Spain Pledges To Stay On In Iraq

BBC ^ | 11-30-2003

[blam]

Spain pledges to stay on in Iraq

Only one Spanish officer survived the ambush

Spain's prime minister has vowed to keep troops in Iraq despite "great pain" at the killing of seven intelligence agents in an ambush. "Freedom is under threat from the terrorists," said Jose Maria Aznar, whose country is a key European member of the US-led coalition in Iraq.

Unknown attackers have also killed two Japanese diplomats, two South Koreans, a Colombian and two US soldiers.

Responding to its losses, Japan also pledged "not to give in to terrorism".

In the latest attack, South Korea confirmed that two of its citizens, both electricians, had been killed in an ambush near Tikrit on Sunday. Two others were wounded.

Earlier, the US military announced that a Colombian contractor had been killed and two wounded when their car came under fire near the town of Balad on Saturday.

Spain mourns

Mr Aznar brushed aside Spanish opposition demands for troops to be withdrawn, declaring that his country would "fulfil its commitments".

Coalition deaths in November

79 United States troops
19 Italians
7 Spaniards
1 Pole

The intelligence agents had, he said, "lost their lives doing their duty as professional soldiers, good soldiers working for peace and security".

"The international community is now facing the challenge of a tyranny which is reluctant to disappear and of a terrorist network which has become the biggest global challenge for free societies, for our societies," he said.

The agents' convoy was ambushed near the town of Hilla, as it returned from a mission. Only one man survived.

Television images showed local youths dancing, kicking the charred corpses and shouting slogans in support of Saddam Hussein.

The images were carried by Spain's leading newspapers on Sunday.

The leftist opposition has described the 1,300-strong Spanish military contingent as an invasion force and a visible target and called for its withdrawal.

A total of 106 coalition troops are reported to have died in Iraq during November.

They included 81 US troops, the seven Spaniards and 17 Italian soldiers who were killed in the bombing of the Italian military headquarters in Nasiriya.

'Furious'

In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said his country would continue to meet its "responsibilities for humanitarian aid and reconstruction"

Japan has suffered its first deaths in Iraq

"Japan must not give in to terrorism," he told reporters.

"Why does this kind of thing happen?" he continued, visibly upset. "I am furious."

The two diplomats were shot along with their Iraqi driver as they stopped to buy food.

They have been named as Masamori Inoue, 30, who worked at the embassy in Baghdad and Katsuhiko Oku, 45, who worked at Japan's London embassy.

They had been travelling to a conference on the reconstruction of northern Iraq in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's birthplace and an anti-coalition stronghold.

[Travis McGee]

Television images showed local youths dancing, kicking the charred corpses and shouting slogans in support of Saddam Hussein. We have all seen these punks dancing on our corpses. I think we need to change the ROE, and machine gun these animals on the spot. Or at least use the video images to track them down, and drag them out of their beds for a little Turkish style interrogation, followed by bullets to the head and a pigskin burial.

[wardaddy]

remember how we discussed the fickle nature of primitive folks prior to this war?

how they will weep and kiss your hand one minute and shoot at you the next.

the only choice we have is to make them fear and respect us.

[Travis McGee]

Exactly. And sooner or later, in the final end stages of this drama, we're going to have to prove that their insane murder cult's black moon-god totem is not a chunk of god, but just a rock.

We're going to find out, sooner or later,

If Abdul will pray, to a glowing crater.

My bet is that he will not.

[patton]

I would rather fight the war there, as opposed to here.

[witnesstothefall]

Spain along with Israel understand more than others what it takes to stem an Islamist tide. The very existence of both these nations also provides an object lesson that the war is winnable.

[cardinal4]

Spain, one of the very few countries that gets it..

[livius]

I'm not sure what the details should be, but I agree - we've got to show more force in response to these attacks. And the Iraqis have got to see us doing this. Appearing weak or slow to respond is a fatal mistake with people of that mindset.

[Travis McGee]

Damn straight!

[Travis McGee]

Appearing weak or slow to respond is a fatal mistake with people of that mindset.

Agreed! Saddam's cheerleaders should be instant sniper bait within the ROE.

[luvbach1]

Yes, death-celebrating savages should be sniper bait. But the hue and cry from Amnesty International, the Demonrat candidates,and Iraqi crybabies would be instant. But when the decision makers for Iraq, from the president down, realize that PC is not working (and it's not), perhaps the ROE will change, but not before, and, unfortunately, not yet.

[patton]

I disagree - I think the ROE have already changed.

mystery, what would mike say?

[ExSoldier]

This reminds me of the debacle in Somalia. Except THEN (even during the Clinton reign) there was palpable OUTRAGE from American's everywhere! Where is the outrage, now?

I mean what has our country come to when a simple woman shopping for a DVD player can be durn near trampled without anybody lifting a finger? This happens on"Main Street" USA and it's no wonder folks aren't screaming for the change in ROE that Travis recommends (and I agree with).

Something has happened to the HEART of Americans and it's a symptom brought on by the Clinton years and a tear in the cultural fabric of society. It's there and I think I know what it is...but I'm also sure that the rules of this forum prevent me from articulating it. So, I won't.

[mystery-ak]

You don't wanna know what Mike would say...but the ROE is, if you feel threatened you may engage fire....

[patton]

Hmmmmmmmm...that was a mixed answer.

But that ROE sounds fine, to me. I find ululating people

dancing around our wounded very threatening, don't you?

[Recovering_Democrat]

THANK GOD!
FINALLY!
some nations who "get it".

[mystery-ak]

Yes, my motto is, shoot first and as questions later...but, I'd probably be in the brig.

[patton]

Give Mike my best, and tell him thanks.

[river rat]

If we remain unwilling to kill our enemies and ALL their supporters - we may as well surrender now...

Celebrating over or striping the bodies of our fallen -- or being in possession of gear from our fallen, has ALWAYS qualified one for worm food...IMMEDIATLY....

If the villagers won't surrender the bastards -- then the village is burned or dismantled until the bastards are found or the village is no longer a sanctuary for potential enemies.....

Historically -- these types don't like to stir shit near their own homes and families, fearing retribution..
So - they'll go to some other smuck's neighborhood and make a mess..
If ALL the neighborhoods KNOW that Hell and Brimstone will befall them if shit occurs in THEIR neighborhood - they become a LOT more willing to keep the troublemakers out or to inform upon them.

We will NEVER win the hearts of the Islamist Lunatics...
Their cult religion instructs them to hate and destroy us...
Far more realistic to have them fear us....for good reason..
Far more practical to simply bust their asses at EVERY opportunity - in as large a number as possible...and move on.

Taking prisoners should NOT be the objective..
Achieving unwounded prisoner status should be granted only to those that surrender BEFORE the fire fight....and provide helpful information....

Semper Fi

[Travis McGee]

Then at least let the SAS loose on these video punks after midnight.