and are aiming at likes and thumbs-up on social media. Encouraged by Vebjørn Selbekk's self-destructive crusade.
When I travel to Washington DC in a few days as a follow-up to my meetings in Israel with the Jewish state's government leaders and leading parliamentarians, I will not be acting in accordance with the Norwegian media, and not even with the Christian newspapers, all of whom are eager for increased government funding. They are no better than their secular media role models.
We must be results-oriented and have an open approach.
Stoltenberg has shown the way. Hurray for Norway!
