Czech parliament approves withdrawal of most troops from Iraq in 2008

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The lower chamber of Czech parliament voted Wednesday to approve a government plan to withdraw 80 of its 100 troops from Iraq in the second half of next year. Of the 195 lawmakers present in the 200-seat chamber, 129 deputies were in favor of the plan while 45 were against it, with 21 deputies abstaining. The Czech troops are deployed in southern Iraq as guards at a British base. The government, which approved the move October 22, said it would consult its allies in Iraq about it.