bq. “Troop morale in Iraq hits ‘rock bottom’:”:http://www.sulekha.com/redirectnh.asp?cid=312756 Some frustrated troops stationed in Iraq are writing letters to representatives in Congress to request their units be repatriated. “Most soldiers would empty their bank accounts just for a plane ticket home,” said one recent Congressional letter written by an Army soldier now based in Iraq.
The Americans are trying their best to get India to get involved with the peace keeping in Iraq. This is a very tricky issue. India has been against this war which did not have the United Nations blessings, as we still remain a country which worships UN decrees.
Sending troops without UN approval would mean a political suicide for the present NDA Administration. 2004 is an election year. If the troops are sent and if Indian soldiers get killed, that will be the major issue in the elections.
Kofi Annan has said that “he disapproves of Indian troops”:http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s883798.htm in Iraq. So the current face saving measure is going to be this. Jalal Talebani of the People’s Union of Kurdiustan (PUK) and Massoud Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) will extend an invitation and say that they don’t have a probelem if Indians come to Kurdistan. “The Americans are working overtime”:http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEH20030709130029&Title=Top+Stories&rLink0=
Indians in Iraq
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