I've already written a bit about US Army footprints before but there isn't a whole lot I can find here on e2 on other bases.

What I could find is this rather interesting photo story linked via a node (which I can't find anymore)1 and a short summary of the most noteworthy place for Americans in the whole of Germany. There is a pattern discernable. Yes it's got something to do with what Rummy called the new Europe. The boundaries are now drawn according to a curtain that encircles the Mid-East and Asia. Russia is a sort of grey neutral area now. Thanx to neo-liberal financial restructuring.

Indeedio, this prompts my endeavor to write a short scathing attack on the miserable group of people who've had to endure my homeland in service of their country. Poor sods as the Brits say.

A particular naval air station named U.S. Naval Air Station Keflavik was disestablished in the autumn of 2006.2 This is taken from an offical statement from the US Navy. Notice the overemphasis on pc choice of words. Since when are military bases deestablished. One would think they simply close down or are shut down even.

That might be too much for the hundreds of amputees returning home from war torn Mesopotamia who receive scant support from the Department of Veteran's Affairs. They might get a bit depressed and decide that making a living like this isn't worth it. When the milestone 500th amputee returned home Time Magazine did an article showing an amputee with these new prosthetic carbon fiber legs about to go out for a jog with Bush. What a cracking idea. Losing both your legs isn't all that bad. You can still jog apparantly. Maybe the sacrifice wasn't really worth it. Who am I to judge?

In any case, Keflavik air base has been here more or less since the allies came when the second world war broke out. But what with a war against a concept going on with different borders. US now wants it's bases further from liberal Europe and closer to the islamists.

Iceland won't get an exception even though many here wished we would. The original contract between Iceland and the U.S.A. regarding the defence of Iceland (read: US interests) was made back in 1951. It was the intention of U.S. commanders that it would be in effect for 99 years. No joke. How ever Icelandic government did not deem it prudent for them to make such a lasting decision. It was commuted to 50 years.

So in 2001 it was time to decide upon the long standing cooperation between these old friends. But now America had other more pressing matters and short term arrangements were made and decisions were postponed. For Icelanders, and notably our prime and foreign ministers, who generally have had a positive view of America, it was of the utmost importance that four fighter planes remain here. These four planes became an obsession. Not that they would matter on their own. Four fighter planes won't win any war methinks. Their value was symbolic. Having them was concrete proof that these shores were defended and any attempt at invasion by Faroe Islanders,?? - Norwegians, Danes, Russians, Maroccans....your guess is as good as mine - would be met by at least four pilots and their mighty planes.

So the North Atlantic hasn't been a theatre of war since the second world war and hopefully won't be for some time to come. Stationed here were however a few thousand (mostly3) U.S. soldiers, a number that dwindled as the years went by. In a sense this was a small American town in Iceland. It had everything a small town should have; a supermarket, a movie theater, a swimming pool, a sports centre, an bowling alley, etc. And now the yanks have gone!

So were free to do whatever we want with THE PREMISES. They're free. A freind of mine suggested we import a 10 thousand Indians. I guess he meant poor low caste Indians who would be given a free home. That would be a very generous thing to do.

Go here to see the offical page of the state company established to oversee management of the property:

http://www.kadeco.is/

Go here to see a photo tour of the place

http://www.vf.is/ljosmyndir/safn/694/1/default.aspx

Footnotes

1 - Abandoned Missile Base VR Tour -
http://triggur.org/silo/

2 - Naval Air Station Keflavik Disestablishes After 45 Years -
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=25499

3 - Iceland is a NATO member and so soldiers from other NATO countries have been stationed here.

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