Iceland Unhappy U.S. Pulling Defenses Out

Chron.com ^ | March 16 2006 | KRISTA MAHR/AP

[knighthawk]

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — The United States, which has long provided Iceland with its only military force, has decided to withdraw most of its service members and all of its fighter jets and helicopters from the country later this year, the U.S. ambassador said Thursday.

Iceland's government, which had recently offered to pay some of the cost of its defense to try to keep U.S. forces here, said it regretted the decision.

In an interview with The Associated Press, U.S. Ambassador Carol van Voorst said she and Nicholas Burns, the U.S. under secretary of state, had told Prime Minister Haldor Asgrimsson and Foreign Minister Geir H. Haarde of the unilateral decision on Wednesday.

[inkling]

Sorry Björk, you're on your own.

[TXBSAFH]

Time for them to grow their own military. The troops are needed elsewhere.

[Gay State Conservative]

Good start.Pull all of our troops out of Germany,South Korea,etc.

And then listen to the squeals of protest!

[Sax]

"Iceland would be left with a small Coast Guard, which has two unarmed helicopters and an airplane."

Stop! Or we'll say "Stop!" again.

[Gingersnap]

"unilateral decision"

What other kind of decision would it be? Is Iceland footing the bill for any of this?

[Jeff Head]

A very strategic spot to leave undefended IMHO. I doubt Iceland has the manpower or the funds to effectively defend it...and it would be vital to our interests in the case of a major war requiring trans-atlantic shipments.

[domenad]

I think we need to station an entire battalion of Fashion Police there just to keep her from wearing stupid dresses.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Who's going to attack Iceland? The country is a fricking island just below the Arctic Circle.

[ConservativeBamaFan]

Good start.Pull all of our troops out of Germany,South Korea,etc.

Then station them along our southern AND northern borders.

[darkwing104]

Bummer, I was stationed there 89-90.

[dead]

I wouldn't slam Iceland. Though they haven't kicked in much in blood and treasure, they've been valued allies over the last century simply because of their location.

Plus they have weirdly hot chicks up there.

[sean327]

"Who's going to attack Iceland? The country is a fricking island just below the Arctic Circle."

Iceland is located near vital sea lanes. Control Iceland, your well on your way to controling the north Atlantic.

[Dog]

You take Iceland you choke off getting to Europe....I don't know if I like this move.

[frogjerk]

Who's going to attack Iceland? The country is a fricking island just below the Arctic Circle.

Argentina? Maybe Cuba will and then we'll be surrounded by Communists!

[Dog]

Read Red Storm Rising

[drjimmy]

A very strategic spot to leave undefended IMHO. I doubt Iceland has the manpower or the funds to effectively defend it...and it would be vital to our interests in the case of a major war requiring trans-atlantic shipments.

Absolutely. Iceland played a huge role in World War III--at least the one depicted by Tom Clancy in "Red Storm Rising."

[Altair333]

I have a hard time seeing why we can't keep 4 measley fighter planes there. Iceland provides coverage of a certain area of the Atlantic that is irreplacable. What if terrorists hijack a trans-Atlantic flight and we need to have fighter planes there ASAP?

[GAB-1955]

Iceland is a key place to defend the shipping routes to Europe. Admiral Dan Gallery writes about being stationed there with patrol planes in WW2.

[Mr. Lucky]

Apparently the U-Boat threat has subsided somewhat.