Iceland: Security Link of the North Atlantic.

• Main Author: Freeman,Forrest N. , Jr
• Other Authors: AIR WAR COLL MAXWELL AFB AL
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1986
• Subjects: Government and Political Science; *ICELAND; MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES); NATO; MILITARY PERSONNEL; MILITARY FACILITIES; FOREIGN; Iceland; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA178123; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA178123

Although Iceland has never had military forces of its own, it was a charter member of NATO. And, as Soviet forces, especially naval, have grown in teh past three decades, Iceland's strategic location has become even more critical if NATO hopes to control the North Atlantic. American forces have been permanently stationed in Iceland since 1951 under the auspices of a 1951 Defense agreement. Although there have been occasional Icelandic efforts to void the agreement and eliminate the US presence, the agreement has survived, In spite of Icelandic ambivalence toward foreign troops in their country, recent trends such as the establishment of an Icelandic Office of Defense are seen as favorable for the continuance of a US presence. For this presence to be effective, badly needed force upgrade is imperative if the US and NATO are to control the gateway to the North Atlantic. (Author)