Yikes, Icelandic Terrorists!

The last and largest of the Icelandic banks was 'nationalized' today, meaning that Iceland is now bankrupt. Its markets have been closed, and soon its currency can be tried out on the toilet as a substitute for the more conventional 'Quilted Northerner'.

Lots of Brits had their little all deposited in said banks, they offered better interest rates than the stogy British ones, and it looks like Iceland is not going to guarantee the deposits. Guarantee with what? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Anyway, this state of affairs does not sit well with Junior Caesar, aka Gordon Brown:

Gordon Brown last night branded Iceland's failure to guarantee British savings in its failed banks as "totally unacceptable and illegal", amid warnings that more than 100 local councils, police authorities and fire services have up to £1bn lost in its bankrupted system.

Charities, including children's hospices, warned they were at risk of losing £25m.

In unusually aggressive terms, the prime minister said he was willing to use anti-terrorism legislation to freeze the assets of other Icelandic companies operating in Britain in an effort to recoup the lost money. The extent of the potential difficulties for councils and other bodies began to emerge yesterday as more and more said they had invested money in Iceland's high-yielding savers' accounts.

Sure it might be unsettling to see Icelanders renditioned off to Gitmo, them being so pale and all, but that just shows that well designed anti-terrorism legislation can skin more than one cat. Iceland was bemused by Brown's ranting:

Referring to the move, Haarde said: "I told the chancellor that we consider this to be a completely unfriendly act."

Asked if the financial crisis engulfing Iceland had become a diplomatic crisis with Britain, Haarde added: "I thought so for a few minutes this morning when I realised that a terrorist law was being applied against us. That was not very pleasant. I'm afraid not many governments would have taken that very kindly, to be put into that category."

Mr. Haarde, like Obama, needs to learn that terrorism is flexible. Certain special people such as Brown can see at a glance who's a terrorist, and who not. Take our money, says Brown, and you're just like Bin Laden, maybe worse. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: I have to emphasize that the shear bizzaria of Brown calling out the anti-terrorism laws in this case is a sure sign of the utter cluelessness of his government and himself. What a clown.
Sometimes sarcasm, especially in uncertain hands, is not enough.