Falling into the "persecution delusion"? U.S. ambassador to Iceland requests "guns" and armed protection
[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to a CBS report on the 26th, a number of former and current diplomats and other people familiar with the matter revealed that the US Ambassador to Iceland Gunter asked for guns and armed protection because of a "persecution delusion". . Gunter is said to be very worried about his safety in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. He requested the U.S. State Department to obtain a special permit from the Icelandic government to allow him to carry guns personally, to provide him with "home" armed vehicle shuttle services, and to equip him with a bulletproof vest.
The U.S. State Department refused to disclose whether there were any credible threats to Gunter's safety, but U.S. government officials told CBS that he had repeatedly told Gunter that "he is not in any particular danger." The aforementioned State Department officials also stated that security measures are being strengthened to appease Gunter's "irrational concerns."
Iceland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to say whether the United States had formally requested permission for the ambassador to possess firearms, adding that they “usually do not comment on the security details of diplomatic missions”. Three diplomatic sources told CBS that Gunter had been persuaded to abandon the gun requirement because it would be considered an insult to the host country.
Before becoming ambassador to Iceland, Gunter had no diplomatic experience. He is a dermatologist in California with strong assets and an important contributor to the Republican Party. According to diplomats familiar with the situation, since Gunter took office as ambassador in May 2019, his embassy in Reykjavík has created an increasingly "unsustainable" working environment, and even changed seven. Deputy. However, officials from the US State Department said that because of Gunter's "close relationship" with the White House, they are not good at taking any measures.
The report also said that in February this year, after attending a meeting in the United States, Gunter refused to return to Iceland and began a "vacation." After that, Gunter requested to work remotely from his home in the United States. In the new crown crisis, he appointed a diplomat in Iceland to temporarily take his position. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told CBS that Gunter’s vacation had been arranged long ago, and his inability to return to Iceland was due to objective reasons for the outbreak. However, according to people familiar with the matter, Gunter’s “refusing to return to Iceland” is actually very complicated, saying that Gunter has hinted that he will not return to Iceland unless Secretary of State Pompeo orders him. After many senior officials persuaded Gunter to return to Iceland to no avail, Pompeo "personally contacted him." In May, Gunter finally returned to Iceland. Recently, the U.S. Embassy in Iceland published a job advertisement in Icelandic newspapers, looking for full-time local "bodyguards."
The British "Daily Mail" reported on the 27th that the Global Peace Index report showed that the rate of individual gun ownership in Iceland is very low, ranking among the most peaceful countries in the world. Icelandic law strictly controls guns. In addition to having to pass a physical and psychological assessment, an individual who is legally holding a gun must also receive a gun safety course and obtain a gun license. (Heavy duty)