Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: AFP
Byline: n/a
Date: 25 October 2006
COPENHAGEN, Oct 25, 2006 (AFP) - Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
said Wednesday Danish troops would remain in Iraq, despite his recent call
for an unspecified change of strategy in the volatile country.
"The government's point of view is that we should remain in Iraq as long as
the Iraqi government wants us to," Rasmussen said during a
question-and-answer session at the Danish parliament.
The Prime Minister added "there is no change in the mandate of Danish
soldiers" deployed in country, which expires in June, 2007.
Denmark has 470 soldiers in Iraq, mostly deployed in the southern city of
Basra under British command.
The conservative Prime Minister has been criticized by centrist and leftist
parties for following Washington's dictate on Iraq too easily.
But Rasmussen refused to yield to opposition pressure for specifics on his
call Tuesday for a new strategy to improve the security situation in Iraq.
"It would be an invitation to terrorists to discuss what strategy we want to
follow," he said.
In separate remarks on Denmark's DR1 television channel, Rasmussen also said
he had not been in contact with US President George W. Bush on the issue.
Calls are also growing in Washington to change the coalition's strategy,
amid mounting violence in Iraq.
Byline: n/a
Date: 25 October 2006
COPENHAGEN, Oct 25, 2006 (AFP) - Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
said Wednesday Danish troops would remain in Iraq, despite his recent call
for an unspecified change of strategy in the volatile country.
"The government's point of view is that we should remain in Iraq as long as
the Iraqi government wants us to," Rasmussen said during a
question-and-answer session at the Danish parliament.
The Prime Minister added "there is no change in the mandate of Danish
soldiers" deployed in country, which expires in June, 2007.
Denmark has 470 soldiers in Iraq, mostly deployed in the southern city of
Basra under British command.
The conservative Prime Minister has been criticized by centrist and leftist
parties for following Washington's dictate on Iraq too easily.
But Rasmussen refused to yield to opposition pressure for specifics on his
call Tuesday for a new strategy to improve the security situation in Iraq.
"It would be an invitation to terrorists to discuss what strategy we want to
follow," he said.
In separate remarks on Denmark's DR1 television channel, Rasmussen also said
he had not been in contact with US President George W. Bush on the issue.
Calls are also growing in Washington to change the coalition's strategy,
amid mounting violence in Iraq.