Alan Minyard wrote in
:
On Sat, 08 Nov 2003 03:36:31 GMT, "Bjørnar Bolsøy"
wrote:

http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02040207.htm

"Rumsfeld Thanks Norway for "Wonderful" Anti-terror Support

In response to a question, Devold revealed that Norway
has offered F-16 fighter jets for Operation Enduring
Freedom, and it "plans to be able to go together with
Denmark and Netherlands with a deployment of F-16s if
we are needed later on this year."

[..]


Latter on this year??

No, last year as you might notice. The operation ended in
april this year. Our 6 F-16s flew 488 missions and spent
3000hrs in the air. We even dropped bombs, which marks
the first time we've ever engaged in air combat since WW2.

Looking back at 5o years of a purely defensive policy it
was a very important milestone for us to even send
weaponsystems to an offensive campaign in the first place,
one which naturally caused a heavy national debate.


Oh, you mean after there is no need for
them, and no threat to them.

The way it works is that we offer our support, usually of
defensive form, to our allies. Then we -migth- be put into
the plan and called when we are needed.

In this case the US accepted and we were later called in
as part of the EPAF (European Participating Air Forces).




Regards...