One American soldier is killed, an aggregation for foreign fighters, NATO interferes in Iraq this year
The US announced yesterday that the NATO has a strong intention to perform a greater role in Iraq, while a diplomat said that NATO will assume as from the current year the leadership of the Polish occupation troups in Iraq.
The US representative at NATO Nicholas Burns said in a press conference on the eve of a meeting for NATO's defense ministers in Munich that "it is clear there is a strong political desire in the NATO to play a greater role in Iraq." He added "several European members proposed NATO to carry out a special collective role in Iraq, the same the US does." But he indicated that it is premature to make official talks on such a role.
Simultaneously, a high ranking diplomat in NATO in Brussels said that the NATO might assume as from this year the leadership of the Polish contingent in Iraq, but a decision has so far not been taken. The official explained "it is possible this to be made this year," stressing that several European states proposed that to their partners in the NATO. But he added that no decision to this effect is so far taken, stressing that the NATO does not expect that to be made before next spring or the beginning of Summer.
Meantime, a spokesman for the American occupation army said that one US soldier was killed and another wounded in an attack by mortars shelling that took place yesterday on military establishments near Baghdad airport. The spokesman said that four shells hit the base of supplies near the airport and its complex.
On Wednesday, the Spanish ministry of defense said that a senior Spanish officer was strongly wounded in an attack which took place on January 22nd in southern Iraq died in Spain. This, however, increased the number of Spanish soldiers killed in Iraq to 11.
Gonzalo Peres Garcia, the commander of the civil guard and member of the Spanish military contingent which occupies Iraq was hit by one bullet in his head and since then has been in a coma. The said officer was the chairman of the Spanish- Latin American security group.
In al-Musil, the commander of the American 101 infantry group positioned in Northern Iraq said that foreign fighters are aggregating in this area, noting the existence of "a clear terrorist threat." He added "certainly, there is a terrorist threat in all parts of the country." He explained "since Summer there is re-organization of foreign and criminal elements." For his part, the police leader in al-Musil, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Barhawi, said that 43 of his members were killed and 176 injured since April 2003.