Norway to help defend Iceland

[Menydh]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have only one nation, to avoid issues of coordination?

Not that Iceland looks to me as a possible target for invasion, given its geographical location. Although it might have a geostrategical value that I ignore.

Fisheries? oil? an offshore strategic location of some kind between Europe and America?

What seems to be clear is that Icelanders don't have a sense that they might be possibly threatened. Otherwise they would have an army to defend themselves against possible hostilities.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Wouldn't it make more sense to have only one nation, to avoid issues of coordination?

No, I do not think so, that would make Iceland too dependent on one foreighn nation, as Norway actually is. Cousin or not.

And such is normally taken advantage of sooner or later. For a small nation, it may be better to keep its relative independence by balancing larger friendly nations in an alliance, involving more than one "protector"

Not that Iceland looks to me as a possible target for invasion, given its geographical location. Although it might have a geostrategical value that I ignore.

The Germans and the Brithish realized that during WW2, and during the former cold war, USA and Russia as well.

Iceland still has the only icefree ports and airbases in the Northern Midatlantic. According to the melting of the greenlandice, and the expected icefree Nothwesternpassage within 10 years, Icelands strategic position will increase its importance. New and shorter shiproutes between Europa and Asia, via the Passage, will in few years escale the ship traffic in the area.

Fisheries? oil? an offshore strategic location of some kind between Europe and America?

Also Icelands own changes in economical structure will present new pictures. The Kárahnjúkar Dam project, initiated by ALCOA, will make Iceland a major power producer, something that will be exploited for bauxitt/alumina/aluminium processing, and that will bring loads of bulkships to and from Iceland.

What seems to be clear is that Icelanders don't have a sense that they might be possibly threatened. Otherwise they would have an army to defend themselves against possible hostilities.

There still have been no need for anything such...

Several strategies may be useful for surviving and keeping independent. If Iceland should use the same strategy as Norway, or Spain, every single Icelender would be occupied with defense.

Balancing friendly powers against each other, and keeping its international reputation high and clean, is a more actual and useful option IMO.

It should be interesting to read the Icelenders own views on this?

[Herceg-Bosna]

Is it Iceland in NATO?

So why they need protection from Norway if they are founders of NATO?, it seems logical that NATO protect Iceland

[Savage]

Subjectively, trying to see it with USAmerican eyes;

Only an idiot in the White House could do such a stooooopid thing as leaving the Keflavik base, but its not the only miscaluclation from that corner. I believe that time will show the next president of USA, would give much to have that undone.

For the Icelenders share, I never thought you should get rid of the them.

Again, congratulations.

" -Were glad it is over, we thought it should last..."
Words from Laibach, "Life is life"


.

[OlafurThors]

Originally Posted by Herceg-Bosna

Is it Iceland in NATO?

So why they need protection from Norway if they are founders of NATO?, it seems logical that NATO protect Iceland

Of course the NATO is the foundation of the defence of Iceland. Hoewever there is a need for constant surveilance of Icelandic airspace and national waters. The fact is that there are only 310'000 Icelanders, and we cannot possibly boast a large enough force to do it on our own.

The Icelandic coast guard does it's duty but we need better security, so we make sure someone is here during peacetime. The Americans unfortunately needed their men elsewhere, so we whent looking for new partners.

Norway controls a big portion of the waters in the north-Atlantic (Jan Mayen, Björnöya, Svalbard), and so do the danes (Greenland and the Faroe Islands) and then there are the canadians. It is frankly practical for Iceland to cooperate on defence issues with these countries.

[Zrinski]

Originally Posted by Susi

Canada and Denmark working together? It will never happen!

Hehehe...aren't Canada and Denamark involved in some ridiculous conflict over some backward chunk of ice in the Arctic? I remember reading something about this utterly ridiuclous dispute.

[Susi]

Chunk of rock, actually.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Susi

Chunk of rock, actually.

Oh, much more than a rock...

As the ice in this region is melting, it prepeares ground for taking out some of the rich oil, gas and mineral ressources that are expected to show up as the ice withdraws. So, it is potential BIG money on stake for both Canada and Denmark.

Also the new expected shiproute through the Northwestern passage is important to contol.


.

[Susi]

And I know that, I'm just being Susi-ish.

It was the top story in the news for like 3 months when it happened.

[dime]

yes and we "won"
====
any updates on this issue ??

[Susi]

Hans Island? No.

[dime]

yes my uncle told me that when the canadians went there some guy from the CF picked up the danish flag and threw it on the ground and put the canadian there
althought i didnt anything about this on the news
if i was there i would do the same thing

[Sergius]

Originally Posted by dime

if i was there i would do the same thing

Replace the Danish flag with a Canadian one? Why?