Comments on: As the Russians come riding on their white steed http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:07:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Did Iceland receive an ice cold shoulder? « Bente Kalsnes’ blog http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-3234 Did Iceland receive an ice cold shoulder? « Bente Kalsnes’ blog Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:54:23 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-3234 [...] Here are some Icelandic blogs [...] [...] Here are some Icelandic blogs [...]

]]> By: The Other Katherine Harris http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-3213 The Other Katherine Harris Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:59:27 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-3213 Sadly, my take on this is that your former friends (my wretched government, included) want to drive you into the arms of the IMF/World Bank vultures -- who'll proceed to destroy everything good about Niceland for the greater profit of transnational corporate predators. Most developing nations no longer want those vile strings-attached loans -- the Latin Americans, Asians and Africans have gotten wise -- so now they're looking to suck the juice out of more advanced economies. With only the likes of Kosovo, Georgia and Burkina Faso left on their books, they're damned near out of business! Anyway, right-thinking Icelanders should raise the alarm. If they get hooks into you, they'll soon be privatizing everything in sight and you can kiss decent wages and social spending goodbye. They'll push you into the EU, too -- so there goes real democracy out the window and in comes a permanent horde of cheap help. Russia was on the IMF/World Bank victims' list, remember? It was pauperized in the '90s by these remorseless Friedmanites, which is a big part of why Putin and his team are hopping mad (like Chavez and Morales are). I hope Russia is offering funds to Iceland merely as a mercy to keep you off that path, but even if there's an ulterior motive, I don't see how it could possibly be MORE ulterior. Cheers, Erin in Albuquerque Sadly, my take on this is that your former friends (my wretched government, included) want to drive you into the arms of the IMF/World Bank vultures — who’ll proceed to destroy everything good about Niceland for the greater profit of transnational corporate predators.

Most developing nations no longer want those vile strings-attached loans — the Latin Americans, Asians and Africans have gotten wise — so now they’re looking to suck the juice out of more advanced economies. With only the likes of Kosovo, Georgia and Burkina Faso left on their books, they’re damned near out of business!

Anyway, right-thinking Icelanders should raise the alarm. If they get hooks into you, they’ll soon be privatizing everything in sight and you can kiss decent wages and social spending goodbye. They’ll push you into the EU, too — so there goes real democracy out the window and in comes a permanent horde of cheap help.

Russia was on the IMF/World Bank victims’ list, remember? It was pauperized in the ’90s by these remorseless Friedmanites, which is a big part of why Putin and his team are hopping mad (like Chavez and Morales are). I hope Russia is offering funds to Iceland merely as a mercy to keep you off that path, but even if there’s an ulterior motive, I don’t see how it could possibly be MORE ulterior.

Cheers,
Erin in Albuquerque

]]> By: ino http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-3093 ino Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:15:11 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-3093 Hi Alda, Not to drive a point home and realizing that this a bit late, but i just read this in the Times... "The Russian eagerness to loan €4 billion to the Icelanders is not just mischief, or an attempt to buy the goodwill of a nation; it is also because Russian businessmen have been attracted by the laundering possibilities offered by a banking system that is not very thoroughly regulated." http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4923183.ece Just like that. Feels a bit like the cat might be out of the bag any moment now.... Hi Alda,

Not to drive a point home and realizing that this a bit late, but i just read this in the Times…

“The Russian eagerness to loan €4 billion to the Icelanders is not just mischief, or an attempt to buy the goodwill of a nation; it is also because Russian businessmen have been attracted by the laundering possibilities offered by a banking system that is not very thoroughly regulated.”

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4923183.ece

Just like that. Feels a bit like the cat might be out of the bag any moment now….

]]> By: dahuk http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-3042 dahuk Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:24:26 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-3042 US actions towards Iceland are revenge for giving Bobby Fischer a visa. US actions towards Iceland are revenge for giving Bobby Fischer a visa.

]]> By: ino http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-2914 ino Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:59:07 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-2914 To all Americans that react to this blog about real/percrived anti -americanism you have to understand the following. Europeans have a clear and precise understanding of you and your society. Icelanders, Europeans and many more understand the difference between those American citizens that travel the world, read up/comment on foreign blogs and those that keep electing your conservative governments. I have seen with my own eyes how, late at night, the men and women from the airbase get treated with hostility, but then again they are the sort of americans that go around a foreign country with a swagger, as though they were better than anyone else because of the passport that they hold. Neither in Iceland, Holland, nor England have i ever encountered any negative reactions just because somebody is American. Yes, you will be asked questions, but people usually have you sussed rather quickly for what side of the fence you are on. True, europeans are a lot more "liberal" than Americans, they are also a lot less partisan and a lot more personel and less agressive. Americans are, on a human/personal level, adored, admired and always welcomed. Unless they start making stark political statements, that show their ignorance... To all Americans that react to this blog about real/percrived anti -americanism you have to understand the following. Europeans have a clear and precise understanding of you and your society. Icelanders, Europeans and many more understand the difference between those American citizens that travel the world, read up/comment on foreign blogs and those that keep electing your conservative governments.

