The New Security Math in Reykjavík

Iceland calculates whether 28 is greater than 1. Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. The small island nation of Iceland—population about that of Wichita, Kansas—will vote on Saturday on the question of whether to reinstate talks, suspended more than a decade ago, about joining the European Union. This is not mainly a matter of economic calculation: As a member in good standing of the European Economic Area, Iceland already enjoys the major economic benefits of EU membership—free movement of goods, services, capital, and people—but retains control of its own currency and enjoys somewhat wider policy discretion than it would as a full EU member. Kevin D. Williamson is national correspondent at The Dispatch and is based in Virginia. Prior to joining the company in 2022, he spent 15 years as a writer and editor at National Review, worked as the theater critic at the New Criterion, and had a long career in local newspapers. He is also a writer in residence at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. When Kevin is not reporting on the world outside Washington for his Wanderland newsletter, you can find him at the rifle range or reading a book about literally almost anything other than politics. More From Kevin D. Williamson