Thails asks US to provide security for Thai troops in Iraq

[Robbien]

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thailand has asked the United States to provide security for its non-combat soldiers in Iraq or consider moving them to a safer neighboring country if violence there escalates further, the foreign minister said Friday.

Surakiart Sathirathai said he'd discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell by telephone the possibility of moving Thailand's 443 troops to Kuwait if violence in Iraq intensifies and impedes their work. "I told him that Thai troops were deployed to Iraq for a humanitarian mission, and that when the situation there reaches a point that we cannot perform our duty ... there is no point in us staying,'' he told reporters after returning from an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

"We do not have our own armed men, so I told him that if they can provide enough security, we would stay as long as our soldiers are not in danger or move them to a safe area in a nearby country,'' Surakiart said.

He said it was possible that Thai troops would move to Kuwait if the Iraq situation worsens.

The Thai soldiers are part of a Polish-led, 9,500-strong multinational force in south-central Iraq. Their humanitarian mission includes sending mobile medical teams into area communities, and helping rebuild roads and buildings.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/23/latest/17047Thailsask&sec=latest

[trumad]

1. Just hire Blackwater to protect the soldiers...<snarf>

[bobthedrummer]

5. Thailand is full of mercenaries, let them contract their own!

The world condemns them, George W. Bush aka The War President, EMPLOYS THEM WITH OUR TAXES AND ENDANGERS OUR US TROOPS WITH THESE CRIMINALS, hell-they are actually HELPING OSAMA BIN LADEN's CAUSE BY INCREASING ANTI-AMERICANISM WORLDWIDE-but they are action teams that don't care about anything but the big bucks to be made in WAR PROFITEERING.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS OF POST-WAR CONTRACTORS (MERCENARIES)
click on Dyn Corp-they've got the contract to "train" Iraqi police-it's organized crime doing the training of law-enforcement, isn't it?
http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/resources.aspx?act=contrib

POST-WAR CONTRACTORS (MERCENARIES) RANKED BY TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/resources.aspx?act=total

MILITARY PRIVATIZATION 101-MAKING A KILLING: THE BUSINESS OF WAR
http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1884

[Mistress Quickly]

2. ok, I understand sort of but

shouldn't a soldier be armed, even if it is humanitarian mission? I mean, did they think they were going to Disneyworld?

Will this negate any "bonuses" Thailand may have been promised?

[nonbelief]

3. Thai Soldiers

Thai soldiers are only in Iraq to boost the number of countries in Bush's mythical "coalition"...

Like most of the other "coalition" troops, they don't actually need to be there.

[NNN0LHI]

4. They are window dressing so Chimpy can say he has a coalition

That is all they are there for. Period.

Don

[Ilsa]

6. Troops to guard the .....troops? Uh, Why are we there? n/t

[bobthedrummer]

8. The treason of PNAC is why imo.

[Robbien]

7. The Thai have very good armed soldiers

But they are needed at home.

I believe Thailand may be the only country who sent their humanitarian troops because they support the US and wanted to help Iraq. This is only my belief, not a fact.

[Moderator]

9. Duplicate, please dicuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x507168