Americans walk out after Speech by Icelandic Member of Althingi

Iceland Review ^ | July 11, 2006 | Staff

[Truth29]

07/11/2006 | 10:17

Americans walk out after Speech by Icelandic Member of Althingi

Representatives of the United States walked out from a meeting of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly after Icelandic member of Althingi, Dagný Jónsdóttir, criticized how the US had notified Icelandic authorities that the American base in Keflavík would be closed.

Fréttabladid reports on the speech this morning. Dagný especially noted the short notice with which the American base would be closed. (On March 15 US deputy secretary of state, Nicholas Burns, had phoned the then Icelandic Foreign minister, Geir Haarde, and informed him that the US government had decided to pull its fighter jets and helicopter rescue squadron out of Iceland before October.

Previously talks had been conducted at the highest level between the Prime minister of Iceland and the President of the United States. Pundits in Iceland said: “At least they did not end it by sending an SMS.”)

Dagný Jónsdóttir, member of the Progressive party of Minister of foreign affairs, Valgerdur Sverrisdóttir, said in her speech that in Iceland operating like that was not considered good manners, not least in light of the fact that Icelanders had been strong supporters and allies of the US through the years. Dagný said that she had previously taken the matter up in a committee meeting but then the US representatives had shown no reaction. “I pointed out the situation in security in the North-Atlantic Ocean after the US had left Iceland”, Dagný says in an interview with Fréttabladid.

In the final meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Dagný took the matter up again to reaction from the Russians, the Canadians, the British and Scandinavian representatives. Still there was no word from the US representatives. “I don’t know whether it was a coincidence but as soon as I finished my speech [the US representatives] walked out of the meeting room” Dagný Jónsdóttir said.

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[Truth29]

If this is accurately reported, relations between Iceland and the US have deteriorated further over the future status of Keflavik.

[bmwcyle]

They only want us for our money.

[Ron in Acreage]

Follow the money. Our beses are economic engines wherever they are. They are very dependent on the flow of US dollars.

[MARKUSPRIME]

We had only 2 F-15's there. Yes 2.

[Theoden]

There were a few related articles posted on the base closure by an Icelandic FReeper. It does seem that the US government did not handle this as well as it should have, and that we are leaving Iceland vulnerable.

Of course, Iceland has no direct threats, for now. Iceland is strategically located in the North Atlantic, and is a stepping stone to Europe. It was a very important base during the Cold War. With the way things are now going in Russia under Putin, I don't think this was a smart move on our part to close the air base there. Iceland has been a good ally, and has been involved in Iraq and Afghanistan from the beginning.

[txroadhawg]

Our relations with iceland are getting cold?

[Truth29]

Ping

[vimto]

I think the Icelandic FReeper may have been Leifur.

[Truth29]

Ping

[E Rocc]

All their bases are belong to us?

-Eric

[bmwcyle]

They are just fly over in modern war. They are not needed anymore.

[ops33]

So, what exactly, is their beef? The article is a little vague.

[Truth29]

I have pinged Leifur. His comments are always very insightful and he lives in Iceland. I also agree that the US has not handled this well. We have snubbed an ally and left open the possibility that a military power not so friendly to us might offer to assist Iceland.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Dagný Jónsdóttir

Not what I'd name my kid... :)

[Realism]

but as soon as I finished my speech [the US representatives] walked out of the meeting room

Maybe they wanted to beat the rush in the parking lot.

[Red Badger]

Relations chill between US and Iceland...........

[Bringbackthedraft]

The U Boat threat is over, there are no convoys to protect. The bases are no longer needed.

[Truth29]

"So, what exactly, is their beef?"

Their main problem is the precipitous nature of our departure. Iceland had offered to pick up much of the cost of the base and start building up their domestic capabilities to take over operations. Their stated intentions were to assume both the cost and the operational responsibilities for the base in a seamless handover over time. For whatever reasons, the public reporting is that we were not interested and gave them short notice of the complete closure of the base which provides the only military defense of Iceland as well as most of their emergency response capabilities.

[jveritas]

Who is this no so friendly military power and why are they going to assist Iceland, and why does Iceland need any protection at the moment from anyone?