Defense secretary says allies promise to keep troops in Iraq next year
Brussels, Belgium-AP -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says nearly all of the NATO allies with troops in Iraq are promising to stay there next year. Rumsfeld just wrapped up two days of talks with NATO countries in Brussels. Today he says he's encouraged by allied support for the U-S effort in Iraq despite recent attacks by insurgents.
Seven Spaniards were killed Saturday, and Sunday two South Korean workers and two Japanese diplomats were killed in separate incidents.
Spain has vowed to keep its troops in Iraq, and the Japanese prime minister is pledging to send troops. In Seoul today, lawmakers recommended to parliament that troops be sent to Iraq.
Eighteen of 26 NATO member countries have a combined total of about 24-thousand troops operating in Iraq.
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