El Salvador Keeps Troops in Iraq

SAN SALVADOR (EFE) – ElSalvador, the only Latin American countrywith troops in Iraq, will keepSalvadoran forces in that nation, asrequested by U.S. President George W.Bush in a telephone call last week.President Tony Saca, in an interviewpublished Friday in the daily La PrensaGrafica, said Bush called him lastWednesday.Saca, one of the few staunch Bushsupporters in Latin America, said the U.S.leader thanked him for the help to dateand praised the work of the 380Salvadoran soldiers still deployed in thestrife-torn Middle Eastern nation.One Salvadoran soldier has beenkilled in action in Iraq.El Salvador first sent troops to Iraq inAugust 2003, as part of a unit that includedSpain, Honduras, Nicaragua and theDominican Republic. Those other fourcountries have since pulled out.