Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Spain's Zapatero Calls Iraq Occupation a Fiasco

Excite - News: "Spain's Zapatero Calls Iraq Occupation a Fiasco | Mar 17, 12:20 pm ET | By Marta Ruiz-Castillo

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's next prime minister spurned the U.S. president's appeal for unity Wednesday and branded the Iraq occupation a fiasco as a probe into the Madrid bombings that killed 201 people entered a 'decisive phase.'

Socialist Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who ousted Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar in a shock election victory at the weekend, stood his ground on withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq despite a plea from President Bush.

'I will listen to Mr. Bush but my position is very clear and very firm,' Zapatero told Spain's Onda Cero radio. 'The occupation is a fiasco.'"
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