Spain's PM orders Spanish troops home

[jjcollins]

Spain's new prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has given orders for Spanish troops in Iraq to be brought home in "as short a time as possible". Mr Zapatero said he could not ignore what he called the will of the Spanish people.

The previous government's support for the war in Iraq, and its handling of the Madrid bombings, were thought to have caused its election downfall.

Spain has about 1,300 troops stationed in Iraq.

Mr Zapatero said he had ordered the defence minister to "do what is necessary for the Spanish troops stationed in Iraq return home in the shortest time possible".

Immediately after his election, Mr Zapatero had vowed to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq unless they came under UN command by 30 June when their mandate expires.

"With the information we have, and which we have gathered over the past few weeks, it is not foreseeable that the United Nations will adopt a resolution" that satisfies Spain's terms, Mr Zapatero said.


Bring them all the coalition troops home


jj.........

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Originally posted by jjcollins
Spain's new prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has given orders for Spanish troops in Iraq to be brought home in "as short a time as possible". Mr Zapatero said he could not ignore what he called the will of the Spanish people.


The key phrase there being, "as short a time as possible". I'm sure President Bush would like our troops home too and could probably just as easily say he would bring them back in "as short a time as possible".

Let's just hope that time comes soon.