Norway to withdraw troops from Iraq
{{date|September 16, 2005}}

The [[w:Leadership|leader]] of the [[w:Norway|Norwegian]] [[w:Labour Party|Labour Party]], incoming [[w:Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[w:Jens Stoltenberg|Jens Stoltenberg]], announced yesterday that Norway is to withdraw the remainder of its [[w:Troop|troops]] from [[w:Iraq|Iraq]].
[[w:Nato|Nato]] member Norway still has approximately 20 [[w:Officer (armed forces)|military officers]] stationed in Iraq. They participate in the [[w:Military Training|training]] of Iraqi troops with the [[w:Britain|British]] and [[w:Poland|Polish]] divisions. Previously Norway had approximately 170 [[w:Soldier|soldiers]] stationed in Iraq, of which most were withdrawn in [[w:2004|2004]] due to lack of popular and [[w:Government|government]] support.

Stoltenberg notified [[w:George W. Bush|George W. Bush]] of his decision on Thursday, when Bush called to congratulate him on his election victory. Norwegians voted in Monday's [[w:Parliament|parliamentary]] elections in favour of a [[w:Red-Green Alliance|red-green alliance]] headed by Stoltenberg's Labour party, ousting the [[w:Centre-right|centre-right]] government.

Retiring Prime Minister [[w:Kjell Magne Bondevik|Kjell Magne Bondevik]] [[w:Critic|criticized]] Stoltenberg's [[w:Decision|decision]] as inconsistent. He said Labour's plan to withdraw the same troops it previously supported sending to Iraq was [[w:Contradiction|contradictory]].

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.nelonen.fi/uutiset/uutinen.asp?cat=2&d=1101980963341
|title=Norja vetää upseerinsa Irakista
|author=Reuters-HS-STT
|pub=Nelosen uutiset
|date=September 15, 2005}}
<!-- Hint: If you are citing BBC News, leave the author blank and put "BBC News" in the "pub" parameter. -->

*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleSearch.aspx?storyID=112124+05-Sep-2005+RTRS&srch=stoltenberg
|title=Norway set to shift left, ditch govt on Sept. 12
|author=Reuters
|pub=Reuters.com
|date=September 5, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article781682.ece
|title=Norway to pull troops from Iraq
|author=Aftenposten
|pub=Aftenposten
|date=April 26, 2004}}

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{{archive}}
[[Category:Norway]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:NATO]]
[[Category:Jens Stoltenberg]]

[[pl:Norwegia wycofa swoje wojska z Iraku]]
The leader of the Norwegian Labour Party, incoming Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, announced yesterday that Norway is to withdraw the remainder of its troops from Iraq.
Nato member Norway still has approximately 20 military officers stationed in Iraq. They participate in the training of Iraqi troops with the British and Polish divisions. Previously Norway had approximately 170 soldiers stationed in Iraq, of which most were withdrawn in 2004 due to lack of popular and government support.

Stoltenberg notified George W. Bush of his decision on Thursday, when Bush called to congratulate him on his election victory. Norwegians voted in Monday's parliamentary elections in favour of a red-green alliance headed by Stoltenberg's Labour party, ousting the centre-right government.

Retiring Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik criticized Stoltenberg's decision as inconsistent. He said Labour's plan to withdraw the same troops it previously supported sending to Iraq was contradictory.

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Norway Europe Iraq Middle East Politics and conflicts NATO Jens Stoltenberg