In October 2014, an unidentified vessel spotted off the Stockholm archipelago spurred Sweden’s largest mobilization since the Cold War and accusations that Russia was spying on the country. In Moscow, the deployment of United States Marines has been met with disdain. He also said the deployment made Norway a potential target for Moscow’s powerful arsenal, which includes nuclear weapons. In Norway, some lamented that the Marines’ arrival stood against the country’s traditions and threatened to make it a target of its much larger neighbor. Morten Harper, a leftist member of the local assembly that governs the area housing the military base, said the Marines’ arrival was ensnaring Norway into the United States’ “power struggle” with Russia.

Source: New York Times January 16, 2017 18:40 UTC