That wasn't the case during WW2 or the Cold War and Russia still gets a bit touchy about NATO exercises in Norway - Norway is on the northern flank of any large scale conflict in Europe and can dominate the sea lanes from Russian naval bases in the far north and on the Baltic to the Atlantic.
Edit: 45 Commando Royal Marines, based in Arbroath in Scotland, were tasked with assisting with the defence of Norway for a lot of the Cold War and they still do a lot of training there:
Not sure how well this is known, but every year, Oslo sends a giant Christmas Tree to London to be lit up in Trafalgar Square. This started in 1947 and is a gesture of gratitude from Norway for British support during the Second World War.
Edit: Not far from the tree on the Mound there is the Norwegian Memorial which is a large boulder carried from Norway that has the inscription:
During the war years 1940-45 the Norwegian brigade and other army units were raised and trained in Scotland where we found hospitality, friendship and hope during dark years of exile. In grateful memory of our friends and allies on these isles.
[I went to University here in Edinburgh with a lot of Norwegians - so I have a distinct fondness for Norway and Norwegians].
That wasn't the case during WW2 or the Cold War and Russia still gets a bit touchy about NATO exercises in Norway - Norway is on the northern flank of any large scale conflict in Europe and can dominate the sea lanes from Russian naval bases in the far north and on the Baltic to the Atlantic.
Edit: 45 Commando Royal Marines, based in Arbroath in Scotland, were tasked with assisting with the defence of Norway for a lot of the Cold War and they still do a lot of training there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45_Commando