Thank you both Doc and Rocky. You are absolutely correct Doc.
One of the sadest thing I saw was when the long time editor of the conservative newspaper Morgunblaðið (www.mbl.is or Morning Paper in english) was talking in television recently. His position as the editor of this videly distributed paper has often been likened to a capinet ministry in itself, his powers are that strong.
The paper has stauncly supported the US during the whole Cold War and longer, but here in the television, I saw a broken man. His words, and specially how he said it, showed such a severe disapointment I could not do anything else than pity this strong man.
The fact was that he did not beliewe any longer in what he had his whole life work championed for and support, the US and defending their presence here. He, like many, truly beliewed in the US, but he seemed to have lost his belief.
That is very sad. It is indeed painful when a truly appreciative people are wounded by who they considered a friend. I believe the Icelandic people, like all people of Scandanavian origin, are very strong and will become stronger because of this. It must be seen as an opportunity for Iceland to grow its own defense capabilities. I'm from Canada, and I am sickened by the deterioration of Canadian forces becasue the Liberal government diverted defense dollars to social programs with the idea the U.S. would protect them militarily. Then Canada got to the point that they had to charter foreign military planes to transport their soldiers to Afghanistan. The new government is chagning all that now, and I think Iceland can do the same.