Ah, the will of the Spanish people.................................



Spain PM orders Iraq troops home


Spain has about 1,300 troops stationed in Iraq
Spain's new prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has given orders

Spanish troops in Iraq to be brought home in "as short a time as

In a televised address to the nation, he 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 south-central areas of 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".

He spoke just hours after the new Socialist government was sworn in.


Mr Zapatero's election win last month was largely unexpected

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.

His conservative predecessor, Jose Maria Aznar, sent in troops in August
2003 in a move which led to huge popular protests across Spain.

"With the information we have, and which we have gathered over the past

weeks, it is not foreseeable that the United Nations will adopt a
resolution" that satisfies Spain's terms, Mr Zapatero said.

Daily attacks

The United States earlier condemned the decision to bring the troops home,
saying it is giving in to terrorism.

Main foreign troops in Iraq
USA: 135,000
UK: 8,700
Italy: 3,000
Poland: 2,400
Ukraine: 1,650
Spain: 1,300
Australia: 850
Japan: 550

But the BBC's Danny Wood, in Madrid, says the majority of Spaniards

the decision.

Many believe the 11 March train bomb attacks were a result of the former
government's support of the United States policy in Iraq, our

adds.

Spanish troops play an important role in Iraq, particularly in the Shia

city of Najaf.

Spanish troops stationed in Najaf come under rifle and mortar fire almost
every day from militiamen loyal to the radical anti-US cleric Moqtada

Afghan pledge

In November, Spain was stunned by the deaths of seven intelligence

in Iraq, killed when their convoy came under attack outside Baghdad.

The BBC's Dominic Hughes, in Baghdad, says that with the US saying it

thousands of extra troops on the ground in Iraq, the withdrawal of the
Spanish forces will clearly be felt.

Mr Zapatero has said the fight against terrorism at home and abroad will

his administration's top priority.

And he has promised to double the number of Spanish soldiers in

where there is a UN mandate.

Ah, the will of the Spanish people.................................



Spain PM orders Iraq troops home


Spain has about 1,300 troops stationed in Iraq
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".
In a televised address to the nation, he 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 south-central areas of 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".

He spoke just hours after the new Socialist government was sworn in.


Mr Zapatero's election win last month was largely unexpected

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.

His conservative predecessor, Jose Maria Aznar, sent in troops in August
2003 in a move which led to huge popular protests across Spain.

"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.

Daily attacks

The United States earlier condemned the decision to bring the troops home,
saying it is giving in to terrorism.

Main foreign troops in Iraq
USA: 135,000
UK: 8,700
Italy: 3,000
Poland: 2,400
Ukraine: 1,650
Spain: 1,300
Australia: 850
Japan: 550

But the BBC's Danny Wood, in Madrid, says the majority of Spaniards support
the decision.

Many believe the 11 March train bomb attacks were a result of the former
government's support of the United States policy in Iraq, our correspondent
adds.

Spanish troops play an important role in Iraq, particularly in the Shia holy
city of Najaf.

Spanish troops stationed in Najaf come under rifle and mortar fire almost
every day from militiamen loyal to the radical anti-US cleric Moqtada Sadr.

Afghan pledge

In November, Spain was stunned by the deaths of seven intelligence officers
in Iraq, killed when their convoy came under attack outside Baghdad.

The BBC's Dominic Hughes, in Baghdad, says that with the US saying it needs
thousands of extra troops on the ground in Iraq, the withdrawal of the
Spanish forces will clearly be felt.

Mr Zapatero has said the fight against terrorism at home and abroad will be
his administration's top priority.

And he has promised to double the number of Spanish soldiers in Afghanistan,
where there is a UN mandate.