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Politics : The Truth About Islam -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lorne who wrote (3839)	1/11/2007 6:53:31 PM
From: lorne	Respond to of 20106

Asian allies offer support for Bush JOSEPH COLEMAN Associated Press Thu, Jan. 11, 2007 centredaily.com TOKYO - President Bush's decision to boost American troops in Iraq won support Thursday from U.S. allies as a step toward stabilizing the country, but the move was angrily condemned by opponents of the war. The leaders of South Korea, Australia and Japan - all longtime supporters of the U.S.-led mission in Iraq - pledged continued political backing and material help to the beleaguered war effort. "If America retreats in Iraq, then that has enormous consequences for the stability of the Middle East and it will also be an enormous boost to terrorism in our part of the world," Australian Prime Minister John Howard said in Sydney. Howard, whose country has 1,300 troops in and around Iraq, called Bush's plan to increase the U.S. presence by more than 20,000 troops "very clear, calm and above all, realistic." However, in Pakistan a coalition of hardline anti-U.S. religious groups on Thursday rejected the troop boost, demanding instead that Washington withdraw its forces from Iraq. "Occupation of any country will not succeed whether it is in Iraq or Afghanistan," said Shahid Shamsi, a spokesman for United Action Forum, an alliance of six Islamic groups. "Hatred will increase against America and its allies whether they are in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan," said Shamsi, whose coalition has been a strong opposition voice in Pakistan's parliament since making gains in elections in 2002. The alliance opposes President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's close cooperation with the United States in the war on terrorism. Bush talked to allies Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun by telephone before his announcement, officials said. Both countries host large numbers of American troops and have contributed forces to Iraq. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Tokyo would continue its humanitarian air support and loans to Baghdad for reconstruction. "I strongly hope that the U.S. efforts toward the stability in Iraq and reconstruction will proceed effectively and bring good results," Aso said in a statement. "Japan will continue to closely communicate and cooperate with the U.S." Japan withdrew its 600 non-combat ground troops from southern Iraq last year but has continued air support, and Abe has made firm support for Bush a cornerstone of his foreign policy since he took office in September. Roh, the South Korean president, also expressed support for the new policy. The South Korean president "said he understood the background of the comprehensive U.S. policies and expressed support for President Bush's endeavor to bring about stability and reconstruction in Iraq," his office said. South Korea has 2,300 troops in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil to support the U.S.-led reconstruction of Iraq. Seoul's current contribution of forces makes it Washington's biggest coalition partner after Britain. Seoul plans to withdraw 1,100 troops by April, and parliament has instructed the administration to draw up a full pullout plan during 2007.