Portugal to withdraw force from Iraq on Feb. 12

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L15445636.htm

LISBON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Portugal will withdraw its paramilitary force from Iraq on Feb. 12, a government spokesman said on Saturday, after extending its stay to help provide security for the Jan. 30 elections.

Portugal has about 120 national guard officers in Nassariya, about 300 km (200 miles) south of Baghdad, he said. They arrived in Iraq in November 2003 and were due to leave in November 2004, but the assignment was extended by 90 days.

A separate Portuguese force may help train Iraqi police after the withdrawal, either in Portugal or in Iraq, he said.

Under former Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, the government was a staunch ally of the United States in its war on Iraq, despite public opposition.

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[rodeodance]

1. does anyone know how many of the 'coalition of UNwilling' are left?

[Historic NY]

2. What about Poland, have they left yet?

[UL_Approved]

3. The rest of the world is getting fed up with us, why not ourselves

Oh, I forgot, we ARE fed up with ourselves. Just that > 50% minority that keeps making trouble...

[cliss]

4. I'm curious -

do we pay these foreign "supporters", or do they pay for their own troops' upkeep, ammunition, body bags etc.?

I do recall that a while ago, there was some rumbling about the British forces running out of funding. I recall there was some kind of trust fund that was paying for their forces of 35,000 (?).

It was due to run out by the end of June last year. Ah ha, I thought. Now the charade is about to come to an end. But they're still there ?!?.

I suspect the US picked up the tab on that one, just to keep up appearances. But no info out there.

[NYC]

7. I think a different deal was made with each country.

In other words, whatever it took to get them to "join".

I have a vague memory of soldiers' salaries being paid to at least one country.

[Capt_Nemo]

5. This was going to happen soon anyway

since the right-wing government was sacked by the president (after the
absolute mess they've been making of the country in the last half
year) and new elections, which they are bound to lose, were called
for 20th February.

The future government would most certainly withdraw the troops if they
were still there.

Right wingers here are also starting to have second thoughts on their
unconditional embrace of neo-conservative worldview (rats abandoning
ship syndrome).

[struggle4progress]

6. kick