US expects others may follow Spain in reassessing Iraqi forces

4.00pm

WASHINGTON - The United States expects other nations with forces in Iraq to reassess their position after Spain's decision to pull its troops out, President George W Bush's national security adviser says.

White House spokesman Ken Lisaius also said Washington wanted the Spanish withdrawal to be made in a "co-ordinated, responsible and orderly manner" but expressed no opinion of Madrid's decision.

Condoleezza Rice, speaking on ABC's This Week before the decision was announced in Madrid, said, "We know that there are others who are going to have to assess how they see the risk."

"We have 34 countries with forces on the ground. I think there are going to be some changes."

Under former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, Spain, along with Britain and Italy, had been one of the strongest supporters of Bush's invasion of Iraq last year to oust President Saddam Hussein.

However, incoming Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, a day after being sworn in, has ordered the 1400 troops to be brought home as soon as possible.

The White House had hoped Zapatero, who had made a pull-out a key feature of his election campaign, would reconsider his stand if the United Nations took a bigger role in Iraq.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry expressed disappointment at Zapatero's decision.

"I had hoped the prime minister would have reconsidered his position and I hope that in the days ahead the United States and the world can work with him to find a way to keep Spain engaged in the efforts in Iraq," Kerry said in a written statement.

The Massachusetts senator, who earlier called Bush's Iraq diplomacy "stunningly ineffective," said it was critical that the United States "find new coalition partners to share the burden in Iraq."

Lisaius said "each country will have to make its own choices in fighting the war against terror and in securing freedom for the people of Iraq."

The Bush administration has worked to shore up backing among other countries with forces in Iraq, whose resolve has been tested by a wave of kidnappings and violent attacks by insurgents in recent weeks.

"We are grateful to our other coalition partners for their recent expressions of solidarity in carrying out the mission in Iraq," Lisaius said.

Bush has been accused by opponents and even some fellow Republicans of putting too few troops in the field to subdue the opposition.

Last week the Defence Department announced it would keep more than 20,000 troops in the country this summer beyond their promised year-long tours. The total US force in Iraq is now 135,000.

Nearly 100 US troops have been killed this month alone, and Washington has been forced to rethink its plan for handing over power to Iraqis on June 30, pressing the United Nations to take an increasingly important role.

US Senator John Warner, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN the Spanish decision was troublesome. "The military situation can accept this, but it will put pressure on the other coalition nations," he said.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq