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http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/df/Qiraq-eu-us-portugal.R-tk_DMA.html Portugal backs US war on Iraq even without UN mandate -"The United States are our allies and when an ally of Portugal enters an armed conflict, we have obligations as an ally and we are not going to forget those." -"This declaration by the prime minister, which was not done in the Portuguese parliament or not even in Portugal, reinforces the unilateral vision of the United States under George Bush," Francisco Louca, a member of parliament for the far-left Left Block, which is leading opposition to the war in Portugal.... -In January Durao Barroso announced his centre-right government had authorised US military aircraft to use an air base in Portugal's mid-Atlantic Azores archipelago in the event of war. Polls show a majority of Portuguese are opposed to a military strike against Iraq even if it is authorised by a UN resolution. LUXEMBOURG, March 10 (AFP) - Portugal will support a US-led war on Iraq even without United Nations backing, Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said on Monday. "The United States are our allies and when an ally of Portugal enters an armed conflict, we have obligations as an ally and we are not going to forget those," he said during a visit to Luxembourg. Durao Barroso, whose country was among eight European states to sign an open letter supporting the United States in January, expressed little hope for a peaceful resolution to the crisis over Iraq. "We still support a solution in line with international law in the context of the United Nations but we are not among the most positive," he said. But the Portuguese leader said Lisbon would not send soldiers into the field to support a US-led attack, which is backed by British troops. Durao Barroso's announcement was immediately condemned at home by opposition parties. "This declaration by the prime minister, which was not done in the Portuguese parliament or not even in Portugal, reinforces the unilateral vision of the United States under George Bush," Francisco Louca, a member of parliament for the far-left Left Block, which is leading opposition to the war in Portugal, told private radio TSF. Durao Barroso had previously said UN approval would help legitimise any US-led military intervention in Iraq but also warned that when the time came to take sides in the conflict Portugal would not remain neutral. "The United States are an ally. They are a democracy. Iraq is neither one thing nor the other," he said. In January Durao Barroso announced his centre-right government had authorised US military aircraft to use an air base in Portugal's mid-Atlantic Azores archipelago in the event of war. Polls show a majority of Portuguese are opposed to a military strike against Iraq even if it is authorised by a UN resolution. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online http://webhosting.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bdn7KI.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
