Spain's withdrawal from Kosovo long overdue

Carmen Chacón, the Spanish defence minister, has announced the withdrawal of Spain's troops from Kosovo. The daily El Mundo welcomes this move: "The defence minister's decision ends an absurd situation that for inexplicable reasons has gone on for over a year. The presence of our troops in this area has been untenable ever since this region of the Balkans declared its independence - in an aggressive manner and against the will of the UN Security Council - and Spain refused to recognise the new state. … But the motivation for the government's sudden decision could lie in its intentions to boost Spain's military presence in Afghanistan, in accordance with the US's plans for that country."

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