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Romanians Would Exit Iraq To Save Journalists
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The abduction of three Romanian reporters in Iraq has polarized views on the coalition effort in the European nation, according to a poll by the Centre for Urban and Regional Sociology. 70 per cent of respondents believe Romania should withdraw its troops to save the lives of the kidnapped journalists.
In March 2003, the Romanian government committed 730 soldiers to the United States-led coalition effort. President Ion Iliescu and prime minister Adrian Nastase of the Social Democratic Party (PDS) openly supported military action against Saddam Hussein's regime.
In last year's presidential and parliamentary elections, the Justice and Truth (DA) alliance—encompassing the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD)—emerged victorious. In February, new president Traian Basescu ruled out a troop withdrawal "until the new Iraqi institutions are able to efficiently rule the country and to assure a peaceful climate in order to begin a sound reconstruction process."
On Mar. 28, three Romanian journalists—Marie Jeanne Ion, Sorin Miscoci and Ovidiu Ohanesian—were abducted in Baghdad along with their translator, Mohamad Munaf. A previously unidentified group called the Muadh ibn Jabal Brigade has threatened to kill the hostages unless Romanian troops leave Iraq.
Prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said any change in current policies "would be exactly what the kidnappers, the terrorists, want. It's the kind of pressure meant to force us to alter our course."
Polling Data
Should Romania withdraw its troops from Iraq to save the lives of the kidnapped journalists?
Yes | 70% |
No | 18% |
Not sure | 12% |
Source: Centre for Urban and Regional Sociology (CURS)
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews to 1,020 Romanian adults, conducted on Apr. 22 and Apr. 23, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.