U.S. to pull planes, copters from Iceland base

The United States plans to withdraw four Air Force fighter jets and a rescue helicopter squadron from its military base in Iceland by September, a move that will leave the island nation virtually without military defenses and has caused diplomatic tension between the two NATO allies.

Bush administration officials told Icelandic leaders Wednesday that the U.S. would remove the F-15 fighter jets and several helicopters from Naval Air Station Keflavik, a base that has provided for Iceland's security since 1951 as part of a bilateral agreement.

The base was first used as an air bridge to Europe during World War II and later played a role in deterring the advance of the Soviet Union, when the U.S. military patrolled Icelandic airspace and conducted anti-submarine missions in the North Atlantic.

Defense officials said the decision to withdraw the permanently stationed aircraft, more than 1,200 U.S. military personnel and 100 Defense Department civilian employees came after discussions about moving U.S. assets out of the region to places where they are needed more. More than 600 Icelandic employees could lose their jobs as a result.

" ... The continued permanent presence of U.S. fighter aircraft at Keflavik is no longer an appropriate use of those assets nor is it in the best interest of the alliance," said Lt. Cmdr. Joe Carpenter, a Pentagon spokesman.

The U.S. spends about $260 million annually as part of an agreement to help provide for Iceland's defense, but officials in Iceland had been negotiating to pay the bulk of the costs if the U.S. stayed.

"We are deeply disappointed over this decision," said Helgi Agustsson, Iceland's ambassador to the United States, who said he believed negotiations were moving in the right direction before Washington abruptly told officials in Reykjavik of the plan to withdraw. "We have a defense agreement with the U.S. and with the withdrawal of the fighter aircraft, it raises the question of credible authority. Iceland has no military forces."

Officials said they are unsure what the defense of Iceland will look like but hinted NATO could have a presence.