NEWS: Iceland Taking Their Dude and Going Home

POLITICS: Iceland Taking Their Dude and Going Home

Iceland is wrapping up their participation in the Iraq war. Up until today, the island nation was an integral part of the coalition of the willing. One member of the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit has been in Iraq training the Iraqi army as part of a NATO program. Once dude leaves, Iceland will no longer be in the coalition of the willing.

John Craddock, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO was disappointed with Foreign Minister Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir's decision to remove Iceland’s one guy.

Yeah, Iceland estimated that they cannot have one guy, who works as a media representative, in Iraq. It’s just too costly. And dude is probably really fucking hot because he is from Iceland. Oh, also, Iceland sees Iraq as a big fucking mistake.

According to President Bush’s speech last week, that takes the number in the coalition down to 35 nations, right?



After Bush said we had 36 nations helping us in Iraq, bloggers began the search to discover who these nations were. But they have had great difficulty finding all 36 nations. One reason is because the White House decided to include members of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq as members of the coalition of the willing. Here is where our mighty force now stands!

Countries with troops on ground in Iraq

1. Albania
2. Armenia
3. Australia
4. Azerbaijan
5. Bosnia and Herzegovina
6. Bulgaria
7. Czech Republic
8. Denmark
9. El Salvador
10. Estonia
11. Georgia
12. Japan
13. Kazakhstan
14. South Korea
15. Latvia
16. Lithuania
17. Macedonia
18. Moldova
19. Mongolia
20. Poland
21. Romania
22. Singapore
23. Slovakia
24. Ukraine
25. United Kingdom
26. Tonga

United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (Not listed are countries that are providing forces in other categories)

1. Canada
2. Fiji
3. New Zealand

NATO Training NTM-I

1. Hungary
2. Iceland
3. Italy
4. Netherlands
5. Portugal
6. Slovenia
7. Turkey

Canada and New Zealand each have one soldier in Iraq. (I hope they hang out together because they have so much in common.) Also, Tonga actually pulled their force out in December 2004. Oh, wait, so did Canada. Now the number is back to 34. Damn. It’s like the president was lying to make it seem like more countries want to be a part of his horrible war. But they just keep bailing.

It is a shitty war with no progress being made despite the U.S. being militarily superior. I think President fuckhead and his merry band of self righteous retards need to pick up Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", it will clearly lead them to the conclusion that they are in fact, retarded for starting the Iraq war.

wait, Most Glorious Nation Kazakhstan has troops? in Iraq, even?!? and i thought the Canadian Navy having warships was a suprise...

Agreed, but it is a little late for a rading of the Art of War.

'Besieging cities is only the last resort... If the commander cannot control his impatience and orders his soldiers to swarm up the city wall like ants, the result will be that one-third of them will be killed while the city remains untaken. This is, in fact, the calamity of attacking cities.'

How many times did the US attack Falujah? Five I think? Is it in US or ISF hands... uhh no

Not to mention any other military or historical tomb. WTF do these civilian plannes in charge of military decisions read in their off time? Find Waldo with the WMD up his ass?

5000 years of military history all written down, all in public domain and this is the best result...

I am no fan of the war but if you are going to do it, get a congressional declaration and do it the right way. Especially in a region as volitile as the mid east and central asia. All the US/UK have managed to do is set the fuse.

And if you think the current situation is bad, let us consider what an attack on Iran might do:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/16/wiran116.xml

The above article does not analyze the possible aftermath but as a student of military history (far more so than Condi and company) This will plunge the entire region in a massive conflict, crash economies and drag alot of sideliner nations into this due to their own geopolitical interests in the region. You think the Russians are going to enjoy having 100s of their contractors vaporized in an air strike by the US in a third party country. All of this makes me sick... Let them have their little bomb, Israel can work to improve their arrow defence system and the world can get back to free trade and untangled diplomacy. WTF are the Iranians going to do? Start a strategic war? If so who cares it will be over in less time it takes to get a dominoes pizza and THEY will be the one who draw first blood with less turmoil to the region.

ugh... Calgon take me away

-sc

He probably included a Liechtensteinian hamster in his list of nations.

489 days left in office. 489 days.

The amount of people they had isn’t really important, just pulling out their one guy like this is just a silent demonstration or realisation that public opinion has mostly been against starting wars and invasions without strong evidence.

I'm sort of amazed Mongolia still has an army.

What a load of defeatist claptrap.

It's obviously because Icelandic cultural mores fail to support militarism and virile resolve in the face of adversity.

Damn Vikings are such pussies.

Oh, you had to go there, huh?

I love the title of this article.

I don't know about the rest of those countries, but Singapore has had no military presence in Iraq since March 2005.

Also, I've never before heard a person with a name like "Gísladóttir" called "guy" and "dude."

Yo easy on these other countries. the main reason they go in on these things is so that their military can get in field of experience of some kind. Some just want to help some want the combat experience to keep their spears sharp. Look at Austrailia, they send a decent battalion or two everytime we blunder into a big shitsack. And shit if I were over there I'd rather have a member of the truly willing getting my 6 O'clock.

But more nations will leave for either political, safety or other reasons. And even the Australians will baiil soon (don't blame'm)

And DONT think for a second that the democrats are going to make it all better. (its unfixable anyway) They let this happen, stood there and did NOTHING! FUCKING NOTHING!!! as an opposition party, they voted for the fascist PATRIOT ACT, the DHS, NID, MCA, confirmed Gonzo, continued to fund the war worrying more about their own cushy asses in DC than to do what they should be doing (they can't even take action based on their own beliefes, while the republicans can) Whether our retard leadership hits Iran or Israel does (with or without our help) this whole region is going to blow from Egypt to Checnyea to India and Pakistan and will likely involve theatre use of tac nukes of some flavor. I'm not so sure the missles that the Israelies use to deliver their nukes are named 'Jerico'

(dont contsru this to be blaming israel or anit jewish, less my jewish friends laugh at you)

From a geopolitical stand point I don't see much of a way out, lets hope cooler heads prevail.

For those that want to live in intersting times get ready!

OK i think i am bending this thread into something it is not, so i'll stop or stay on topic.

-sc

That's it. Only freedomcream sundaes for me from now on. And Hawaiian freedom, and freedoming on my cake. That will show them.

Edit seems broken, may my browser... CORRECTION:

" I'm not so sure the missles that the Israelies use to deliver their nukes are named 'Jerico' "

should read 'could use', Israel has not nuked anyone yet.

Goddamn I miss the cold war. So simple... "the only way to win is not to play" -Joshua from War Games

-sc

"Gísladóttir" is the name of Iceland's prime minister. Dude's name is not known.

Ah, sorry, I misread.

But apparently Gísladóttir is Iceland's Foreign Minister, not Prime Minister.

Since he's Icelandic, shouldn't that be "düde"?

No, no - that's if he's German.

What's the difference? It's a tiny island, probably the same lady.

What have you got against tiny islands?

Thank you for not forgetting Poland.

What the fuck?! Tonga isn't there anymore?! We need to get Tonga and Iceland back in this, Bush may be able to pull victory out still!

To be honest, they scare me. Why do they not sink? Witchcraft?