ABSTRACT
The author argues that a deeper examination of the relationship between aid organizations, local communities, militaries and political agendas needs to be conducted. He/she examines Norwegian humanitarian policy as it has developed over the past decade, discuss the emergence of the "Norwegian model", and assess the political climate in which these developments have taken place. Norway is one case among many, and due to its long standing interest in humanitarianism, it makes for an excellent illustration of the challenges confronted by states when trying to bridge state and humanitarian interests. The Norwegian approach to civil-military interaction is one that reflects important principles of action and behaviour towards and between civil and military actors, supporting and mirroring the concerns of many civilian organizations. In Afghanistan, Norwegian government officials were subjected to the strictest security regulations when compared with military and the non-governmental organization (NGO) actors. American government officials working at the Norwegian Provisional Reconstruction Team (PRT) had more freedom of movement.
