White House Disappointed in Philippines

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Expressing dismay about a close ally, the White House said Thursday the Philippines was sending "the wrong signal to terrorists" by withdrawing its military forces from Iraq to save the life of a kidnapped truck driver.

"There is no negotiation with terrorists," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. "There is no separate peace with terrorists."

The Philippines said it would remove its 51 peacekeepers from Iraq early to save the life of abducted driver. The Southeast Asian country earlier vowed it would not yield to pressure to move up its previously scheduled Aug. 20 withdrawal.

Spain was the first member of the coalition to leave, pulling its 1,300 troops out after a pre-election terrorist attack in Madrid. Honduras and the Dominican Republican moved their few hundred troops out in the spring.

McClellan noted that other countries have not yielded to terrorist pressure. "I think that the international community, by and large, recognizes the importance of confronting and defeating these terrorists," he said. "And they recognize that you cannot have a separate peace with those terrorists."

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040715/D83RGHC00.html

[DrWho]

1. Bribery

Bribery, that's what it is.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Welcome to DU

[Fenris]

2. "There is no negotiation with terrorists"

I never understood this statement. What else can one do? Fight them? Because that's worked out so well.

[shoelace414]

3. we could just withdraw and declare victory

kinda like Falugia (whatever.. that city)

[whosinpower]

5. Hey - the war was wrong in the first place

The sooner all the allies leave, the sooner the US will be forced to withdraw - which is perhaps the best thing they could do for the Iraqi people, and get rid of that monstrosity - the US embassy with Negroponte.

The Philippines value human life. How awful of them.

[jean]

6. Thailand is pulling their troops as well - will be out by Sept 20 '04

Thai troops start pull-out from Iraq

Thailand sent a 451-strong contingent of troops to Iraq for a purely humanitarian mission and the one-year deployment had been due to end in late September.

snip

Elections are due to take place in Thailand around January and the year-long deployment has proved unpopular among Thais, being marked by frequent calls for the troops to be brought home.


The calls became louder after the deaths of two Thai soldiers in a car bombing in December in the Shiite holy city of Karbala where the troops are based.


The contingent, including engineers and medics, were sent to Iraq last September after Thailand remained neutral during the US-led invasion. The Thai contingent hardly left the camp since April when they were ordered to hunker down because of the rising violence across the country.

[Demonaut]

7. US Disappointed in White House

NOW these are headlines you'll never see

[prodigal_green]

8. Amen!

[Bandit]

9. The insurgents announced they would release the filipino truck driver

unharmed. They were planning on withdrawing anyway and by moving the date up a few weeks they saved the life of one of their citizens. We all know Bush* would never consider the value of a single life.