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Excalibur · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 68

President of Spain announced the withdrawal of the Spanish troop in Iraq

what do you think that is a right decision or a huge mistake???
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Dordi · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 84 Location: Helsinki, Finland

Well, that's exactly what the Iraqis seem to want, isn't it? They want the foreign troops out of Iraq. Did the president of Spain announce the withdrawal because of the bomb attack in Madrid? If he did, hmm... Confused

Now the Iraqis have found a way to get the foreigners out of their country...
I don't know if I'm the right person to say, but I think the withdrawal was more like a mistake than right decision. Of course, now the Spanish shouldn't be in danger anymore, but...what about the others... Question

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Excalibur · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 68

I agree whit you,
I am very concerning not only the realibility and credibility of Spain has been damaged but it means also a victory of the Terrorism.
According with the tapes was given to Al yazzira TV by Bin Landen Spain is not going to save if dont take out the troops from Afghanistan and Palestine.
I ignored which spanish troops has been deployed in Middle East.
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LucentShade · Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 542 Location: Nebraska, USA

I look at it as internal politics--the winning party (se me escap� su nombre) promised that it would withraw the troops from Iraq if it won. Since it did win, it needs to fulfill that promise. Plus, wasn't 90% of the population opposed to the war in the first place? Who cares what Bush thinks about it, it seems to be more in line with the desires of the people.

pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

Since he is your president, you should care what Bush thinks about it. You are being very disingenuous if you think what he does will not affect you.
I think a cleanup of all the shi tty little dictatorships in the Middle East would be an improvement on the status quo.

oinrocinu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 76 Location: Barcelona, Spain

I agree with LucentShade and Bush is not my president ( Laughing

). The problem is that these militars will be replaced by Americans, isn't it? The security in Iraq is caotic but let be seriuous: USA began a war one year ago!! A war, an invasion, a search for non-existing things... If the 90% of Spanish disagreed with this invasion (and with the colaboration of Spain), I think that a governmert has to be consistent with it.

If somebody has told me two years ago that this invasion (and all its consequences) was going to happen, I wouldn't have trusted him.
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pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

The Spanish have now run away from Iraq and so it is irrelevant what they think about it.
Spain has a history of being an unreliable ally.

Dordi · Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 84 Location: Helsinki, Finland

Actually I agree with you, PugachevV, but... do you really think it's irrelevant what the Spanish think about the Iraq war? Confused

Do you think it's irrelevant what someone thinks about it? Or maybe I just didn't get the point... Embarassed

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"Without the past there's no future..."

oinrocinu · Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 76 Location: Barcelona, Spain

Nobody said that it was irrelevant what happens in Iraq. Remember that the Sapnish government agreed to have the troops there if the UN has the control but it hasn't happend. Why? In my opinion, USA (or its government) has taken it as private, as a problem tha could be solved with an illegal war. Bush think that he can do whatever it wants to do.
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Para sentir no bastan cinco sentidos...

Excalibur · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 68

I am afraid the image abroad of Spain has been damaged so much.
It will be a long time to restore the credibility and reliability in Spain.
On the other hand, that is a soverignty decision which the president of Spain has taken with supported by population.

On the contrary Spain has never run away from anywhere .
It had not happened if it had gone there, that had been a right decision.

It is a pity and a big mistake had taken this decision the first day of his mandate, why so qickly.Why not to be there until the situation will be calm. In doing so, he has done not only a huge damage in our prestige abroad but has also been seen by Terrorist as a great victory.

On the other hand, except UK, all of the countries has sent troops to provide security and peace Iraqis people and help to rebuilt up the country.Why? these Army forces should face againt insurgent that was not the previous mission.

there are ours Army Forces ready to act as Police mission. There are terrorist inside the isurgents groups but it is a police issues which should be dealt with police tactical aproach.
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Lib · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 35

Zapatero � the new Spanish president, and his party (PSOE) promised, as part of their electoral campaign, to remove Spanish troops from Iraq unless the UN took over. That is what they have done. Whether or not they would have done so so quickly after entering office is another matter � we can all have our opinions on that, the truth will probably never be known.
I really don�t think that the Spanish population (90% of them at least) really care about losing face. Their self-pride has been restored. The never wanted to invade Iraq!
As for being an unreliable ally � ally to whom? The Americans, who, under false pretences, invaded a country ruled by a dictator? The Spanish also lived through a dictatorship, where were the Americans then?

pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

When the Spanish were living under a dictatorship the Americans were fighting against Spain's friends - the Nazis.

Excalibur · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 68

Unfortunatelly,
Spain was suffered a war during 1936-39 which won a dictatorship, that it true.But it was a terrible event in our history. Each country has black events in its history. HOw we are going to be involved in WWII. 1941-45.
There were too dead here and Spain has been rebuilt up. That dictator only sent a Division force which was fighting against Russian.
Second thing, Usa did not took part in WWII until Perl Harbor was attacked by Japon.
USa didn't care Europe until that moments.
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I could dance with you till the cows come home...On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows when you came home

Diana · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 494 Location: Guam, USA

Isn't it ironic that when the US don't bother anyone and leave them alone to fight their own wars, they say that the Americans didn't care about them. And when the Americans interfere, what do they say? They say that the Americans are bullies and constantly intefering. Either way, they lose!

pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

The Americans are optimists, that's why they keep trying to make the world a better place.
Let's face it, if the Middle Eastern people enjoyed the same freedom as the Americans do, they would be better off. Unfortunately they are stuck with a 7th century religion with its attendant 7th century treatment of half of the population. Women in most of the middle east are valued somewhat less than horses and somewhat more than dogs.
And for all you cynics who think it's all about oil... The American economy is the world's most powerful.. they can buy all the oil they need. At the moment the price of oil in the USA is about half what it is in Europe.
What they SHOULD do is develop an alternative fuel and leave the Middle East to its own devices.