Comments on: To swallow or not to swallow

By: kevin o'connor waterford Ireland

kevin o'connor waterford Ireland — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:01:41 +0000

“And this is where I’ll just stop because I’m starting to scare myself.”

Ha ha excellent

By: Ljósmynd DE

Ljósmynd DE — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:35:10 +0000

But how about the leadership qualities of Steingrímur if he doesn’t have the authority to convince his own party of the necessity to accept the Icesave agreement? I can fully understand, that nobody in Iceland wants to pay the private debts of some crooks. But bizarre as the situation is, if this agreement is not passed, I suppose, the government will be finished sooner or later. And then it’s back to mafia country and the crooks are on top again. So, of which value are fundamental doubts by some members of the coalition parties?

By: alda

alda — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:05:47 +0000

Bromley – I think Steingrímur has taken almost everyone here by surprise. EPI and I talk about this often. He’s really come into his own. When he was in the opposition he just nagged so incessantly that most people dismissed him. But he’s really shown fine leadership qualities, in my opinion, and has gained a lot of people’s trust.

Lee – yes, that’s what I was trying to get at in the post. I think Doddsson’s rants are very calculated – he tries his best to discredit the current administration to pave the way for his own return to politics. This is MEGA scary. And like Bromley says, with the IP in power I fear the criminal investigation that’s now underway would not be adequate, if it takes place at all. I suspect they’d fire Eva Joly at the first available opportunity.
EPI said the other day what a lot of people here are thinking – if the IP returns to power, he’d want to leave. It’s like the situation before the last US elections, where a lot of people said they’d leave the country if the Republicans won.

By: Lee

Lee — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:05:24 +0000

If David Oddsson is to return to politics, I guess he needs to keep his profile high and ensure people are talking about him. He seems to be doing a pretty good job. So, assuming the Icesave agreements are rejected and the government subsequently collapses, his time will come… Be afraid. Be very afraid.

By: hildigunnur

hildigunnur — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:53:58 +0000

Heh, yes, there’s already at least one Facebook group dedicated to getting DO back into politics. Hell no!

By: Bromley86

Bromley86 — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:01:10 +0000

we don’t have to pay GODDAMN IT, and if the British and Dutch want their money, they’ll just have to come here and get it! Take us to court! Here in Iceland!

Nice! So David was right, he did know why the UK froze Landsbanki’s assets . I take it the wet Icelandic press still haven’t pursued him on that statement? He wouldn’t be able to open his door here until he clarified it, although to be fair if he was anything like our lot that clarification would just be fluffy waffle.

You’re right about the perils of power. The person who’s most impressed me has been Steingrimur. As a foreigner, Left-Green doesn’t conjure up an image of people willing to bend their principles in the face of reality. When he got the post I kept seeing opinions, admittedly from an IP stalwart, that he couldn’t tie his shoelaces. But he’s accepted the responsibility of his role and got on with making the best of it, even though he must know that no LG will ever be in cabinet again after this government. At least that’s how it seems to an outsider.

On the plus side, although having the IP in power until 2011 would have nailed the coffin lid down, you’d have been a lot less likely to have a decent corruption investigation. It’s been hard enough as it is.

By: Ljósmynd DE

Ljósmynd DE — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:32:58 +0000

It must be scary to see those sinister ghosts of the past resurface again.

While being in Iceland recently, I met people, who have a good recollection of the responsibilities for the current predicaments – but some of them have decided to leave the country. If a majority of the remaining should take refuge with denial, then the odds are not in favour of Iceland.

It is bizarre to see Doddsson rant against something, which he himself has indorsed by his own signature. It seems pretty schizophrenic. But more appalling are people, who are buying this.

And it is ridiculuous to believe that the British and Dutch would care about decisions of Icelandic courts in the Icesave matter. Iceland acted under EEA-law in this case and even if it’s not clear, which court exactly is responsible to give a judgement, it is definitely not up to an Icelandic court to decide. Iceland would just not get any further loans from the IMF.