How Embarrassing

OK. Now I'm just plain embarrassed.   At first I was angry, then confused and now just embarassed.  I cannot comprehend the influence the anti-whaling people of the US hold over their government.  It baffles me that the State Department can issue a statement  regarding Iceland's quota of 150 fin whale and 100 minke whales saying- 

" stocks of fin and minke whales are not adequate to support this harvest"

It would be easy to dispute this claim.  Too easy actually.  I could use the IWC own numbers of fin and minke whales in and around Icelandic waters.  I could also use Norway's greater kill numbers for many years to show the stocks are adequate.  But it all would be in vain.  Because as I have said before in a previous entry http://www.gregg.blog.is/blog/gregg/entry/796213/ it just doesn't matter. The anti-whaling members of the IWC will never, ever let commercial whaling resume again.  

It kind of makes one wonder why there is an IWC in the first place.  And this may be why the US State department has issued this statement.  The IWC is becoming ever more fractured and its whaling members ever more impatient.  They see the IWC as an ever weakening entity with no real power and also no real scientific justification to continue to stop nations from whaling.  The State Dept. even makes reference to this reality in their statement-

"We also believe this action will undermine the ongoing “future of the International Whaling Commission” efforts"

Iceland should withdraw from the IWC and form a new orginization with the other nations that whale or wish to whale.  This way the organization and its scientific information could be used for its real purpose - the responsible management of a renewable ocean resource instead of a front to please emotionally and irrationally driven anti-whaling protesters.

So as an American living in Iceland I would like like to apologize for the stupidity of those fellow Americans involved in crafting the letter of opposition.  In the Icelandic tradition I would like to say this was done not in my name. And in the universal tradition I would like to say a few words to the IWC and all their anti-whaling supporters, but that was really done best by Jónas Jónasson-http://ljonas.blog.is/blog/ljonas/entry/815708/

I couldn't have said it better myself.

GTB

Bandaríkin fordæma hvalveiðar

Athugasemdir

[Örn (IP-tala skráð) 27.2.2009 kl. 23:54]

It sometimes seem that US Americans are a little smarter than you might think.. It's good that someone understands :)

[Geir (IP-tala skráð) 28.2.2009 kl. 10:22]

How many animals (excluding humans) you think that has been killed in these actions of America?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbYIosDbb3A&feature=related

[Gregg Tomas Batson (IP-tala skráð) 28.2.2009 kl. 10:45]

Geir, I have no idea.  Why would you want to know? By the way the last bomb is Russian.

GTB

[Geir (IP-tala skráð) 28.2.2009 kl. 11:03]

Yeah i know, it is just so weird that a nation that has done so many wrong things to nature and animals is making statements about this matters over a peaceful nation that has not done those things. I think that nuclear weapons are a lot more concern for those who love nature than few whales. But i know that it is the goverment that is doing these things, not the normal American.

[Gregg Thomas Batson (IP-tala skráð) 28.2.2009 kl. 12:41]

Geir, I think Iceland should make a deal with the US.  If they stop killing people, Iceland will stop killing whales.  That would guarantee Iceland could kill whales for quite a long time :)

GTB

[Geir (IP-tala skráð) 28.2.2009 kl. 15:44]

That would be a great deal, i would also be happy to give away the whaling if America would stop the war ; )