US military returns to Iceland

Iceland Review ^ | October 13, 2006 | Staff

[Truth29]

10/13/2006 | 12:07

US military returns to Iceland

The USS WASP, a 40,000-ton US navy multipurpose amphibious assault ship, pulled a shore in Reykjavík harbor yesterday. “The purpose of this visit is to show support,” Lt. Commander George Segal told icelandreview.com. Phil Kosnett, of the US Embassy in Iceland, added that the visit is in junction with the agreement between the two countries, signed last Wednesday in Washington. Lt. Commander Segal said Icelanders could expect more visits in the future to show that the US military will protect the country even in the absence of a military base.

  The USS WASP will be anchored in Iceland for four days. “We are glad to be here, we have heard fantastic things about Iceland,” said Captain Michael D. Hawley. While the 1,300-strong crew visits Reykjavík and bathes in the hot springs, Icelandic officials will have a chance to tour the ship. The Icelandic coast guard and police will have the opportunity to participate in military exercises.

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[talleyman]

"We're gonna start a war over ice! It's Bush's fault!"
(Am I the first?)

[GOPJ]

Does this mean the Russians can't do fly overs anymore?

[End Times Sentinel]

There was a lot of hand wringing over us pulling out of Keflavic, but really, it was more a testament to our global reach than anything else.

I did hear Keflavic was a plum assignment though.

Owl_Eagle

If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Truth29]

HAHA. I don't think so. This is just a port call. I'll bet the Russians do a fly over again just to tweak us until some agreement is reached with the Iceland government.

[monkeywrench]

Don't worry. Global warming will rid us of the 'iceland problem' before that ever happens.

[used2BDem]

"I did hear Keflavic was a plum assignment though."

You heard correctly. I was there from 82-87 and LOVED it!

[zarf]

I'd like to spend an evening with Bjork doing the nasty, but what else do we need Iceland for?

[ExtremeUnction]

A family from Iceland used to live across the street from us. The mom had four daughters. Every woman in the family was drop-dead gorgeous. My wife wouldn't let me go outside without her permission.

[Maeve]

Well, after the Russian jets buzzed Alaska and the recent North Pole nuke-war-games of the Russians, maybe we are having second thoughts about our need for military presence in Iceland.

[Truth29]

Ping

[Truth29]

Well, Bjork is not the only asset that Iceland has (most are a lot more blonde). But seriously, there are many articles posted on FR about Iceland (key word Iceland) debating the Keflavik negotiations, but the short version is that IMO we terminated a long term basing defense relationship even when the host government was doing everything possible to get us to stay; we have endangered a US oriented governing coalition and may well get a hostile leftist government in Iceland in '07, and the world situation is so unstable that a continued presence in the North Atlantic is prudent.

[Joe Boucher]

Let's see, Keflavic or bagdad, Keflavic or Kabul?
Nah, I know I want to go to Iceland, besides the females in Iceland don't wear tents over their whole bodies, The females in Iceland don't smell like goats and have at least a little to do with the 21st century.

[Lexinom]

Ah, the land of meatspread sandwiches... Did we at one time have a base there?

[BJClinton]

While the 1,300-strong crew visits Reykjavík

Luckiest. Sailors. Ever.

[Theoden]

I'm glad to see us showing some support. It was a nice gesture.

[donmeaker]

The women there are astoundingly beautiful, and there is no stigma to bastardy.

Wow! just WoW!

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

One oddity from the 1960s that I heard from a friend: Keflavik was the only Air Force posting that was "whites only." Seems the Icelanders didn't want any dark-skinned folks showing up.

Story is that Nixon told Iceland's Defense Minister, "You either accept who we send to Keflavik, or we fly patrol planes out of Greenland and Scotland."

Maybe he was bluffing. But Iceland didn't want to find out.

[Tommyjo]

The Russians announce their strategic aviation flights to both the US/NATO. They then fly them in the time-frame window announced. This has been going on for years as part of a confidence building measure. The only time in recent years that they didn't pre-announce was at the end of the Kosovo campaign. They circumnavigated Iceland back then.