Last group of 217 Spanish troops return from Iraq

Madrid, May 25: The last group of Spanish soldiers stationed in
Iraq touched down in Madrid on Monday nearly two
months after the Madrid train bombings that prompted a
decision by the socialist prime minister, Jos Luis
Rodrguez Zapatero, to withdraw its 1,300 soldiers from
Iraq.

The soldiers arrived home following Zapatero's election
victory on March 11, three days after the terrorist train
bombs in Madrid that killed 190 people and wounded 1,900.

The previous Prime Minister, Jos Mara Aznar,
contrary to 90 per cent of Spanish public opinion,
committed the force in support of United States policy.

Bureau Report