Thailand could withdraw troops from Iraq

[Robbien]

Thailand says it will withdraw its medical and engineering troops from Iraq if they are attacked. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is facing growing public demands to withdraw the troops sent last year to do humanitarian work in the southern city of Kerbala.


Mr Thaksin says the troops did not go to Iraq to fight, and if they started to get killed, he would not keep them there.

<snip>

Australian targets
The chief of Australia's defence force says he is disturbed by a warning Australian troops and civilians in Iraq are being specifically targeted for kidnappings.

However, Australian Prime Minister John Howard says the threat will not change his decision to keep Australian troops there, for as long as they are needed. Radical Shi'ite cleric, Sheikh Moqtada Al Sadr has warned Australians in Iraq are at risk of being kidnapped.

http://abcasiapacific.com/news/stories/asiapacific_stories_1091451.htm

[jmcgowanjm]

1. Honduras has ordered his 370-strong contingent home too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3640459.stm

the BBC's Justin Webb.

Our correspondent says there is a widespread feeling in the
US that the Spanish government has made a serious error
of judgement and allowed itself to look as if its policy
was dictated by terrorism.

And, unusually, the Bush administration rebuke was backed
in full by Democratic party presidential challenger Senator
John Kerry, our correspondent notes

[chenGOD]

2. Korea *might* follow suit.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/04/19/200404190007.asp

[SeattleDem]

3. smart move, Thailand, asking for an attack

hmm, let's see, they say'll leave if attacked, so if I were an Iraqi insurgent, who would I target next???

[Bandit]

5. Except they are not fighters they are healers

Even Iraq needs healers and some foreign support. It would be wise for them to only attack soldiers who fire upon Iraqis. They may lose even Arab support if they start attacking people there to help heal their sick and wounded.

[slackmaster]

4. That's a novel military strategy

Announcing that if you are attacked you will pack up and leave.

:freak:

The enemy must be quaking in their boots.

[leftchick]

6. lol!...

nothing like saying "bring it on"!

[paulk]

7. I'm sure part of Thailand's concern

is the increasing level of fundamentalist violence in the south of their own country.