Fighter jets of the Canadian forces have been landing and conducting exercises in Iceland. Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson is opposed to any exercises conducted in Icelandic airspace.
Three F-18 fighter jets from the Canadian forces landed at Keflavík airport on Monday, RÚV reports. Over 150 Icelanders were on the scene to watch.
Since then, there are now five Canadian fighter jets in Iceland conducting exercises at both Akureyri in the north and Egilsstaðir in the northeast. There are also some 140 members of the Canadian forces in the country. They are scheduled to be here until 30 April.
Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson told RÚV that he considers the exercises “pointless”. He said that the big question Icelanders need to ask themselves is whether they are in this military alliance [NATO] or not, and what will happen in connection with these exercises. He adds that he is against Iceland participating in militarism and always has been.
The minister’s party, the Leftist-Greens (who are also in the ruling coalition), have a decidedly anti-militarist platform, and believe Iceland should withdraw from NATO.
(Photo: learning-to-fly.com)
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