I have seen with my own eyes how, late at night, the men and women from the airbase get treated with hostility, but then again they are the sort of americans that go around a foreign country with a swagger, as though they were better than anyone else because of the passport that they hold.

Neither in Iceland, Holland, nor England have i ever encountered any negative reactions just because somebody is American. Yes, you will be asked questions, but people usually have you sussed rather quickly for what side of the fence you are on.

True, europeans are a lot more “liberal” than Americans, they are also a lot less partisan and a lot more personel and less agressive.

Americans are, on a human/personal level, adored, admired and always welcomed. Unless they start making stark political statements, that show their ignorance…

]]> By: rb http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-2913 rb Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:07:57 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-2913 My mom's first question was, "does that mean their currency has fallen enough we can afford to visit???" Not that we wish our scary economic times on anyone, but maybe new tourism can be your economic stimulus package! ;) My mom’s first question was, “does that mean their currency has fallen enough we can afford to visit???”

Not that we wish our scary economic times on anyone, but maybe new tourism can be your economic stimulus package! ;)

]]> By: digdug727 http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-2908 digdug727 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:47:27 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-2908 s'funny y'know... i was in reykjavik during the new year celebration, and i distinctly remember turning to my wife and saying " gee, there sure are a lot of russians around here. did a cruise ship empty out, or what?" true story. are there normally a lot of russian tourists? and if so, is there a connection between them and the sudden offer of a bailout for landsbanki? btw, the russians seemed to be very well off financially. i saw alot of fur coats and jumbo bling! s’funny y’know… i was in reykjavik during the new year celebration, and i distinctly remember turning to my wife and saying ” gee, there sure are a lot of russians around here. did a cruise ship empty out, or what?” true story. are there normally a lot of russian tourists? and if so, is there a connection between them and the sudden offer of a bailout for landsbanki? btw, the russians seemed to be very well off financially. i saw alot of fur coats and jumbo bling!

]]> By: Judy http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-2881 Judy Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:32:08 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-2881 - from Alda - "a lot of Americans PERCEIVED that there was anti-American sentiment here, but really, there wasn’t.” - There was much more than just a perception of anti-American sentiment in Iceland ....our military personnel was subjected to years of name calling and even personal attacks. They were told for years to get out of Iceland ....and it was not a big surprise to Iceland when the US military left, they had been seriously downsizing for several years in preparation for leaving, and the approx. leave date had been known couple of years in advance...it was NOT a surprise. - from Alda – “a lot of Americans PERCEIVED that there was anti-American sentiment here, but really, there wasn’t.”

- There was much more than just a perception of anti-American sentiment in Iceland ….our military personnel was subjected to years of name calling and even personal attacks. They were told for years to get out of Iceland ….and it was not a big surprise to Iceland when the US military left, they had been seriously downsizing for several years in preparation for leaving, and the approx. leave date had been known couple of years in advance…it was NOT a surprise.

]]> By: Neil http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-2878 Neil Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:12:08 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-2878 Snorri, About 2 months prior to closing the base, MBL published a poll that showed 72% of Icelanders wanted the US out of Keflavik ! So when you say ....."Most Icelandairs had no strong feelings about it and just developed bad ones when they realised all the jobs that were going to be lost" ......I think 72% is pretty high. Of course, that has nothing to do with closing the base but its one thing that always stuck in my mind when I heard about how "disappointing" it was to Iceland when it closed. Maybe the new 4B euro loan is payback for all the recent unauthorized violations of your airspace by the Russian bombers. Who knows..... Why didn't they ask for a loan from the IMF? It likely would have come with palatable stipulations and less political fallout. I can see it now, ...."Empty Vodka bottles rolling out of the Lada Sports" Spaciba Comrades... Snorri, About 2 months prior to closing the base, MBL published a poll that showed 72% of Icelanders wanted the US out of
Keflavik ! So when you say …..”Most Icelandairs had no strong feelings about it and just developed bad ones when they realised all the jobs that were going to be lost” ……I think 72% is pretty high. Of course, that has nothing to do with closing the base but its one thing that always stuck in my mind when I heard about how “disappointing” it was to Iceland when it closed. Maybe the new 4B euro loan is payback for all the recent unauthorized violations of your airspace by the Russian bombers. Who knows….. Why didn’t they ask for a loan from the IMF? It likely would have come with palatable stipulations and less political fallout. I can see it now, ….”Empty Vodka bottles rolling out of the Lada Sports” Spaciba Comrades…

]]> By: bob http://icelandweatherreport.com/2008/10/as-the-russians-come-riding-on-their-white-steed.html/comment-page-1#comment-2873 bob Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:03:24 +0000 http://icelandweatherreport.com/?p=1002#comment-2873 I recall people telling me, every day, how relieved they are that "the occupation" is over, in reference to the American presence at Keflavik. Now suddenly Iceland is entitled to welfare from American taxpayers? You're "pissed" that spigot was shut off? That sounds rather pathetic. I recall people telling me, every day, how relieved they are that “the occupation” is over, in reference to the American presence at Keflavik. Now suddenly Iceland is entitled to welfare from American taxpayers? You’re “pissed” that spigot was shut off? That sounds rather pathetic.

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