http://www.jp.dk/english_news/artikel:aid=3714846/

Quote:

Troop levels to stay the same

As the deadline arrives for renewing troop levels in Iraq, the government announces plans to seek an additional full-year of deployment and to send a Hercules cargo pla

Denmark's military contribution in Iraq will remain basically unchanged, Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller said at a press conference on Friday. The minister's statement quelled rumours circulating earlier in the week that 100 Danish troops would be withdrawn from Iraq.
Together with Defence Minister Søren Gade, Møller announced that the government would seek a renewal of Denmark's troop deployment when the issue came up in parliament.

The two ministers outlined a plan that included reducing troop levels by 80 and sending a Hercules cargo plane.

'We expect an Iraqi battalion to be trained this summer. It will overtake a number of tasks currently covered by our troops,' said Møller.

He added that the UN had asked Denmark to send the cargo plane, which could serve to transport humanitarian aid and supplies from neighbouring Jordan.

'We will present the proposal next week along with a new analysis of the situation in Iraq.' We presented the details today, because so many rumours have circulated about what is happening.'

Denmark currently has 488 soldiers stationed in Iraq, according to the Ministry of Defence's homepage.

Opposition parties the Social Democrats and the Social Liberals, which voted in support of the decision to renew the mission in January, repeated their demands that the all the Danish troops be recalled.

'Over a year ago, we proposed that a sensible exit strategy be devised, so the Iraqis can assume responsibility,' said Mogens Lykketoft, the former leader of the Social Democrats.

Together with the Social Liberals, he called upon the government to redeploy Danish troops from Iraq to conflict-ridden Darfur province.

The opposition's call to move forces from Iraq to Sudan were dismissed by Defence Minister Søren Gade.

'A continued Danish presence is necessary to reach our goal in Iraq,' he sai



While I'm all for having troops in Iraq, I'd just wish that my government would say screw the UN, screw international politics, screw international opinion and send a shit load of troops to Darfur beat those antagonists into submission. To simply force peace upon them.

yeah yeah yeah, violence begets violence, screwheads



Racks be to MisterJLA