Iceland Defense

ICGV from the Coast Guard.

The defense in Iceland consists of the Icelandic coast guard and the police force. Iceland is the only NATO member that does not maintain an army.

Under the control of the United States Army (1941–2006)

From World War II until 2006 Icelandic defense was provided by the United States Army. They managed the Icelandic Defense Forces from their headquarters in Keflavík. However, these facilities were abandoned by the US armed forces on September 30, 2006. The Keflavík base was a strategic defense enclave during the Cold War. The United States government, however, has declared that the area no longer needs its defensive support since the risks that once threatened the security of Icelanders no longer exist and it is the war against terrorism that claims priority. Icelandic citizens have been divided, however, between those who applaud the event, since there was already a sector of the Icelandic population that was protesting against the US military presence in the country, and another sector of opinion that alleges that the abandonment of the facilities leaves the country unprotected, for whom the withdrawal has aroused uncertainty.