who says "no man is an island"?

I applaud the countries that are leaving. The U.S.-led occupation serves no national or global security interest. There is a powerful incentive for small countries to provide token support to the U.S. project in Iraq but if the project is wrong it's not moral for small countries like Iceland to even symbolicly support the U.S. Iraq mission.

If there is a serious international effort for regional peace that would be one thing but all that exists is a U.S. dog and pony show. Iceland is right to say 'no more'.

Did you hear? They actually had to book three flights back home - 1 for the ICRU member and 2 for the terrorists that will follow him home.
Randy

Ummm....Iceland doesn't have an Army.

Also worth noting that the Icelander in question was a civilian.

http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/2007/s070405a.html

I guess W will have to revise his statement from last night - only 35 nations now.

Jolly,
If I remember correctly, Iceland hasn't had an army since the 1800's.

rl, you can remember back to the 1800s?

Geez, I can hardly remember stuff that happened in 1999.

;-)

-- ARG

Iceland has never had an Army. The decision to join "the Coalision of the Willing" was made by exactly two men, then Prime Minister Davíð Oddsson and foreign minister Halldór Ásgeirsson, withour even consulting the Alþingi (Parliament). As those two were then leaders of Parties with a majority in the Alþingi, they were never called to account for this blatantly illegal action there. This decision was extremly unpopular with the icelandic people, with polls consistently showing more than 80% opposed. The getlemen in question have since wisely decided to retire from politics. The current foreign minister is the leader of the Socia-Democratic Alliance who has always opposed the invasion of Iraq in genereal and especially our inclusion in the" the Coalition of the willing" in particular

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir is a woman (so far as I can tell).

http://www.althingi.is/cv.php4?nfaerslunr=264

This is horrible, horrible news! How can we have a war without Iceland? It's going to be like having a picnic without potato salad, a barbecue without brisket, an AA meeting without George Bush. I was undecided, but with Iceland now out, I fear all is lost.

In Iceland, generally, but not always, children are named after the first name of the father. So, in anglo terms, if the father's first name is John and he has a daughter, her last name is Johnsdottir vs if he has a son, his last name is Johnsson.

Are they counting Saudi Arabia and Iran?

Some of the remaining ain 't so willing.Camp Echo in Diyaniah was attacked not so long ago. Security was in the hands of a Polish Army contingent.While a Special Forces unit was being attacked the General of such forces kept his troops out of the fray.They were due to rotate home in a little while and he was not about to lose men in a war that is unpopular at home.As a Viet-Nam vet I calls that smart,not cowardice.

I actually read that the Icelandic soldier is not actually a soldier, but instead is a Public Relations officer. (I believe I read this on Think Progress yesterday, when we were trying to figure out just who those 36 countries are that are helping us).

I'm still sticking to the notion that Bush was also counting the laborers working for First Kuwaiti, KBR and other contracting firms. After all, there was the report about Filipinos who didn't realize they were going to Baghdad until after the plane took off (First Kuwaiti told them they were going to Dubai to do work). They were basically kidnapped.

My guess is that slave laborers and foreign national contractors count amongst members of the "coalition of the willing". In other words, if you carry a passport from any nation and you're there doing something, you're in Bush's count.

Well, maybe Bjork can go over there and re-establish the Icelandic garrison! She could bring the rest of the guys and they can have a Sugarcubes reunion there! That would increase the Icelandic presence in Iraq 5 fold! That would be something Bushie could brag about!

Johnny Magnum
The terrorists did not win they are still trying to win the war in Iraq.Those people you call terrorists are just people that are fighting for the country the same as you would if the Iriqis attact the states the way the cowardly Americans attacted Iraq.

Johnny Magnum
The terrorists did not win they are still trying to win the war in Iraq.Those people you call terrorists are just people that are fighting for the country the same as you would if the Iriqis attact the states the way the cowardly Americans attacted Iraq.

Johnny Magnum
The terrorists did not win they are still trying to win the war in Iraq.Those people you call terrorists are just people that are fighting for the country the same as you would if the Iriqis attact the states the way the cowardly Americans attacted Iraq.