Norway rejects US plea to stay in Iraq

[Robbien]

Oslo today rejected an appeal by the United States to keep Norwegian troops in Iraq after a planned pullout in June, when Norway aims to focus on helping stabilise Afghanistan.

NATO-member Norway, which did not support the US-led war in Iraq last year, sent a company of about 180 troops to help stabilise the south of Iraq after the overthrow of President Saddam Hussein.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell today expressed hopes Oslo would reconsider its plan to pull out in June, but Foreign Minister Jan Petersen told NRK television "we must follow our original plan, of a commitment until the summer".

"We must contribute so that NATO does not fail in Afghanistan," Petersen said, adding that Norway's forces were spread thinly between important missions.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/24/1082719657893.html

[goforit]

1. "Oh but ppppppppweeeeeeezzzzzzzzz...."

Pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!

[mike_c]

2. 180 soldiers?!

Good gawd, what possible strategic or tactical importance can those troops represent? They're eyewash for the Bushco "coalition" and nothing more. Hell, before long more countries will have pulled out than the number of soldiers some of them sent!

[freetobegay]

3. Good for Norway!

eom

[Mikimouse]

4. Pssstttt...Colin, come here...

Lemme tell ya something important Colin....STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go and warm your master's ass, he's getting cold.

[cliss]

5. heh heh, as they're sitting on their bended knees

their expensive wool pants brushing the floor, "Please dont' leave, please".

Here are the facts:

a) Norway has not contributed troops, just engineers. They are not of critical importance. It's not to diminish their efforts! They were extremely brave to march into such an inferno. But the US needs them for other reasons.

b) Norway made the decision earlier in the week to pull out right away. It will take them a few weeks to finish up, but they've decided to call it quits before June 30. See my thread in LBN.

c) The US desperately needs Norway and the other countries to lend credibility to this insane adventure. Others have lent 24,000 troops. They're mostly there for the "image" "solidarit" factor.

d) Colon Bowel and the State Department are big bullshitters. See the LBN thread on "Spain". They are the consummate salesmen: they just don't take NO for an answer. They keep pestering & pestering, and even when they say "no", it's "sounds good to me", or "I think we've got something here"

[xchrom]

6. coalition of the unwilling