The main coalition governing party, the Independence party (a Conservativ/Libertarian/Christan Democrat), my party, is more pro-US, and we will try that we can to keep the US here, so if a rift occurs between Europe and the EU (wich we are not part of, thank God, hence the name of my party) sometime in the future, we would fall on the US side. But the Progressives, and specially the evil Socialdemocratic Union are trying to tow us more towards Old Europe.
It is of utmost importance that the US will keep their agreement with us, because if they don´t, they will prove the leftists/kommies rigth about that their presence here was not to protect Iceland (and all democratic nations) like my party argued, but to fulfill their own selfish reasons and would toss us aside like a used rag when the need would pass by.
That would mean irreversable political harm to my party, currently and traditionally the biggest party in the country, and maybe eventually lead us into the arms of the Imperialistic EU choking hold. We would propably have to make an agreement with NATO for protecting the country, and although that maybe does not sound that bad, it would eventually plough the way for a participation in the EU defence project. Need I remind you that the whole purpose of EU and all its projects is Anti-Americanism.
So now I ask you please use your political powers to keep the joint Icelandic defence agreement from 1951 and pressure your government to finish the agreement. I can, and propably most Independence party members, agree on increased Icelandic participation in our own defences, and increased participation in the cost of running the Keflavík airfield, but such an agreement needs to be based on the old agreement and its role as a joint cooperational defence agreement benefitting both, not as we would essentially be buying a service from the US military.
I want to remind you on our support for the Afganistan war (we sent peacekeepers there) and the Iraq war (we sent bomb experts as a part of peacekeeping effort there) like ridiguled in Michael´s Moore film. It is better to have something to say about our foreign policy by beeing a loyal ally of the US and all about our internal affairs than having no control over neither as if we would be part of the EU, wich could be eventual consecuense of not striking a good agreement with the US of A.
Fredonia ping?
How could they force us?
The Icelanders have been reading Canadian newspapers.
This would seem to be a good time to raid Denmark, Belgium and France to recover lost Danegeld. Then you could buy your own defense.
I don't know much about this at all, but from what I can gather the U.S. is wanting to withdraw a base from Iceland?
If that's the case, I don't think we should withdraw. Iceland would be strategic for missle defense. Again I have no idea of the background of the story.
Agreed. I would like to see Iceland remain a part of the North American alliance, which right now consists of, well, the US and Iceland. (Canada and Mexico aren't so sure where they stand, I think they would both join the EU if they could)...
Seriously, Iceland is wise to keep its options open in the way that, say, Poland and others have done, playing to the EU on the one hand, but maintaining an alliance with the US at the same time. Poland would disappear into the EU if they didn't maintain their own independent foreign policy, and their importance to the US is increased by the fact that they are an independent voice within the EU. They are playing a smart hand of poker by playing both sides of the street.
But EU membership would probably choke Iceland with all of its rules and regs that may or may not be well suited to Iceland. Poland is already being threatened with punishment by the EU for not following Brussels in certain domestic policies as you probably know.
I say The US out of Iceland and Iceland out of...the...hell, that don't work either!
I have been to Iceland several times on vacation, and passed through many more when connecting to other flights. One of the most beautiful places in the world.
Pass the rotten shark and let's drink some black death to the spirit of the vikings.
No kidding!!! They aren't going to force the US to do anything.