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| Europe | |
| Aznar puts new PM on spot on Iraq | |
| 2004-03-26 | |
| Spain's outgoing leader Jose Maria Aznar has put his Socialist successor on the spot over a threat to pull the country's troops from Iraq by telling him he must decide on costly troop movements in April. Aznar's outgoing government says a rotation of Spain's troops is scheduled for April 21 and it would be a huge waste of money to go through with the rotation only to pull the troops out for good just 10 weeks later. The two political rivals met Thursday to go over details of the transition of power and Aznar aides said he told Zapatero a decision has to be made quickly on what to do with the troops. "I have to take a decision. I want to know your opinion how it should be done," a government source quoted Aznar as saying. He said Zapatero agreed to give Aznar an answer in writing. Zapatero is not expected to take office until late April so Aznar will make the formal order on the troops issue. If Zapatero says the troop rotation should go ahead and then pulls all the troops back a few weeks later, he could be accused of wasting money as rotations are very costly. Zapatero's pledge to withdraw the troops from Iraq has broad popular support inside Spain but has damaged relations with the United States and Britain after years of close alliance under Aznar. Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Prime Minister Tony Blair both raised their concerns in meetings with Zapatero in Madrid Wednesday but he stood firm. Zapatero has called the Iraq occupation a "fiasco" but Aznar and critics abroad say the decision to leave the military alliance in Iraq smacks of appeasement to Islamic militants.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #6 Mr. Davis, I am suggesting that it would be good PR for the Iraq war to release an Asnar biography that compares Franco to Sadaam. I know next to nothing about Franco other than that he was a dictator that reined for a long period. Maybe he was benevolent, if not the Spanish people might see the parallel between the plight of the Iraqi people and their own. Maybe he has lead a boring life. If he didn't, writing his biography might be a very lucrative and worthy task for an independent journalist. I doubt an AP writer will take up the challenge. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-03-26 2:26:39 PM |
| #5 SHose, Aznar is doing the right thing. Would you expect any less of Bush? Or of Kerry? |
| Posted by: Mr. Davis 2004-03-26 10:48:08 AM |
| #4 It has worked for the Arab leaders for centuries. I think Jacques Strap and Zappy are just jealous they don't get to have their own billion dollar palaces and mass graves to eliminate their opponents. |
| Posted by: B 2004-03-26 9:22:07 AM |
| #3 He must want to emulate the stunning success Jacques Strap Chirac had at opposing the U.S. |
| Posted by: Uncle War 2004-03-26 9:18:18 AM |
| #2 DO you think that Zapatero understands just how attached the American people, on both sides of the aisle, servicemen in particular, are to Powell? I wouldn't really have had a problem with him dissing Al Haig. In several years Powell could have the presidency quite easily if he desires that particular headache. Zappy the Pinhead is fooling with the possibility of two decades or more of extreme American displeasure. While Zapatero was certainly right to see Chiraq first, starting full fledged negotiations while there is a man waiting at the door is not appreciated. On the other hand, I am very intrigued by Aznar. Why would he face adversity by standing by us? Did living under Franco give him insight into what the Iraqi people were enduring under Sadaam? How is Aznar's perspective so radically different than Zappy's? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-03-26 7:31:35 AM |
| #1 heh..heh...go Aznar! But I think that Zappy is too green behind the ears to grasp that his unprofessional BMOC bluster is hurting him more than US. I think he is under the complete and total delusion that he makes himself look big by calling a bigger man names. In the end, it just makes everyone take note of how much smaller he is. |
| Posted by: B 2004-03-26 7:03:34 AM |