Romania says committed to keeping troops in Iraq

Union Tribune ^ | July 28, 2005

[Panerai]

BUCHAREST – Staunch U.S. ally Romania remains committed to keeping its troops in Iraq as long as they are needed by the Iraqi government, President Traian Basescu said on Thursday. Grateful to Washington for its support of Bucharest's bid to join NATO, Romania was a loyal ally in the war that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, contributing about 800 troops to U.S.-led forces.

"We remain committed to helping Iraq's stabilization," Basescu told a group of foreign reporters.

Washington has avoided suggesting a timetable for the withdrawal of troops, whose mandate expires at the end of 2006. But the U.S. top commander in Iraq, General George Casey, said on Wednesday he expected troop cuts after a referendum on a new constitution due in October and an election for a new Iraqi leader in December.

Italy, which has around 3,000 troops in Iraq, is due to start a phased pullout of its forces in September, when it will bring some 300 soldiers home, while Poland, with 1,700 troops, plans to withdraw most of them at the beginning of next year.

Bulgaria plans to bring its 400 soldiers back from Iraq by year-end or even sooner.

But Basescu said pulling out foreign troops could mean Iraq will sink into civil war.

[Mister_Diddy_Wa_Diddy]

Well, at least the Romanians remember what it was like when the Muslims under the Ottoman Turks were on their last world jihad.

[AlexW]

Romanians are not only smart, they are probably the most active on the Internet as any country in Europe.

I spent last summer in Cluj, Romania.
While they still suffer the effects of the Communist days,
I still admire them.

[Mister_Diddy_Wa_Diddy]

Roger on that.

[conservativecorner]

God bless Romania and it's people for standing with the US and it's coalition partners in Iraq.