Spanish troops relieved to be back from Iraq

[Tinoire]

Spanish troops relieved to be back from Iraq
By Juliane Von Reppert-Bismark in Madrid
29 April 2004

The last group of Spanish soldiers returned home from Iraq yesterday, ending Spain's participation in the military occupation of Iraq.


<snip>
Although 700 Spanish troops remain in Iraq, they are working on logistics related to the withdrawal ­ not attempting to maintain the peace. Spain's governing Socialist Party, which won a general election last month, had promised to bring the troops home unless the United Nations assumed a strong role in Iraq by 30 June.

But Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Prime Minister, told parliamentarians during a debate on Tuesday that Spain's presence in Iraq would end on 27 May. He said his decision was based on a belief that the UN could not agree a new mandate by that deadline, and on his preoccupation with the safety of his Spanish troops. Others pointed to the fact that Mr Zapatero's set date coincides with the start of campaigning for the European parliamentary elections.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=516304

[Desertrose]

1. Spain's looking better and better these days....

thank heavens they got their troops out...now if we could do the same for ours...

Peace
DR

:hi: Tinoire :hug:

[Zomby Woof]

2. I am happy for them

There was a great pic the other day of some Spanish families greeting their loved ones home. The relief they must feel!

Smiles of joy all around.