Stunned Bulgarians begin to question Iraq policy

[JoFerret]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=nm/iraq_bulgaria_reaction_dc

SOFIA (Reuters) - Stunned by the beheading of a Bulgarian truck driver by militants in Iraq Bulgarians questioned on Wednesday their government's staunchly pro-U.S. stance on Iraq.

"It is high time for Bulgaria to pull out of this adventure," said painter Valentin Borisov, 43. "We shouldn't have walked in there. I don't justify the cruelty (of militants), they really are terrorists. But what are we doing there?"

The government of the ex-communist country stood firm, saying it was keeping its 470 troops in Iraq and sticking to its foreign policy despite the execution of one Bulgarian hostage and the threat that still hangs over another.


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[cliss]

1. I'm sure all the other "willing" participants

are asking themselves the same question. This whole mess has created a huge fork in the road for many countries. The decision to participate in this "Coalition of the willing" was overwhelmingly done by the leaders of the various countries.

They did this against the wishes of their own people. I can't think of any countries which had the wholehearted support of their people for doing this.

So when the war started going badly, the people started demanding more and more that they get out. The leaders of these countries have been horribly torn between helping Bush out (in the hopes of getting favors, nice oil contracts, juicy positions) down the road, versus being true to the wishes of their people.

It's probably been a horrible dilemma. But when things like this happen, when ordinary people get caught in the middle, I believe it's easier for the leaders to get out. This gives them a big alibi; that they're looking out for the interest of their own people, which they should.

Besides, look at the leaders who blatantly ignored the people. Jose Maria Aznar is out. Blair and Howard are facing elections, and they could be out also. So it's in their best interest.

[Disturbed]

2. Illegal Invasion and Occupation

I don't condone the execution of anyone. The countries still remaining in Irqa should get their people out, incl. the USA.

[Gin]

3. I think I heard the Bulgarian wasn't beheaded...so was he or wasn't he?

g