Defending Iceland?
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Defending Iceland?
Looking at the USAF web, and pics of Northern Viking exercise, take it in spite of the Naval Air Facility closing, the 56th RQS re locating to Lakenheath and the F-15 dets' gone, there is and will still see rotational deployments of USAFE or ACC aircraft to defend Icelandic Airspace?
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I spent a few months flying with Icelandics and posed the obviously stupid question of why not do it and pay for it themselves. This after endless propaganda about their wealth and cleverness etc.
Out came the begging bowl hands and wimpering voice "we are but a small poor nation etc"
Out came the begging bowl hands and wimpering voice "we are but a small poor nation etc"
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I believe there are Norwegian A/C deployed to Iceland??
France did have Mirages up there for a long period of time earlier this year, don't know if they are still there.
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Iceland self defence
The comment about 'we're so rich & clever' quickly changing to ' small poor nation' rang a loud personal note...
An Icelander I knew was still in mourning after his job making the fuel tanks for Kevlavik finished years before, and reckoned once the U.S. really pulled out it'd just be tumbleweed.
He also happened to be a thieving scrounging git, but I can't blame the whole of Iceland for that !
Does Iceland do anything towards it's defence, i.e. help fund deployments, support etc ?
An Icelander I knew was still in mourning after his job making the fuel tanks for Kevlavik finished years before, and reckoned once the U.S. really pulled out it'd just be tumbleweed.
He also happened to be a thieving scrounging git, but I can't blame the whole of Iceland for that !
Does Iceland do anything towards it's defence, i.e. help fund deployments, support etc ?
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
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Its biggest threat at the moment is the sinking Krona. I have not seen any mil whizzy stuff there since my 'return' in September. Astraeus is looking after them at the moment.
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I did meet some (well, 2) Icelandics at Kabul a few years ago. One was a crane driver (drove the German Army crane that worked the pan in front of AirForce1). I was told they were being looked after by the Noggies and that one had recently been promoted into the Norwegian Royal Gaurd (609, confirm please, over?!). The crane man had a beard of Billy Gibbons proportions and only grunted. He was about 6'10" tall and built like the Pontypool front row. Bit scary.
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France did have Mirages up there for a long period of time earlier this year, don't know if they are still there.
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I was told they were being looked after by the Noggies and that one had recently been promoted into the Norwegian Royal Gaurd (609, confirm please, over?!).
They ran Kaia 3-4 years ago as well.
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Iceland has an overseas rapid response unit, made up of people from the coast guard, police force and civilian medics. They were the ones trained by the Norwegian Army and then sent to Afghanistan. I think when they ran KAIA it was the Icelandic police.
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Defending Iceland?
"GMPG by the frozen peas,
81mm mortar battery back of the Viennettas...*
...sorted.
Dave
(*those wanting the full 'advert' experience can add either:
(A) A video endorsement by a bankrupt ex girl band member, or
(B) the phrase '...for everything else there's Mastercard'
Add/delete to taste - or lack of, enjoy!)
81mm mortar battery back of the Viennettas...*
...sorted.
Dave
(*those wanting the full 'advert' experience can add either:
(A) A video endorsement by a bankrupt ex girl band member, or
(B) the phrase '...for everything else there's Mastercard'
Add/delete to taste - or lack of, enjoy!)
I come from Iceland. Population is 300 000 and the area approaches the one of the UK.
Think !
Forget the assumed and inflated economical importance of Iceland, the country is virtually bankrupt at the moment.
In the 40ties, Iceland only got rid of 500+ years of Danish occupancy thanks to Hitler, Churchill and Roosevelt. There has never been a military.
Traditional defense of one's homeland is not something that occupies people very much these days.
However, Putin has shown himself from his worst side recently. He has demonstrated that Russia is not at all ready to participate in any new and better world order. This worries the peoples of Iceland, but it should worry NATO even more.
Russia's flights of Tupolevs (which have nuclear capabilities) is an unheard of (since the cold war) provocation, that no other country has practiced. Especially since targeted at a virtually un-defended country like Iceland. Americans would call it bullying.
History repeats it self. Shipping routes are as important as ever. Submarines are still important.
It only takes one big undemocratic country with a minority complex and a undereducated population to start the next big one.
And Iceland is gonna be in the middle of it.
Think !
Forget the assumed and inflated economical importance of Iceland, the country is virtually bankrupt at the moment.
In the 40ties, Iceland only got rid of 500+ years of Danish occupancy thanks to Hitler, Churchill and Roosevelt. There has never been a military.
Traditional defense of one's homeland is not something that occupies people very much these days.
However, Putin has shown himself from his worst side recently. He has demonstrated that Russia is not at all ready to participate in any new and better world order. This worries the peoples of Iceland, but it should worry NATO even more.
Russia's flights of Tupolevs (which have nuclear capabilities) is an unheard of (since the cold war) provocation, that no other country has practiced. Especially since targeted at a virtually un-defended country like Iceland. Americans would call it bullying.
History repeats it self. Shipping routes are as important as ever. Submarines are still important.
It only takes one big undemocratic country with a minority complex and a undereducated population to start the next big one.
And Iceland is gonna be in the middle of it.
Last edited by Gargleblaster; 4th Oct 2008 at 22:53.
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quote...
"..country with a minority complex and a undereducated population..."
I thought he WAS talking about Iceland...
I have worked for Air Atlanta for a few years, and have been to Iceland a few times...and if the rest of the Icelandics are anything like the "managers" in AAI...I wouldn't feed 'um!
But damn, they are a strategically sensitive island!
Lucky for them!
Cheers to all...FD...
"..country with a minority complex and a undereducated population..."
I thought he WAS talking about Iceland...
I have worked for Air Atlanta for a few years, and have been to Iceland a few times...and if the rest of the Icelandics are anything like the "managers" in AAI...I wouldn't feed 'um!
But damn, they are a strategically sensitive island!
Lucky for them!
Cheers to all...FD...
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Skoll is the word...
How about supplying cases of "brinnewinn" bottles to NATO forces...
Strange people really (but I have many good friends there)...
Was funny, many years ago, beer sales were illegal, but liquors were not.
I was always welcome, if importing the limit of 24 bottles of... Icelandic beer...
Everyone getting off the plane at KEF was bringing a case of beer.
xxx
Happy contrails
Strange people really (but I have many good friends there)...
Was funny, many years ago, beer sales were illegal, but liquors were not.
I was always welcome, if importing the limit of 24 bottles of... Icelandic beer...
Everyone getting off the plane at KEF was bringing a case of beer.
xxx
Happy contrails
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