Denmark troops to extend Iraq stay

[cal04]

DENMARK will keep its troops in Iraq for at least eight months after their current mandate expires at the beginning of June, the foreign ministry said today.

It should be possible to reduce the number of Danish troops in Iraq gradually from the current 530 after parliamentary elections there in early 2006, the ministry said in a report on the Danish military role in Iraq. "The analysis ... establishes the continued need for the Danish contribution to the security assignment in the south of Iraq," Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said in a statement.

Last week, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after talks with the Social Democratic opposition that he expected broad political backing for an extension of the Danish force's tour of duty in southern Iraq near Basra. An extension must be approved by parliament, but even without opposition support Fogh Rasmussen's centre-right government has enough votes to win a mandate with backing from its parliamentary ally, the far-right Danish People's Party.

Broad public support for the force waned last year and polls earlier this year showed a majority of Danes thought the troops should be brought home immediately, or kept in Iraq for a limited time. But Mr Moeller said it was impossible to say exactly when the Danes would be able to leave Iraq.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15100802%255E1702,00.html

[Voltaire99]

1. All of 'Murrica thanks the Danish Modern Furniture Brigade!

What you brave men have accomplished with your tasteful minimalist teak and wool arrangements will go down in the annals of democratic history!

But, er, meantime, get the hell out of the Iraqis' land, willya? And take the US with you.

[xchrom]

2. reduce the number slowly?!?!

oh yes -- the tactical difficulties of removing 530 soldiers.

while i am a fan of scandanavian countries -- in this case, i think, denmark is over-inflating it's contribution.

[aneerkoinos]

3. There's something really rotten ... n/t

[Benhurst]

4. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark ... and it's

not the cheese.

[sweetheart]

6. Yes, its that stinking center-right government

"Bevar Christania" and you rightwing assholes are rotting out your
own damn country, just like the american ones.... so pretty soon, you'll
be able to walk through any airport or capital city in the world and
not be able to know if you're in a different place....same crap,
differnt country... the new danish future is the shit behind the GOP
elephant.

[Endangered Specie]

5. Five-hundred thirty soldiers eh...

What is that... a tenth of a division?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

7. CNN is high on Democracy in Iraq

Just caught a report on the Shias in the marsh region which shows extreme poverty and ignorance, yet a willingness to vote for who they are told to vote for.

Sounds like the Christian Fundamentalists here at home. So much in common with our enemy.