WTF | October 26, 2008 | 20 comments

UK declares Iceland a terrorist state

source: http://firedoglake.com/2008/10/25/nordic-terror-uk-puts-iceland-on-terrorist-list/

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One of the casualties of the financial crisis which has gotten little notice in the US is Icleand, and it went down in a particularly ugly fashion. Gordon Brown, the UK's fantastically unpopular Prime Minister, said that Icelandic banks had threatened to not honor obligations to British account holders, so he declared Iceland a terrorist country and seized the banks assets. This caused the banks to go under and the Icelandic economy to implode to the extent that if Russia hadn't sent them billions of dollars, they would have literally starved, since they need to import food.

Yes, they asked the US and their friends in the EU for money first, but apparently only Vladimir Putin cared enough about Iceland's impending famine to do anything about it. It's times like these when you find out who your friends are. I imagine the Icelanders are feeling a lot warmer towards Russia these days. Perhaps Putin would like a nice naval base there?
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20 comments // UK declares Iceland a terrorist state

  • Katanajon
  • rightbrain
  • Katanajon
  • Kanut
    • Kanut [removed]  
    • This comment was removed as a violation of community guidelines.
  • bloodhound
  • Katanajon
    • 0
      Katanajon  

    • Beware of Russians bearing gifts. Taking gifts from Putin is like taking gifts from John Gotti. Someday the don will need a favor. But you got to eat so what the Hell.

    • 3 years ago
  • bunnykatz
  • futuregen
    • 0
      futuregen  
    • Image

    • Around Oct 7 is when Russia said it would lend money to Iceland. Then I heard they might not because of their own financial problems (around Oct 17, See link above). I can't find an article that says when the money was actually lent but the article at this post implies that it was.

    • 3 years ago
  • thedismembermentplan
    • 0
      thedismembermentplan  
    • futuregen:

      here you go futuregen, this is a nice article that talks more about Russia's offer and more about the current NATO/Russia relationship in general. You're right, it doesn't say specifically if Iceland took the offer, but it says this:

      "Cold, empty and rich in fish and minerals, the seas of the "High North" are a tempting prize for a big, confident country. Even before the startling news of Vladimir Putin's offer of a 4 billion euro ($5.4 billion) emergency loan to Iceland, Russia had been beefing up its presence in a part of the world where the NATO presence is fitful."

      This is what the Icelandic PM, Geir Haarde, said, "When our old friends didn't help us, we had to find new friends."

      here's the link:
      http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/westview/story/4237765p-4880937c.htm...

    • 3 years ago
  • Beta_Boy
  • MasterMick
  • currentlyreading
  • currentlyreading
    • 0
      currentlyreading  

    • If this is what the world is coming to then we do not only need change in the U.S but all over the world to combat greed. I'm sure that after Iceland was back on their feet they would have acknowledge those obligations from the UK.
      If a person was on their last dollar and they needed it to survive or build back what they've lost then why ask them for it back and let them wither away.

    • 3 years ago
  • Brockie
    • 0
      Brockie  

    • Putin is not a kind benefactor. I tend to agree with the military base theory. I cant believe that both the US. and UK. were so cold hearted as to not send Iceland any food at all. This plan may backfire on Gordon Brown.

    • 3 years ago
  • Not_A_Fox
    • 0
      Not_A_Fox  
    • Brockie:

      May?

      Oh, will it ever backfire on the idiot.

      This is something you only expect out of Bush. I figured the brits would've known better, even if it meant losing a ton of greenbacks.

    • 3 years ago
  • dirtyemowords
    • 0
      dirtyemowords  

    • Haha, well, wouldn't want to upset the mighty UK huh? Russia either sees profit from helping them, or has a humanitarian heart of gold...not sure which...

    • 3 years ago
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