Reply #21: Rice denies US-led coalition in Iraq is crumbling [View All]

[rodeodance]

from lBN also:


Wed Feb-21-07 09:56 AM
Original message
Rice denies US-led coalition in Iraq is crumbling Updated at 9:48 AM

BERLIN (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied on Wednesday that the US-led coalition in Iraq is crumbling after Britain announced it would reduce its troop mumbers by 1,600 in the coming months.

"The coalition remains intact and in fact the British still have thousands of soldiers deployed in Iraq, in the south," Rice said after talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier ahead of a meeting of the Quartet for Middle East peace.

Rice said the British pullout was occurring according to the coalition plan to gradually hand over responsibility for security to the Iraqis.

"It is the plan that as it is possible to transfer responsibilities to the Iraqis, coalition forces would no longer be needed in those circumstances."

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070221/wl_afp/britainiraq...

Status of coalition forces in Iraq
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070221/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq...