Let them read books...

So as previously documented in this space, the US military has decided to pull its troops out of Iceland. Now that the initial disgruntlement about the manner in which this was announced has worn off, the typical Icelander on the street seems fairly content with this new reality and in fact feels pretty positive about it. New beginning, new opportunities, and what sort of 'big threats' were they protecting us from, anyway?

Meanwhile, just as the members of the US troops started packing, the US government announced that it was oh-so generously bestowing upon the University of Iceland a gift of 200 books on security and defence issues. According to the US Ambassador to Iceland, "As Iceland’s longtime friend and ally, we want to help prepare a rising generation to participate in an informed, energetic discussion of security issues."

[...]

I'm sorry, but in my humble view that is either an extremely sardonic twisting of the knife, or the epitome of tactlessness. I mean, really. On the other hand, it's certainly prompted a lot of hilarious commentary in the Icelandic media. Including this in Blaðið, from my favourite cartoonist:



Here we have the Icelandic Foreign Minister [on the right] speaking to the Prime Minister:

"My friend Condolezza wanted it to be perfectly clear that this donation of self-help books is not an example of crude irony, but rather the Americans' refined and benign sense of humor."

Heh. Oh, and check the book titles.

AND AS COLD WINDS BLOW ACROSS THIS ICY ROCK...
It honestly seems as though spring will never come. Gah! I'm getting so sick of this cold, day in and day out. We've had strongwindsfromthenorth for what seems like forever, and my bum neck [whiplash injury] is giving me serious grief as it always does when there is a cold wind that manages to blow through every type of scarf, no matter how tightly wound. The sun was shining today and it looked beautiful outside but it was yet another case of window weather. It's currently a single degree centigrade, the wind is still blowing like a $#%& #$%"%# and the sun came up at 06.07 and went down at 20.52.